Are you a Technical Expert or a Manager? You certainly cannot be both.

At least that's the consensus that I frequently encounter. A belief that you can only be one or the other but definitely not both.

This is outdated thinking. It sounds to me more like a cop out. A nice convenient excuse for those with a fear of doing things differently or going against the status quo. After all going against the status quo is exactly what we apparently should be doing in order to flourish in the modern world of work (Lynchpin, Seth Godin).

Of course leading in this manner is not easy but that's not the same as impossible. Trying to be two different things at the same time is daft, being exactly what you need to be at the right time, now that's smart.

Effective leadership is about being mindful of how you engage those around you. That's a skill that I believe transcends both disciplines.

Technical Expert or Manager, which will you choose to be?

I like the your thinking sir.

In fact, I'm going off the word "Manager" in general. For me it's connotations are too operational/clinical. I much prefer to think about leadership and how we engage with others, rather than manage them.

Being able to consciously choose how you want to engage others and in what capacity(Technical Expert/Guide or other) is the key in my opinion.

Technical Expert or Manager / I'm thinking a hybrid of the two.

Exactly! Let's show folks how it can be done.......

That's a great idea! It can be really difficult for technical professionals taking their first steps in the new arena of management to find a good mentor who really understands where they are coming from.