This feels a little dated as I suspect only the most clueless execs today would not recognize the value of well-run IT (whether it be back-office or product), b

This feels a little dated as I suspect only the most clueless execs today would not recognize the value of well-run IT (whether it be back-office or product), but it serves as a pretty good explanation of the unspoken rules of a culture which white collar management and leadership might not be inclined to understand. Software engineers and IT folks are more akin to craftspeople and blue collar professionals in the sense that their competence directly translates to outcomes, and thus their reputation is based on more concrete observations versus middle managers where it can be pretty hard to attribute either success or failure directly to their actions.