>I'm in a similar situation. when I first took this job about 6 years ago, the programmers were under a very experienced IT veteran. But he went to do his own thing and they got someone she is not an IT person. IT's been two years, and she still has not caught on to what IT is about. So we just grin and bear it... for now.

I'm not sure I equate IT experience/knowledge as a requirement for managing an IT group. I'd go a little further and say that some of the worst managers are those that are technically strong because they micro-manage how you do your job rather than define what you need to do.

The best manager I ever had was a retired Lt. Col. He was well qualified to determine WHAT needed to be done. He freely confessed his technical incompetence as to HOW it should be done, that was my job.

His job was to define the workload, provide me the resources I needed, mediate disputes between team members (I think we should do it THIS way.....NO it should be done THAT way, etc.), monitor my performance, and make sure there was nothing in my area of responsibity that would provide an unexpected and nasty shock to His boss. After that.........get out of the way and let me do what I was paid to do.