The "Peter Principle"?

College Confidential Community
1

Do you have to be “old” to be familiar with the “Peter Principle” (Laurence J. Peter, 1968)?

I remember it being widely discussed and quoted, and, gradually, didn’t hear much about it any more. I’ve even met B-school grads who didn’t know it.

Briefly, it’s characterized by the theory that systems are utilized in increasingly challenging applications until they fail.

Others may recognize it applied to Human Resources as “people are promoted to their level of incompetence”.

Is this theory familiar to Millenials?

2

I’m a baby boomer, so it’s old hat to me.

But I’m not sure whether my tween and teenage kids have ever heard of it.

3

Millennial here, never heard of it before now.

4

When I use the term, I get about the same response as when I say something like “Just the facts, ma’am” or (as I did today) refer to Radar O’Reilly. That would be a response of blank stares.

5

Oh! This isn’t a thread about Justin Bieber’s Bora Bora vacation pics?

6

Did you have some to share?

7

Forgot my camera.