Abstract :
In this issue of EMR we explore in depth the first topic of our Technology Manager\´s Notebook, "Managing Technical Professionals." I truly believe that people and relationships are the essence of any organization and that the ability to inspire and motivate employees is a rare and highly prized skill in the echelons of managers. For it is not the manager who delivers products and services to the market, but rather the collective employees of the firm. Technical professionals are a particular, if not peculiar, type of employee who is often motivated differently than others. Specifically, technical professionals expect their leadership to have sufficient technical capability to understand and appreciate the complex nature of their work. As a result technical professionals who have advanced to leadership roles based upon their technical expertise may lack the soft skills necessary to guide and motivate their colleagues. What are these critical soft skills? What tools are available to deliver a proper performance evaluation for technical professionals? In this context, what reward structures work or do not work?
