Tools and Tips for Today's Project Manager

PETER PRINCIPLE

Lawrence J. Peter introduced a principle that struck a universal chord when he published the Peter Principle. The Peter Principle was simple and relevant to everyone working in a bureaucracy. It said that in a hierarchy, every individual rises to a level of incompetence and advances no further. It applied to both public and private institutions.

Keeping the Peter Principle in mind, you’ll recognize that a person who has reached a level of incompetence often becomes an obstacle to greater performance or change. Hence, a corollary to the Peter Principle exists: a person who reaches a level of incompetence is an obstacle to progress. They’re like brick walls that won’t let anything pass. These people are often negative, even hostile, ...