In my contrary opinion, this should apply to tech leadership, not management. The best managers (for employees, not the company) are not necessarily great ICs.

In my contrary opinion, this should apply to tech leadership, not management. The best managers (for employees, not the company) are not necessarily great ICs. The best team leads / architects are great ICs. The problem is that "best" really depends on whether you are coming from the employer or employee's perspective. It's probably best for the company if they're great ICs: they can choose the right feature and deliver quickly and who cares about employee satisfaction at the margin.