Why Technical Experts Make Great Leaders

Amanda Goodall, a senior lecturer at Cass Business School in
London, argues that the best leaders are technical experts, not
general managers. She discusses her research findings about doctors
who head up hospitals, scholars who lead universities, and all-star
basketball players who go on to manage teams. She also gives advice
for what to do if you’re a generalist managing experts or an expert
managed by a generalist. Goodall is the co-author of the HBR
articles “If Your Boss Could Do Your Job, You’re More Likely to Be
Happy at Work” and “Why the Best Hospitals Are Managed by Doctors.”