Q & A on Tipping Points and Power and Influence
Foundational Principle for this Article: To explore the relationship between power, influence, and hierarchies and how a tipping point is affected by organizational excellence or incompetence.
Q: I know that in a group dynamic a hierarchy will naturally shift to make a place for this individual if there seems to be good "fit" between individual and group. Is it usually this smooth a process?
A: No. More often than not the process is a bit animated, sort of how a car attempts to change lanes in heavy traffic, with starts and stops and a shift in the traffic flow when one driver decides to allow someone to cut in, or when an aggressive risk-taker forces his car into a new lane.
Q: This seems to have a Wild West feel to it, with everyone fighting for the best position?
A: In new groups this is often how it does happen. At times the process is a Zero Sum Game (see the Lesson: Zero Sum Games) with many individuals competing for the same place in their hierarchy.
Q: How does the group function if everyone is competing for the same place in the hierarchy?
A: In the long run this process neither serves the group nor the individual, and in time systems will naturally develop for creating and maintaining the hierarchy in a more orderly less contentious manner.
Q: How does the process work in large complex groups?
A: In groups that are highly structured and multi-layered, such as a government or large corporation, the group will have an anointed decision maker or a committee to make these decisions.
Q: What happens when the system fails?
A: A person who is clearly incompetent ends up in a position that they are ill suited for.
Q: What would make a person incompetent who formerly seemed to have the appropriate skills for a particular responsibility?
A: There are many reasons. They may lack leadership skills, communication skills, or the higher-level responsibilities may be beyond the skills that served them before.
Q: How does this happen?
A: Some organizations will promote a highly competent individual to a higher-ranking position in an area requiring different skills than the skills required in the position the individual previously occupied.
For example, in law enforcement a street cop with the ability to get things done while slightly bending the rules might be promoted to a position where he is expected to be just as effective but where there is no opportunity to work the "grey" areas of the rules. In such a case the street smarts and creativity that made him such an effective police officer will no longer apply to the next level of law enforcement.
Q: Is there a name for such a scenario?
A: Yes. The common term used to describe a scenario where an individual is promoted in a hierarchy to a level in which they are incompetent is know as the "Peter Principle", created by Dr. Lawrence Peters (see the Lesson: The Peter Principle).
Q: How does one avoid falling into the trap of the Peter Principle?
A: There are two ways to avoid the Peter Principle from coming into play. One way is to create a system of assessment (see the Lesson: Assessments) that only allows an individual to move up the hierarchy once he or she has shown that he or she possesses the skills and habits required to succeed at the next level.
The second strategy is to take a competent person and give them certain benefits, including pay increases, awards, or positions of greater influence, while having them remain in a position where they are most competent.
Q: I know that in a group dynamic a hierarchy will naturally shift to make a place for this individual if there seems to be good "fit" between individual and group. Is it usually this smooth a process?
A: No. More often than not the process is a bit animated, sort of how a car attempts to change lanes in heavy traffic, with starts and stops and a shift in the traffic flow when one driver decides to allow someone to cut in, or when an aggressive risk-taker forces his car into a new lane.
Q: This seems to have a Wild West feel to it, with everyone fighting for the best position?
A: In new groups this is often how it does happen. At times the process is a Zero Sum Game (see the Lesson: Zero Sum Games) with many individuals competing for the same place in their hierarchy.
Q: How does the group function if everyone is competing for the same place in the hierarchy?
A: In the long run this process neither serves the group nor the individual, and in time systems will naturally develop for creating and maintaining the hierarchy in a more orderly less contentious manner.
Q: How does the process work in large complex groups?
A: In groups that are highly structured and multi-layered, such as a government or large corporation, the group will have an anointed decision maker or a committee to make these decisions.
Q: What happens when the system fails?
A: A person who is clearly incompetent ends up in a position that they are ill suited for.
Q: What would make a person incompetent who formerly seemed to have the appropriate skills for a particular responsibility?
A: There are many reasons. They may lack leadership skills, communication skills, or the higher-level responsibilities may be beyond the skills that served them before.
Q: How does this happen?
A: Some organizations will promote a highly competent individual to a higher-ranking position in an area requiring different skills than the skills required in the position the individual previously occupied.
For example, in law enforcement a street cop with the ability to get things done while slightly bending the rules might be promoted to a position where he is expected to be just as effective but where there is no opportunity to work the "grey" areas of the rules. In such a case the street smarts and creativity that made him such an effective police officer will no longer apply to the next level of law enforcement.
Q: Is there a name for such a scenario?
A: Yes. The common term used to describe a scenario where an individual is promoted in a hierarchy to a level in which they are incompetent is know as the "Peter Principle", created by Dr. Lawrence Peters (see the Lesson: The Peter Principle).
Q: How does one avoid falling into the trap of the Peter Principle?
A: There are two ways to avoid the Peter Principle from coming into play. One way is to create a system of assessment (see the Lesson: Assessments) that only allows an individual to move up the hierarchy once he or she has shown that he or she possesses the skills and habits required to succeed at the next level.
The second strategy is to take a competent person and give them certain benefits, including pay increases, awards, or positions of greater influence, while having them remain in a position where they are most competent.