Do tech skills win out over leadership skills in winning supervisory jobs?

A recent report claims that job candidates with a high level of technical skills—but little or no aptitude for or interest in leadership—often win jobs as first-line supervisors.

The reason: Many agencies put a premium on technical expertise over leadership skills, the report says.

But there is also a flip side to the phenomenon. According to the study from the Merit Systems Protection Board, tech types may be seeking these supervisory slots because traditional technical career paths just don’t provide the same kind of increased status and pay.

Maybe our readers—supers and employees both—can shed more light on this …