space pig, one of the best postings I have read for many a day!
Can't quite agree. It is easy to counter a generalism, as is the topic of this discussion, by quoting rather extreme scenarios and situations. While I commiserate with the changes in the working environment up front I make the comment that we need to keep it to apples & apples. There will always be times & places where the captain needs to be 'the boss' and others where they can be more mentoral. Deciding which is appropriate is perhaps part of captainship.