Why Things Go Wrong, Or, the Peter Principle Revisited

by Laurence J. Peter

Why Things Go Wrong Or the Peter Principle Revisited [Sep 19, 1985] Laurence J. Peter

Genres: Nonfiction, Sociology, Business

185 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Dr. Laurence J. Peter was an educator and "hierarchiologist," best known to the general public for the formulation of the Peter Principle.

Reviews

[Udai · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Portuguese army officials were investigating the death of a twelve-year-old boy who was shot by a sentry. The sentry claimed the boy ignored his challenge in the dark and proceeded. In the trial, the court decided to reconstruct the incident. The thirty-three-year-old civilian playing the part of the boy was also shot dead.”

Why do things go wrong?

The Peter principal states that: “In a hierarchy individuals tend to rise to their level of incompetence.” In the meaning that we always give competent employees promotions until they fail to deliver a good performance and they are stuck at their level of incompetence.

My favorite chapter in the book is when it discovers how governmental hierarchies get complex and work to maintain their existence rather than to make bureaucratic work easier and effective for citizens.

It contains a lot of hilarious examples that are not necessarily related to the content but were fun to read. This is a breezy read for sociology/ psychology lovers.

“The meat cutter at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger and filed an insurance claim. The insurance company sent a claim investigator to the hotel. The claim investigator asked to work the machine. He lost a finger.”

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a bad, fairly short read. I picked it up with the expectation that while it would be a bit more critical and intellectual in its approach. While it is enjoyable, it in fact rarely offers arguments as to why things go wrong. Many of the anecdotes are either uncited or clearly fictitious, leaving the serious reader disappointed.
Pick it up for a tongue-in-cheek take on society's foibles, but don't hold your breath for actionable insights.

[Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pick up a copy at a used bookstore thinking it was one of the original 1960s management books that are often full of interesting observations. I had no idea that the Peter Principle is a complete satire. The principle is quoted so often as a management fact.

This hilarious book is along the lines of ‘1066 and all that.’ Funny and satirical, but like all satire, containing a dose of truth.

The glossary at the end is worth the price of the book. The book is full of made up complexes and syndrome and prescriptions. For example, “Percussive Sublimation- being kicked upstairs: a pseudo-promotion.” “Cachinatory Inertia - telling jokes in stead of working.” And best of all “Creative Incompetence-feigned incompetence which averts the offer of unwanted promotions.” This is discussed in a whole chapter on how to avoid falling prey to the Peter Principle.

A quick, entertaining read that also give you some satisfaction when dealing with bureaucratic incompetence.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

More from Peter .... a few archaic anecdotes, but the message remains clear:

Excerpt from the book:
success is described as 1) accomplishment: the acquisition of money, power, status and possessions 2) achievement of happiness, a satisfying life-style, love, health, self-actualization, leisure to enjoy the beauty of this wondeful world and time for play. The truly successful person was one who combined both the joy of accomplishment and the satisfaction of self-fulfillment. It's not fulfilling to just climb accomplishment ladder. Most satisfied were those who found opportunities for self-fulfillment and remained at that level for a length stay, then moved forward, improving their on-the-job performance while they developed a satisfying life-style.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 2 out of 5]

5/10

[Koduvayur Harikrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read "The Peter Principle" more than three decades back. I was mighty impressed-as much by the humour as its contents, that I tracked down Dr Laurence Peter's other two books: "The Peter Prophecy" and "The Peter Plan". I am not sure I incorporated any of the lessons from those books in the promotion-chasing days of my youth. So when I recently chanced upon this current book ("current" for me. This book was first publsihed in 1986!), I was intrigued. A re-look was very much on the cards.

Essentially this is a retelling, and reexamination, of most of the things mentioned in its original version. There are a huge number of quotations and examples, worthy of note - both for learning from, as well as using in one's own lectures! Take quotations such as these: "Our success may be because of our efforts or due to others' failure", "It is inherent in the nature of a government to lie", and the best of them all: "The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is one of the chief reasons for disclosing it" (original by Samuel Johnson). There are any number of such gems all over the book's pages.

Dr Laurence Peter was not taken seriously for a long time after he enunciated his Principle (that everyone rises to their level of incompetence), mainly because of the sarcasm he used to convey many truths. This book risks appearing to be equally frivolous on the surface, but it is anything but. It needs to be read by those at the topmost level of decision-making in every field of human endeavour. Again and again and again. And then they need to mend their ways. That is the only hope for mankind. So please think hard after each time you read something amusing in this mother of all management books.

[Mark Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the original version (The Peter Principle, 1969) as part of some late 60's research I'm doing this summer. The book was aight, as the younger folks say.
It's a semi-parody of self-help books, filled with fictitious examples of mostly humorously-named people, but many of the book's rather pessimistic principles ring true for me. The basic premise is that the our society is filled with incompetence, and that state of affairs is actually natural and even desirable. Every worker (eventually) rises to his or her level of incompetence and then stays there.
If you've encountered a fair amount of incompetence in your life, then the book will probably ring true for you too.

[Jonathan Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the others in the Peter Principle Series, an excellent explanation of things we see but can’t enunciate. It truly seems as if he was watching my organization and not his own with every explanation.

[Caleb Sommerville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing biting satire.

[Darren Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit repetitive, but clever. Contains a few applicable insights.

[rafiki reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, wish they were a little more fleshed out.

[MisterFweem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Mr. Peter's books, but I'll confess this one felt a bit repetetive of the others. Lots of amusing anecdotes, but it doesn't really deliver on the "why things go wrong" title.

[Willy D · Rating 1 out of 5]

dude is just a hater. Shoot for the stars and aim for the moon people!

[Sandee]

Interesting