Je grösser die Stäbe, desto schlecter die Führung

Interesting and argumentative topic thread at Milnet.ca, focusing on the CF's HQ at Kandahar--I like these comments:

ISAF Commander Reportedly Seeking Smaller "Tail", More "Teeth"
...
dapaterson

Je grösser die Stäbe, desto schlecter die Führung.
General Bronsart von Schellendorf, The Duties of the General Staff, 3rd edition, 1893...

Midnight Rambler

Je grösser die Stäbe, desto schlecter die Führung.

General Bronsart von Schellendorf, The Duties of the General Staff, 3rd edition, 1893

Translation: The greater the staff, the worse the leadership...

dataperson

The HQ of an American division of 1944 was established for 96 officers. The equivalent for a German division was 29. The equivalent figure for a British Division today [ 1998 ] is 173. The preparation of a divisional operation order required two Wehrmacht officers and about half an hour - one man-hour. It now takes us something like 11 officers and four hours - 44 man-hours. War is more complex nowadays. But not 44 times more! Officers are overheads. The relevant question is whether, and up to what point, do those overheads add value. We are currently well beyond the point at which adding officers adds value, since adding a large number of officers has increased the time required to make decisions.

Taken from "The Embryo of a Wartime Army", Maj JP Storr, RUSI Journal June 1998 p40-44
http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/940696_731515095_791623195.pdf ...