Many managers are bad but can keep the job for a long time. This is because it's not the people that you are managing that judge your performance. So you can very well be a bad manager and still keep your job. The key here is that you only need to be a manager that delivers results. You don't need to be a manager that is good.

Well, many of my employees chose to give me testimonials on my LinkedIn, and they had nothing to gain from it.

Here's a couple:

> Chris was the best manager I've ever reported to. Period. He was supportive of his team, always motivating us to deliver excellence, even under daunting schedules set by the people above him. Because of Chris' support and commitment to his team, he fostered a deep loyalty and respect from our department.

> Chris is passionate about developing software and about technology in general. This means he is always in touch with the latest trends and best practices in the industry. However, he is careful not to introduce a new process or methodology to his group unless it has clear benefits and he has considered the input of everyone affected.

Chris has always been very well-respected by his engineers because his management style allows their best skills to shine. It's not simply a hands-off approach; he'll look to remove roadblocks where he can and offer help in any way possible. He is good at identifying an inefficiency and reaching out to help improve it.

More than just management skills, Chris is a kind, understanding, sensible and fair human being. At one point, we had a six-year run where no one left the group. I hadn't really noticed or appreciated this stability until someone from our HR department pointed out how remarkable it was. This could not have happened without someone like Chris managing the group.

But, what do they know? I'm sure they were mistaken. BTW: One of them was from a chap I laid off.

I never said you were bad. I'm just saying being kept around for a long time doesn't mean someone is a good manager.

Testimonials from employees are a good indicator for a good manager.

27 years is a long time to stay in a job you hate.

Yup. But it wasn't all hate. I worked for a company that I believed in, was a peer with some of the finest scientists and engineers in the world, ran a team of very high-performing engineers, and was proud to be a member of that brand.

I felt good about what I did, even though I didn't enjoy it.

> 27 years is a long time to stay in a job you hate.

This statement shows that we are in a privileged place, indeed. We get to have a career, where we can do work that we enjoy, and make a lot of money at it.

The great majority of people don't get that. Most of my friends don't like their jobs. Some, are very good at what they do, and make a lot of money.

The job was relatively easy. I liked the company I worked for, and my peers. I felt a great deal of Responsibility towards the company, my peers, and my employees. I made enough to live on, and save. I could have made a lot more money, elsewhere. Despite the obvious sneers and judging that I get, I'm actually no slouch.

Nowadays, I work for free, on software that helps others.

WFM. YMMV.

I'm an engineering manager with only 4 years in the role, and I think it's more of a lot of things I hate with intense periods of excitement, joy and satisfaction. You might be able to get 20+ years of that, depending on the details. That's why the OP's original analogy of a far less dangerous, corporate version of military combat resonated with me.