His company’s big bosses had their eye on him and saw boundless potential.

Eventually, he was promoted to senior executive.

As a senior executive, he had way less experience than his fellow colleagues.

His colleagues envied him.

They sneered at him from afar, calling him a kiss-up.

But John was unfazed.

He knew that he got to where he was based on his technical skills, commitment and work ethic.

He let his results speak for him.

It took a little longer for him to find his footing as a senior executive.

But once he did, he was once again a rising star – outperforming his peers, making them look bad as he presented his superiors with attractive numbers.

They singled him out for a promotion.

And he took it without hesitation.

Little did he know, that now as a division manager, John had found himself in unfamiliar waters.

He no longer had to deal with the simpler tasks he had as an executive. At the managerial level, he now has to deal with something way more complicated: people.

As a manager, John struggled.

He was now in charge of the people who used to be his peers. They never liked him then.

And they certainly didn’t like him now.

His staff disrespect him.

His new boss is way more demanding.

And the skills he had in his previous role were hardly transferable to his new role.

Despite being at the highest peak in his career, John felt like he had hit rock bottom.

The Peter Principle

Have you ever worked really hard for a promotion – only to realize that you were inadequately prepared to take on this new role?

John’s story is a classic case of a phenomenon known as The Peter Principle.

The Peter Principle states that people who experience success in big hierarchical organizations are promoted until they reach their own ‘level of incompetence’.

High-performing employees in big companies will keep rising up the corporate ladder – until they reach their ‘final placement’ where their level of competence falls short of the role expectations.

The Peter Principle – in the most extreme cases – might be the reason why companies move slowly and fail to innovate as the senior roles are taken up by people who may not be well-equipped to handle them.

There are a few reasons why The Peter Principle happens.

For one, promotions tend to be decided based on a person’s performance in their current role rather than their suitability for their next role.

The other reason is that entry-level jobs tend to be more technical.

Once you get to the higher levels, the roles tend to be more managerial – which is a different ball game altogether.

If you fancy yourself a peak performer in a large organization, then The Peter Principle is absolutely necessary to take into account when you plan your next career move.

How To Successfully Overcome The Peter Principle

So how do you deal with The Peter Principle?

Here are a few strategies to consider:

Strategy #1: Invest in leadership skills early in your career.

No matter which level you are at in your organization, never discount the importance of ‘soft skills’.

Especially the interpersonal or leadership skills like effective communication, conflict resolution and giving feedback.

While most people know that leadership skills are important at the higher levels, most people don’t realize how ill-equipped they are in these skills… until it’s too late!

On that note, it’s essential to bulk up your leadership muscles early.

Challenge yourself by volunteering to lead small teams in your organization.

Get trained in effective communication skills.

Ask to ‘shadow’ high performing leaders in your company, so that you can model after them.

Get used to the idea of leading teams so that you can swim confidently when your career inevitably takes you into deep waters.

Strategy #2: Develop trust with people who might eventually be in your charge.

Before you say yes to a managerial or leadership role, ensure that you have won the buy-in of those who might eventually be in your charge.

It’s impossible to be liked by everyone in your company.

And not everyone will enjoy seeing you rise above them.

The idea here is to ensure that you have developed strong relationships with your peers at your current level before you take up the mantle of a superior.

See it as thinking two to three steps ahead.

Would you want to rise quickly up to the next stage, even though you know your staff might make your life miserable once you do?

It’s much more practical to wait and transition into a leadership role knowing that your colleagues have your back and they are supportive of you getting a promotion.

Strategy #3: Say ‘not yet’ to a promotion. 

Of course, turning down a promotion can be incredibly difficult.

After all, you’ve worked tirelessly to earn it.

But see the bigger picture here.

Before saying ‘yes’ to the promotion, think carefully on whether the new role is aligned to your values as an individual.

Sure, the money and new title might be attractive.

But is it worth it – knowing that you’re stepping into your role too early and biting off more than you can chew?

If you currently enjoy what you do and excel in it – how about considering asking for a raise instead of a promotion?

By choosing to focus on your strengths and enhancing your skills in a niche area, you are much more valuable to the company.

By saying ‘not yet’ (which is basically a soft ’no’), you may disappoint some people.

But ultimately you’re taking responsibility for your own growth, and knowing that fulfilment at work doesn’t always come at the higher levels.

Career advancement is awesome, if you know how to advance at your own pace.

Also, consider getting someone at your desired level to coach you in the necessary skills before you make that decision to move up.