>Do you think some managers intentionally play up the severity of problems to push their teams into this panic mode?

I'm sure some do. Much more often I observe that the managers themselves are just reacting to the incentive system in their environment -- and that those incentive systems are complex, not-widely-understood, and often built "accidentally." ie, companies are often accidentally incentivizing the wrong behaviors and are often powerless to prevent this.

I am almost convinced most middle management are like small babies. That's not meant derogatively: there's a problem, they have been notified, yet they cannot do anything about it. They need someone else to fix it. So, they cry loud and clear that there is a need to fix this.

It's difficult to understand sometimes, but they are pressured from above, and they don't have the means to fix it by themselves.

Good management is a tool they have to fix the problem. But yes, sometimes they have mismanaged things so much that they can only kick up a fuss or pester people. It causes a lot of stress and is not very effective from my exp.

On a more positive note, other managers will have a rapport with their teams where if the team only learns of a problem, it will be addressed. They only need to act as liaisons — stick something on a kanban board somewhere, and it will get resolved. No loud crying necessary, just business as usual.