To a certain extent I blame Professional Consultants, who let themselves be used to justify things their clients already wanted to do without taking the heat for doing it. "The consultants said we do X, so I'm gonna have to do it even if it hurts my workforce"
Esp consultants who are only about the numbers and no actual human-based strategy. THE. WORST. (and I say that as a consultant)
Oh yeah, consultants who are actually employed *as experts* are great. Their advice is either distasteful to leadership or at least painful, but that's somewhat the price paid for outside expertise, the stripping away of your rosy assumptions.
Leadership wanting their bad ideas laundered? - Bring in the consultants.