Do People Really Get Promoted to Their Level of Incompetence?

Alan Benson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Work & Organizations, in the Carlson School of Management of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. If you have ever worked in sales, it can be a cutthroat industry with everyone looking to reach the top. This environment was seen as a perfect opportunity to test the concept called the Peter Principal. The Peter Principle states that the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate's performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. Alan Benson talks about what the Peter Principal is and the study he conducted.