We all know that common sense isn't terribly common and it certainly is not a sense. As pilots, we all tend to rely on our inate abilities to see, assess and take corrective action. All too often, our managers (leaders)are too busy trying to figure out why our customer is choked about something rather than standing back, qualitatively assessing the front line of company-customer interface and enacting some form of inter-personal corrective action. Too deep? Someone already mentioned the practice of hiring good people; what can we do about managers who hire good people then don't listen to them?
I've even seen it come to the point where we hire individuals solely because of their academic credentials, then try and turn them into pilots so they can speak the language.
We, as an aviation sector must work to create ways and means of identifying individuals whom we would like to work for, individuals we respect, we know respect us, and who will remain loyal to safe flight practices. These individuals if supported by the the troops should be recognized by senior management and promoted accordingly. Do pilots make good managers? Not naturally. If management would invest some effort and $$$ in first identifying potential leaders, then training them to meet both management's needs as well as those of the pilots he/she oversees, the returns would be overwhelming.