The sad truth is that a lot of senior corporate leaders, by the time they get promoted up to that level, if they ever had useful skills (in management or anything else) they’re usually long atrophied away. Since at that level of nearly all companies of any meaningful size those jobs are pure politics (jockeying for influence, fighting for resources in yet another reorg).

If you want to improve in your career don’t listen to a thing these people say (unless you need to learn about public posturing).