> ICs have had to deal with slim pickings at senior level promos for a long time A lot of people don't have what it takes to reach higher levels as SWE. Techni

> ICs have had to deal with slim pickings at senior level promos for a long time A lot of people don't have what it takes to reach higher levels as SWE. Technical skills alone can be a blocker. On the other hand, it seems easier for managers to assume new responsibilities. I could definitely see my direct manager assume the role of his manager for instance. Personally, I know I can't be an E7 at that stage of my career. My teammates at that level are fast thinkers, extremely well organized, technically exceptional and so on. In comparison, my skip manager is just a guy with good communication skills, enough technical knowledge to understand what the teams do, and smart enough to understand the rules of the game.