Every employee tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence – Laurence J Peter
Managers who used to be very high-performing sales workers tended not to bring a significant boost to their colleagues
Competence, like truth, beauty, and contact lenses, is in the eye of the beholder – Laurence J Peter
These are very popular quotes based on Peter’s Principle.
The Peter Principle is a management theory developed by Dr. Laurence J. Peter in 1969. It states that in any hierarchy, employees tend to rise to their level of incompetence, and that this is caused by a lack of promotion criteria based on ability, rather than an employee’s achievement in their current role.
In the teaching community, this principle can apply to the advancement of teachers within a school or school district. For example, a teacher may be an excellent classroom teacher but may not have the necessary skills or experience to be an effective department head or administrator. If that teacher is promoted to a position for which they are not qualified, they may struggle to perform their new responsibilities and fail to meet the expectations of their new role, as they will be operating at their level of incompetence.
It also can occur when a teacher is given additional responsibilities such as being a mentor teacher or a department head, but they don’t possess the skills and experience to fulfill that role effectively. This could lead to them being less effective in their primary role as a classroom teacher, as well as causing frustration and poor performance in the added role.
To avoid the Peter Principle in the teaching community, school leaders should carefully consider the qualifications, skills, and experience of teachers when making decisions about promotions and additional responsibilities. It is also recommended to provide teachers with opportunities for professional development and mentoring to help them gain the skills and experience they need to succeed in more advanced roles. Additionally, school leaders should establish clear performance criteria for promotions and additional responsibilities, and regularly evaluate teachers on those criteria to ensure that they are performing well in their current roles before considering them for advancement.