At one point in my career, I performed legal document review work. This is some of the least intellectually stimulating work available, but it's often the best alternative if you're rocking 100k in law school student debt.

One day, I get offered a promotion- I get to manage a crew of other attorneys for a 10% pay bump. I take it and I learned how to manage a bunch of smart people at an often irritating job because they need it.

Here's what worked for me:
* Acknowledge the complaints and difficulties when they're correct. Taking the party line that the new tool/product/requirement is perfect when it's a trainwreck puts you on the wrong side of an 'us or them' view. Recognize the flaws and where you can change them, try.
* Don't overpromise or break promises. It's hard to lead with damaged credibility.
* Have favorites, but make it clear that it's the quality of their work. Other staff may mimic their attributes. Encourage the ones you want.
* Be as fair and transparent about the dispensing of plum and shit assignments.

Conjure up all your bad bosses. Do the opposite of what they would have done.

In IT, I've managed small teams (3-4) and I find the work emotionally taxing. I'll run projects and try to teach and train my junior staff, but having direct reports seems like more responsibility than I want right now at my pay grade.