Here's an interesting recent article from the Wall Street Journal (you might require a subscription to read it):

The Economy's Last Best Hope: Superstar Middle Managers

Anemic growth, millennial malaise, you name it–blame a lack of inspiring bosses

I'll comment first that organizations that have high aspirations of “Lean Transformation” need to have “transformational leaders.” Sadly, those transformational leaders seem to be few and far between. How many organizations have “bureaucrats” at the helm?