Great insights. I am struggling with the IC vs. management track since the general wisdom is only the management track has real decision making power. I didn't consider that the real thing a manager has to affect change is _influence_. You don't need to be a manager to be influential.

I've started to see this as an early engineering hire in a fledgling startup. As we grow, my influence grows too; thanks to my leaders giving me the "magic wand".