How the Peter Principle Works in Software Development
How developers reach their level of incompetence
“In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” Laurence J. Peter
One puzzle in software development is why is there are so many good software developers and so many terrible managers. Many managers are developers who have been rewarded for being a great developer to be given the opportunity to be a manager.
A role they don’t have the skills for, don’t enjoy and they aren’t good at. This is a prime example of the Peter Principle in action.
Look at a failing project and you will see the Peter principle in action. There will be weak senior developers, managers and leaders. These are people who have risen to their level of incompetence.
What is the Peter Principle?
The Peter principle states — Wikipedia
The Peter principle states that a person who is competent at their job will earn a promotion to a position that requires different skills. If the promoted person lacks the skills required for the new…
