efficient/smart generally were shown the door by the efficient/stupid.
= = =
Maybe do you mean lazy/smart were shown the door?
Unfortunately, he has it right.
It was competent/incompetent and industrious/lazy.
“Competent/industrious make good staff officers. Incompetent/lazy are the cannon fodder. Competent/lazy make good Commanders (they do things the easiest way). Industrious/incompetents? We shoot them. They are nothing but trouble.”