If you work for someone else, are you in management? Do you aspire to be?

I'm finding that I'm being moved into a management-lite type of role (or at least it seems that way), where I take part in strategy discussions, and have some authority to direct work, but don't have the personnel issues to deal with, at least not yet.

I do take part in stradgy (sp)discussions but also have no role in personnel descions. Our controller has been with the company for years and that is my next step. LIke my job so i am willing to wait patiently for him to leave.