Does leadership go up the chain of command?

I hate cliche' answers because they don't focus much on reality vs. nirvana. Seniors should lead and work to have their juniors grow up to take over. Juniors should be in sponge mode and learn what good leadership can do for you. It makes life easier for everyone around, including you, and keeps people alive. The more senior you get, the more expendable you should be because any number of your staff can fill in or take over. At some point you'll realize like I did that some leaders should go further than you. At that point, push them up and support them. Others should be held back. Make that happen too. Why? If your focus is on getting stuff done while taking care of your people, you'll work to limit the flaming Alpha Hotels while giving those who have vast potential opportunity. Good leaders absorb the arrows from above so their good folk can get on with their lives. Sometimes you get damaged by those arrows. But then again, bringing your people home alive is vastly superior to the alternatives.

"You're either coaching it or allowing it to happen."
That is as true in the military as it is in sports.
That's not to say that a COL allowed a Lance Coolie to get a DUI, the Lance Coolie next to him allowed it to happen.
But that Lance Coolie allowed it to happen because the CPL and SGT that deal with him 12 hours a day allow things to happen, because the Staff and Gunny that deal with them allow things to happen, because the CPT they work for allows things to happen, etc.

Leadership goes down, across and up the chain of command.
I learned as much about leadership from my peers and subordinates as I ever learned from my supervisors.