[PeterPrinciple]

It occurred to me that some freepers may not be aware of the Peter Principle (Little found in search)

Read the book, don't go to the movie.

[alloysteel]

What makes the system work at all is that some people have not yet been promoted to the level where their competence is challenged, and they are still turning out first-class work, a situation which ends upon their very next promotion.

If they ain't just a little hungry, they cease to exert themselves. Human beings are HARD-WIRED in this respect. They cannot be trained out of this aspect of their nature.

[Willie Green]

Management consultants who recognize that the Peter Principle is in full swing in their clients organization often recommend percussive sublimations and lateral arabesque for high ranking employees to make room for new employees, because...

Because management consultants are themselves incompetent. They should be recommending that the deadwood be trimmed completely.

After all, if the offer is made it is because management knows the employee can do the job competently. Many managers are at their level of incompetence thus they make these poor selections.

It's been my observation that the incompetent intentionly promote those who are even dumber in order to make themselves look good. It is the talented achievers who may someday outperform the incompetent promoting manager who get sacked.

[BADJOE]

Add to this the Badjoe Principle.

Some companies/organizations grow beyond the competence of the originator to handle the success, and remain successful inspite of that incompetance.

[NewHampshireDuo]

In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.

This statement is non-PC. Should be: In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to her level of incompetence. < /sarcasm>

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I remember reading this book a long, long time ago. The example that stuck with me was about a salesman. The guy was a terrific salesman, so eventually they felt obliged to promote him. He became the sales manager, in charge of several other salesmen (but doing no selling on his own.) The guy was a terrible manager. The same aggressiveness that made him a good salesman was causing him problems as a manager. What would the company do? They wouldn't promote him again, since he wasn't doing a very good job in his current position. They could, of course, let him revert to being a salesman. This is rarely done, however. So, most likely, he stays right where he is, in his final job, for which he has shown no skills.

[BufordP]

Then there's the...

Good book. I highly recommend it. The last chapter spells out the single most important principle:

Fire the A$$holes.

[Old Professer]

After reading your review, I have concluded that you have been writing for much too long.