I was just reading a blog posting today entitled “I’m Not Technical” (you can find the original post here). In this entry, the author (Mike Brannan) talks about a scenario we have all heard before. Someone in IT saying “I’m not technical” to set the appropriate expectations.

I believe that it is OK to say that you are not technical if you work in the IT field. Not everyone in IT is a programmer. One of the best project managers I ever worked under was openly not technical. However she gave her technical resources the trust to do their technical jobs to the best of their ability. As a developer under her, I respected her more for being honest in her technical abilities and for putting the right people around her to give her the information she needed to make the appropriate decisions.

The post continues to say that it would be better for the person to learn to fill in those technical gaps. Once again, this depends. If you are a manager, I believe your time would be better spent on growth growing your managerial skills. Does learning Java make you a better manager of Java resources? I doubt it. What does make you a better manager are soft or people skills.

I am a technical guy. However, I use the strengths I have that are applicable to my role to help the project succeed. If I am developing, I use my technical skills; if I am leading or mentoring, I use those skills. What are your thoughts. Is it OK not to be technical in IT? Let everyone know in the comments.