Some (if not many) in management do not have the appropriate skills for their roles. But I think if they were given more tools- they could all be great.
When asked in a town hall meeting why new management does not receive continuing education to help them in their new roles- we were told by senior leadership that 'we would rather mentor from within' and show them the ropes that way. Unfortunately, I think this shows that those near the top are a bit out of touch with the reality of those in more entry level positions. I think middle management is telling their bosses one thing and then actually behaving another way with their team members.
Everyone (including those that he would like to actually DO the mentoring) could use continuing education, no one is perfect. I don't think anyone was expecting new leadership to go into any kind of long term program or anything- but individual courses would be a great option. There are many courses that could help people understand the different personality types of those on their team, also help manage their stress from managing people, and also help them with the best ways to motivate their teams. I hope current senior leadership really takes these complaints seriously (as it has been a constant complaint internally as well in our monthly 'complaint/suggestion box').
Also, I agree that nepotism is prevalent here. Human Resources needs to be more involved in the promotions to ensure that those performing the interviews aren't just 'going on gut' and hiring the one that they want for the job. On the flip side, if you can 'play the game' you will go far at Trupanion.
