middle management won’t devote themselves to high quality work if upper management randomly disrupts their long-term projects by undermining—ahem, boldly overriding—the bureaucracy, taking direct control of lower-level offices.

and the essence of good government is high-quality long-term projects shepherded by middle management.

excellent observations by @Alon https://pedestrianobservations.com/2023/09/30/on-hierarchy-and-the-civil-service/