Paper tigers.

In the initial phases, the work was done by individuals (in-charges) with the help of the staff members under them.

As time passed on, the in-charges started name-dropping to get the work done. As further time passed on, the in-charges gradually increased hierarchical status of the person for the name-dropping game.

Still further on in time, the situation became so worse, even the junior most staff member had to be convinced that the work was being done at the behest of the top-most man in the organization.

After years of working experience under such individuals, all the dim-wits have started their own games of name-dropping - They christened such individuals aptly as paper tigers.

[The narrative though set in a specific environment , could have taken place in a forest conservator's office. This setting helps the reader spin their own yarn :) ]