the best managers were usually not the well-educated guys from middle-class backgrounds, but those who worked up from the bottom, they could relate to their staff far better and understand their needs.

Would agree there, used to be a night shift supervisor, crappy job, and then just full time on fruit and veg, used to have a beer and a spliff with my manager on that department, he held as much contempt for the arseholes in charge as I did and was even reluctant to bollock me, as he felt it was not at all worth a heart attack.

The uppity ones always lost respect of their staff!