Surprisingly, it was an easy transition for him. Yet Barnett admits he is the exception, not the rule.
Most techies have a difficult tim e leaping from the technical to the managerial ranks.
Countless stories have been written advising techies how to become successful managers, implying that anyone can become a manager with proper training. Yet not all techies are cut out to be managers. But that's not the case in the managerial world. It's confounding to accept the fact that often there is no right answer, which is one reason why it's difficult for engineers, for example, to think like managers. Technical people are all about certainty, clarity and understanding.