Lack of strategic planning. Executives like mapping out strategies, objectives and career paths. This is tough to do without knowing where the company is headed. With many firms in a holding mode, many managers are feeling frustrated and cutoff. Many companies are worried only about putting out fires, and not about planning for events a year or two down the road.
Managers are positive, action oriented people.
An employer's job is to give them a positive, supportive environment that can help them do their best in bad times as well as good.