Well, yeah. Survival, with promotion, requires compromise. But, look at the technical background of recent leadership such as Atkins and Warren. The staff with expertise and resource integrity were passed over/neutered.

Might add that in the late 80s early 90s the State embarked on the Career Executive program with the idea that executives were interchabgable. You didn't need technical skills from your agency but just how you manage people/carry out policy. Some current staffers have told me that agency now values "Emotional Maturity" above technical skills.