We all know organisations like this. People who are competent in one thing and then promoted to another thing which is unsuited to them.
The Peter Principle, formulated by Dr Laurence J. Peter, is a concept in organisational theory. It states that in a hierarchical structure, employees tend to rise to their “level of incompetence.” This means that individuals are promoted based on their performance in their current role, rather than their ability to perform in the new role. Eventually, they reach a position where they are no longer competent, as the skills required may differ significantly from those that earned them the promotion. As a result, many roles end up being filled by individuals who are ill-suited to them, leading to inefficiency within organisations. The principle highlights a flaw in traditional promotion systems and suggests that employees often remain in roles they are not equipped to handle.
It is time to reward people for what THEY are good at, not what the organisation decides. Efficiency and effectiveness, as well as job satisfaction, will improve immeasurably.
