I tihnk you are documenting something important very clearly and objectively. A very clear example of a situation perpetuating itself (and I must say I felt a very familiar brain ache when I met with one of the senior people setting the Civil Service Leadership Academy a few years ago).

And I can't help saying that I don't think you have to agonise about some aspects of this; this kind of process is doing a number on you, that's the purpose of the sytem, and there is, in fact much 'better' out there.