Dear Bob ... Up until very recently I was the IT Director. Due to circumstances beyond my control, upper management has decided to pool resources with another similar company. The first large change associated with that decision is to merge the two IT departments. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the IT director at the other company has been put in charge. Now truthfully I do Dear Bob …Up until very recently I was the IT Director.Due to circumstances beyond my control, upper management has decided to pool resources with another similar company. The first large change associated with that decision is to merge the two IT departments. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the IT director at the other company has been put in charge.Now truthfully I don’t have a management background, my degrees are in computer science. I was doing OK as the IT manager, not great. I was making progress. I had delusions of grandeur for a short time that I could lead the merger of the two IT departments, but I think for now I was just fooling myself. I just don’t have the experience or the temperment.I had an interesting discussion with my new boss about what was going to happen to me in terms of job title and position. He said he sees me squarely on a technical track, and in terms of advancement and compensation, I might expect to end up as the technical lead for the two organizations, while he would be the management lead. I like this idea, and would like to make it happen. The problem is I don’t know how. My new boss has said on a couple of occasions about other employees we are slotting in places “often times if you play the part, you get the part”. I’m not sure how I should attempt to play this part–do you have suggestions or resources regarding the differences between managerial and technical lead positions?–Auditioning, but not sure for what.Dear Auditioning … To answer your question: The good news is that you get to define this role as you see fit. The bad news (you know what’s coming) is that you get to define this role as you see fit.I’d suggest organizing your thinking in terms of technical architecture: As technical lead you’d be responsible for establishing a coherent strategy for platforms (hardware, operating systems, networks, DBMSs and such); information (structured databases and unstructured content repositories); and applications (both shrink-wrapped and “solutions”). Then you’d be responsible for ensuring the organization implements technology according to that strategy.A boundary issue that needs clarification is whether your role as technical lead makes you responsible for application support: Integration, enhancement, maintenance and development. If so, are you also responsible for business design and analysis or is there a boundary through which specifications have to flow? Another boundary issue is whether “technical lead” includes managing day-to-day operations: Data center, network operations and management of personal technologies.It sounds like your new boss is planning to organize around the talent available to him rather than doing a blank-sheet-of-paper design and then staffing to it. That’s fine – there are lots of ways to arrive at an organizational chart. Still, you need to define your role in the context of the whole organization, and a key question is how many direct reports your new boss plans to have (and how big the whole organization is).Which leaves one of your questions unanswered: The difference between the management and technical lead. It could mean a lot of things. First and foremost, I’m sure it will mean budgets and governance will belong to your new boss, along with most of the executive-suite relationship. He’ll also take the lead on overall IT strategy, although he’ll rely on you to supply the technology component.And, as a practical matter, it means that while the two of you might be near-equals, he’ll be more equal than you will. Which I assume you’ve already figured out.This is just a sketch, of course. I hope it helps. – Bob ——– Technology Industry