The
Peter Principle is one of the oldest books we have on our bookshelf. It
was published last 1978 and Peter and I can't remember exactly if the
copy we have brought to our home is mine or his since both his folks and
my grandpa owned one when we were little. The pages are brittle and
brown with age but the words of wisdom inside transcend time and space.
After all, it discusses PRINCIPLES. From the moment I read its reviews, I
got so hooked that in a matter of 24 hours, I was able to finish it in
between work, commute and errands. As compared to Stephen Covey's 8th
Habit which is taking me forever to finish, Dr. Peter's style of writing
is direct, factual, and straight to the point. I can actually relate
(both directly and indirectly) with everything that he's written. Here
are a couple of lines that struck me the most:
" In a Hierarchy, Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence"
This
is so rampant especially in the field of Government or Public
Administration. Some people are promoted to a job that is not fit to
their skills. For example, a good Clerk IV may not become a good Manager
someday because this new position entails a whole new level of skills
that go beyond technical competencies but already deals with a bit of
psychology and some management and leadership know-how. So, watch out
for your career. You may be (or have already been) promoted to your
level incompetence without you knowing it.
" Work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence. "
How
true! Those of us who have excelled and continue to do a great job in
our respective line of work because, we haven't reached that level yet.
We are still at a level of competence and so we continue to get results.
"
In most hierarchies, as a matter of fact, employees with the greatest
leadership potential cannot become leaders... Exceptional leadership
competence cannot make its way within an established hierarchy. It
usually breaks out of the hierarchy and starts afresh somewhere else. "
Exactly!
Because people with exceptional leadership potential make their own way
to become more efficient and productive, they usually don't follow
rules. In doing so, they are deemed incompetent and stubborn. But the
truth is, they are just too good for the bureaucracy and are better off
forming their own companies and corporations.
" If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else."
As
early as my elementary years, all I really wanted was to finish school
with flying colors, get a good-paying job and do whatever I want (I've
always known that I have so many interests and talents which I want to
pursue if not one at a time, then all at the same time. I was the master
multi-tasker. But I never really thought about what I wanted to be in
particular, whether as a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, etc. I figured, if I
graduate then I can have the first job that is offered to me. That was
how desperate I was to earn money. So I became a teacher, then a
marketing assistant, then a quality assurance supervisor, an executive
assistant and now an HR officer. Even when I made my first mantra ("I
am beautiful, gorgeous, happy, healthy, smart, sexy and wealthy. I have
financial and time freedom. I'm enjoying wonderful new horizons of
opportunities and I love my life!!!"),
it was still so vague. No wonder I've been in this limbo for so long.
Indeed, I just went with the flow of wherever life leads me. But I know
better now. Thus, my new mantras which I've written on the upper right
portion of my blog("I am the owner of condo rental units and the Sexy Nomad Hot Travel Essentials Shop").
There
are still so many things written in this book that I'd like to share.
But that would be tantamount to plagiarism already. If you got
interested with what I put here, buy the book. It's just 144 pages long
but the wisdom it will impart to you is timeless.
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