I have seen the Peter Principal play out many times and was a victim of it myself.
I have worked in the kitchen line for years. Upper management is always looking for new lower management talent. Some very talented cooks are asked if they would like to move their position up in the “team”. Of course they do. Better pay, benefits, 60 hour week, and geting off the line are a great lure.
They go into training and are moderately successful as they are still loosely connected to their original job. They are next promoted up to the next level(ordering,scheduling personnel, troubleshooting).
They are not competent at this level for whatever the reason (poor training, lack of support, didn’t want to do THAT job. They are generally unhappy with their new job now.) So they fail at this level and are washed out or quit.
Their level of competence was the second step, their level of incompetence is the third step. (levels of success are determined on each individual case.)
To be considered successful according to the theory one must know their strengths and weaknesses and focus mainly on their strengths and do not only what they love, but also focus on where their talent lies.
Many CEO’s, politicians and other low talent individuals who rise to the top are many times “post turtles”.
My Grandma taught me at an early age that cream is not the only thing that rises to the top. scum often does too.
Yep, most companies will move you up as fast as you are willing to move and OUT as fast as you fail!
My current company has several Field Leads who TRIED to move up to Superintendent. They could not handle the pace and the work (it was no longer hands-on, tools ladened work...it was mostly management stuff). Luckily, this company will allow you to return to your last position if you haven’t burned any bridges in the office (and that happens often).