Boeing

The benefits, especially the educational assistance. No managerial approval is needed to take a class, and the classes don't even have to relate to your field of work. You'll get reimbursed if you get a C.

The lower-level management isn't very passionate about what they do. In retrospect, I don't think they are given the tools and chances to succeed by the higher-level management. Still, there were a lot of people who probably shouldn't be managers in the engineering department.

Just because an employee is a great technical asset doesn't mean they know anything about managing others. You need to make sure you bring up the right people, and if they don't work out, you need to be proactive about doing some house cleaning instead of waiting for the economy to do it for you.