Yup. this is my life. I have a dev title but im really directing people. I don't enjoy doing both. May as well get paid accordingly.

This is something our industry needs to fix. I've turned down promotions so many times because they amounted to moving from coding to pastoral care. Which is bizarre - it's like a surgeon being offered a promotion to work in HR.

Many companies do have an individual contributor track, and that's a big factor in where I choose to work, but way too many companies seem to think it's all kinda the same thing.

(To be clear: none of this is neglecting the importance of, or talent involved in, managing people. Bringing out people's potential requires tremendous skill, which I don't have, and that's why I won't do it.)