Forget that I ever existed

Sandtree

It all depends on where you want to get to and your industry etc.

Working in financial services its perfectly possible to get to a 6 figure salary without having line management responsibility for anyone if you go up the technical pathway. In some organisations you can be fairly senior within the company too as well as very well paid but the problem is there is a point where it hits a ceiling.

Many moons ago worked with a person that these days would be called a "programme director", earned north of £200k inc package and was running programmes and portfolios with £100m spends etc but never for a day in his life had he ever had line management responsibility. The "obvious" move, or only move available for him, was to become a "director of" but instantly that means he's a line manager and most likely a line manager of teams/departments. Both he, and the hiring manager who he interviewed with, were concerned about this gap in skills.

The gap doesn't stop everyone moving on/up however at times the lack of experience shows heavily... worked with a chap in a similar position to the one above but he was an actuary and had just scored his role as a Director having never line managed before but suddenly had 8 direct reports each of which had 5-10 direct report each. On the technical side he was gifted but was a totally lousy manager/director but it was a role that required the technical side.