On the first point, managers where I have been rotate around more frequently than a year. They reorg every six months or so. Secondly, if a team sized softwar

On the first point, managers where I have been rotate around more frequently than a year. They reorg every six months or so. Secondly, if a team sized software project goes on more than a year, it is in jeopardy, so most team sized projects don't have more than a year of planning. Switching roles once per year should be the minimum. On the second point, no real potential for career growth are precisely what drives good IC's out of the company. You feel managers shouldn't have to do IC roles because it's bad for their career? It's also then bad for IC careers. This is the typical manager viewpoint, they don't want to do IC work because it's beneath them and their only goal is to get promoted, get more power, and make more money but not make the company more successful. These are the money and power motivated people that you don't want.