People in high places trade on favors. They favor those who are obsequious towards them. Things have gotten to the point that favoritism has overcome good sense, and leaders do as they do regardless of the eventual outcome. They like to be fawned over, and favor those who do so.
The problem with this is that there is no real responsibility towards the country, government, company, workers, whatever. Whenever gaining favor is the main, or even in some cases the sole motivation for what one does, wisdom will not be in evidence at all. The eventual outcome will be ruin.