Quite a good read here from Business Week - The best leadership is good management.
We're overled and undermanaged. As someone who teaches, writes, and advises about management, I hear stories about this every day: about CEOs who don't manage so much as deem—pronouncing performance targets, for instance, that are supposed to be met by whoever is doing the real managing.
I can see this problem being particularly relevant in big business. But for us lessor enterprises where the boss isn't constantly in touch with the frontline, I really like this point:
Studies show that vital information is typically transmitted to a CEO informally—orally, often, rather than in formal reports. Leaders removed from managing aren't going to get these messages.
Note to self: Must keep walking the floor and taking feedback from all levels.