[icedchai]

Most are "facilitators", working out communication and coordination issues. Very rarely do they contribute to the actual product. Often they simply don't have time, because there are too many meetings.

Earlier in my career, the engineering managers were more hands on, more of a tech lead + people manager hybrid. They would work on the spec, understand the product, and do some coding that was out of the critical path. You still find those types in some companies, but it's become rarer (at least for me.)