What tangible value do these individuals actually bring? Most L8+ managers seem to contribute little beyond joining calls, repeating other's points, or derailing discussions with irrelevant input. It’s hard to find one with even baseline competence—were they hired specifically for their lack of critical thinking and lower IQ?
Worse, they perpetuate a cycle of mediocrity by promoting clones of themselves while sidelining high performers, often painting talent as ‘problems’ to justify their own insecurity. Their primary skill? Building a self-serving network to protect their interests and install loyalists at every level.
Long-tenured L8s (15+ years) are particularly terrible—their termination would have no zero impact. The organization wouldn’t miss a beat if they were gone tomorrow