I am not sure demonizing managers here is the fair thing (popular perhaps). Managers (I've had incompatible managers and have been one myself) don't operate in

I am not sure demonizing managers here is the fair thing (popular perhaps). Managers (I've had incompatible managers and have been one myself) don't operate in a vacuum. Managers jobs are very much guided/dictated by hr policies (atleast at big cos) down to the point of precise wording to avoid/use, strict "formulas" for comp and refreshers, tight flowcharts to set on tracking execution, planning processes etc. Not to mention just general organisational chaos with project cancellations and fielding requests from N different (indirect) bosses. There is a lot more risk than to justify the reward of going against the tide. Heck even tooling and templates for conducting 1/1s are getting more and more standardized and doing slightly different gets you in trouble. There are definitely incompetent managers just like there are incompetent engineers or lawyers or directors or leaders etc. A broad/general stroke - I am not sure is justified.