"And one of the big challenges is that the 'managerial position' (as Lena calls it) is often in conflict with the talent for making things that got your there in the first place."

No truer words have ever been spoken, especially in tech. The skills that make you a good developer or designer are usually exactly the ones that make management a terrible path. Some traits, like empathy for users/customers, lend to success in both areas, but I'm hard pressed to find another.