Totally agree there's no hard and fast rules here. That said, this person probably lucked out with a dependable team, and no doubt relied on intra-leadership (from yourself or peers I would assume!) to manage - and deliver - effectively. This kind of dependability doesn't usually appear out of thin air. It's also a bit of a catch 22 to replicate.

I've worked with similar people and there is definitely a place for them (tho probably not at the peak of the structure). But it's also nice to have someone that can critically discuss a solution and sign off on decisions that they fully understand. IMO.