I agree with you here Snowdrops, many sups do need supervision, and training. Mine is, I think, very good and I am incredibly lucky to have found him. I started off at another uni with another academic and she was awful. diresepctful and not really engaged - no concerne for the job she was doing, and I can relate to what you are saying. If things get unearable you can leave - if your funding is not tied to them or their institution. I think there is a thread on here detailing what to look for in a good supervisor.

I think it's healthy that you have this perspective and you are right - management and people skills are sadly lacking a fact that I'm sure contributes to slow or low completion. PhD is, I think, about the only area of education that is not monitered in this way - if I treated my undergrads the way my first sup treated me I would be out on my backside, pronto. It can be like stepping back in time to the days when professors were like gods and students ants.

Good luck x