I wholeheartedly agree with your commentary about such "compartmentalized" approach to systems tasks. The description of narrowmindedness is on target for many domains, certainly I've observed it in medical fields.
The problem arises from complexity. We are able to track only so much information at a given time so specialization develops. But as we find out more and more how processes intertwine it calls for having awareness of the generalist point of view as well.
It's a difficult feat to accomplish, to hold a meta and detailed view simultaneously. Probably it's a particular talent to be able to do so, but as complexity is not going to decrease, future leaders will need to be talented in this way if the problem is going to be solved.
To some extent I blame the Silicon Valley cult of recent grads, where "25 is the new 55" as someone once put it to me.
One of the things you get from doing something for decades is a very broad and deep understanding of the entire system. If you've been a developer for 35 years you've not only seen fads come and go, but you've also had a chance to use numerous systems from numerous perspectives and on both sides of the user/developer fence.
It only works if you've kept learning though. I've found that older devs occupy an extreme "U" distribution -- they're either utterly outdated or they're super-brilliant and can leverage tons of experience.
Another source of the problem is a lack of emphasis on -- or even contempt for -- UX among systems level (so-called "neckbeard") type developers. "Real men don't need ..."
Last but not least you've got the business models of many infosec companies which revolve around "streaming" constant "definition updates," patches, and selling loads of different one-off fixes for little problems.
I don't think it is a contempt at the existence of UX. But when UX gets in the way of efficiency. Something like being able to wrap up a common task in a script, rather than having to constantly poke at that wizard with its 1001 next buttons.
The problem arises from complexity. We are able to track only so much information at a given time so specialization develops. But as we find out more and more how processes intertwine it calls for having awareness of the generalist point of view as well.
It's a difficult feat to accomplish, to hold a meta and detailed view simultaneously. Probably it's a particular talent to be able to do so, but as complexity is not going to decrease, future leaders will need to be talented in this way if the problem is going to be solved.