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Blaine Buxton has a few words to say about the all too common perception that developers are interchangeable:

I've always been bothered with the notion that programmers are interchangeable parts. Technical managers that I have had seem to think we are all the same. Cut from the same tree if you will. Am I the only one that thinks this is hog wash? Like anything in life, there will be people that rise to the top of their field and be the best there is. But, it seems people think that programmers are all the same. I find this bothersome. I've known managers that thought they could pull anyone off the street and in 6 weeks have a good programmer. Would we expect to do the same with musicians? Just pick anyone off the street that knows nothing about music and expect them to play a mozart concerto flawlessly after the same period of time? I think the answer would be no! Would we expect to take even a first year english student and expect them to write poems the caliber of William Shakespeare? HELL NO WE WOULDN'T! So, why do we expect the same from programmers?

Blunt, but very much on point. Maybe we should start assuming that senior managers are interchangeable. When that gets the obvious objection, let the other shoe drop...