Just to qualify my point on the good managers... a good manager is not the one who makes his/her decisions that are popular today or tomorrow or the day after. They make their decisions based on the greater good of their sphere of influence, regardless of whether the decision is popular at the time or not. What makes a great manager is a good manager who manages to convince those in their sphere of influence that what their decision is based on/to achieve is a good thing, and gets them on board.
Of course, the limitation is either undue influence of higher-ups who see a threat, or the inability to effect that decision, and losing the confidence of those below them.
So undoubtedly you will have good managers even if they are not immediately visible. Those who command the respect of their subordinates and their peers, and occasionally even their superiors, tend to be excellent managers. Those are the people you want to keep.
S.
Last edited by VAFFPAX; 14th Apr 2008 at 15:10.