#3
Anyone who has had a sub-part boss and manager has probably realized just how much someone’s delusions can (and will) cause headaches for the folks actually trying to get work done at the end of the day. Rules, regulations and unrealistic expectations can all come together to very literally harm how a company operates. So this begs the question, why are the people at the top sometimes useless?
Canadian educator Laurence J. Peter had a theory that this is, unfortunately, somewhat inevitable. In short, people are, justifiably, promoted based on results and seniority. However, it doesn’t take an expert to see how the skills of, say, a good salesperson won’t necessarily translate to management.
If you’ve watched the Office, you’ll recognize this principle immediately. Another key point is that once a person reaches the "ceiling" of their competence, they no longer generate the results needed to move on to the next level. This means the least effective folks sit and stagnate in sometimes important positions for years.
Of course, an important point is that these managers often don’t quite know that they are incompetent. Sometimes they are so removed from the reality of the work that they come up with, frankly, hairbrained schemes and ideas that the employees have to suffer through. Indeed, one of the rare ways change might happen is when a lot of workers decide that, ultimately, enough is enough.
