[abeppu]

> The lead developer handled communication with the IT Director about project status; and that wasn't very often.

I think depending on the organizational context, and how much external communication a project needs to succeed, this can mean that the lead developer becomes a manager in responsibility but not in resources. This can harm the project and its participants both because the lead developer's attention may be siphoned off towards management-related activities, and because their advocate to upper-management is less equipped.

E.g. Can the lead developer recognize that the project needs a person with a skillset not already present, write a JD and oversee the search for a suitable candidate? Or will the organization say "tech leads don't hire; managers hire"? Does the lead developer have the same access to the decision-making process of the larger org that a manager would, or will they be denied access to certain meetings, documents and resources? ("Sorry, we keep that personnel info in the same place we keep compensation info, which only managers should see").

I think the article makes the point that the problems preventing an org from making good products or decisions extends all the way up to the CEO, and I agree. And in the many organizations, software managers are a necessary evil to try to compensate for those broader dysfunctions.

[carbonguy]

> this can mean that the lead developer becomes a manager in responsibility but not in resources.

I think you've nailed it here - what's been described is a manager under another title, and one who will be hampered in that role in the exact ways you describe.

[andrekandre]

ive seen this happen alot... a lead dev is a manager without a title, and is not recognized or have any true authority, and they arent compensated for it either... its the worst of both worlds...