We have an epidemic of bad leadership. It's everywhere. Governments, research institutions, private and public companies. I don't know the cause of it, but from what I observe from my workplace it's because the heavily bureaucratic processes of both public and private entities requires a certain personality that is basically a politician above all else. And the whole promotion process is a one way valve. Once you go up a rung there's very little you can do to be pushed down the same rung again.

The best managers I had are people who made their career in the US and returned to Europe as senior managers.