PASTORS AND THE PETER PRINCIPLE
Although we hate to admit incompetence, we don't have to live in fear of it.
Kenneth B. Quick
July 1, 1990
I sat alone on the sofa in the basement, my feet pulled under me and a pillow crunched against my stomach to somehow loosen the knot of dread. After just five months in the church, I was living my worst fear: one of my elders had questioned my ability to pastor this church. I'd moved from blue-collar Michigan to the sophisticated business culture of Toronto. My one fear, expressed secretly to my wife during the candidating process, centered on the administrative expectations the church would have of me. I felt somewhat incompetent in administration and had browbeat myself about it throughout my ten years in Michigan. Now the words of the elder, though expressed as concern and not criticism, made me think I had run up against the "Peter Principle." Lawrence Peter wrote his book The Peter Principle in 1969 as a tongue-in-cheek analysis of, as the book is subtitled, "why things go wrong." The Peter Principle states: "Every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." Two corollaries fill out this principle: (1) In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties, and (2) work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence. The premise is that a worker will be promoted until the job requires more than his or her talents, training, and capabilities can give it. An outstanding employee in middle management may become incompetent in upper management, according to the Peter Principle. Several unpleasant scenarios face people who have reached their level of incompetence. They may become entrenched at that level with no more promotions. Sometimes they are fired, since they can't handle the increased responsibility. Or the stress of continually ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
