Unified vision matters. Peer commentator already noted Steve Jobs, but I wanted to focus on this.
Steve didn't draw the buttons, design the hardware, or write the code -- but he sure as shit told the relevant teams exactly what he wanted -- often directly, with a very shallow management hierarchy -- and told them to try again if they didn't pull it off.
At the same time, he did have SVP-level and VP-level people writing serious, core OS-level code themselves. They were better managers by virtue of actually understanding and having a coherent vision for what it was they were managing.
If the management chain doesn't set product and marketing direction at a company whose purpose is to sell products, then what the hell are they doing in charge?
Steve didn't draw the buttons, design the hardware, or write the code -- but he sure as shit told the relevant teams exactly what he wanted -- often directly, with a very shallow management hierarchy -- and told them to try again if they didn't pull it off.
At the same time, he did have SVP-level and VP-level people writing serious, core OS-level code themselves. They were better managers by virtue of actually understanding and having a coherent vision for what it was they were managing.
If the management chain doesn't set product and marketing direction at a company whose purpose is to sell products, then what the hell are they doing in charge?