How do you deal with mediocre superiors and their lack of leadership?

I will answer your question in a more general way which is "how to influence up" which is not dependent upon if your superiors are good or bad:
1. Use Sun Tzu. Know yourself, your enemy (superiors in this case) and the terrain. Know yourself by knowing your own strengths/weaknesses, goals/objectives, opportunities/threats and endstate. Know your superiors by knowing their guidance, personalities, and process/procedures/systems. Know the terrain by knowing your operational environment.
2. Know doctrine. Best time to influence is before highers OPORD (not after) and know echelon timelines and issues.
3. Take decisive action. Do this by anticipating and acting, creating opportunities for engagement, pushing information higher, proactively engaging, and picking your head up from the bayonet fights that you are in.
4. Do not expect decisive results on every engagement. Be tactically patient and plant seeds early. Then harvest these seeds at the appropriate time.
5. If all else fails, remember that among your job, your boss, and your current location; one of the three will most likely change out within the next year.

I submit that you do your best, CPT Chris Loomis, and set the example for YOUR troops. While you're at it, you may have an influence on those mediocre superiors. They'll see you doing things right and they just might follow your lead.

I view myself as a "bullshit umbrella". PV2 Snuffy doesn't need to hear the waffling back and forth about "Is there LIK this month?" or stress about the fluidity of our next mission. He needs to be able to show up and execute. They don't need to see me sitting there, angrily throwing things around in my office....pissing and moaning about the trials that we all endure. They need to see me and know that I'm going to bust my ass to take care of them. Their only concern should be "How can I add to the team and support my leadership?" My concern is everything else.

I do my best to assess my leaders early and often. For me, I tend to push hard when it is important.....so at times I'm sure my superiors shake their head when they see me coming. I've ranted and raved in their offices like a madman when it's important....but it's because I care about my troops.

Mediocre/lack of leadership I can deal with more than incompetent/overinvolved leadership. I can guide my troops independently......sometimes pushing someone's nose out of my platoon/company is harder than dragging someone by the dog tag chain to get my Soldiers' needs met.
v/r,
CPT Butler