I think more people would choose the IC path of there were more authority and autonomy in it.

I’ve gone the management route because I like making larger product decisions (or at least being involved in them). ICs at any level rarely get that level kind of input.

I low key blame the onslaught of product management for software as the problem. It’s pulled all the fun product stuff out of engineers hands. :(

Productive developers don't necessarily make good managers. Been doing this stuff for a long time and never came across the acronym IC, what is it?