Peter and Paula principle: incompetent bosses and women below their potential

Created: 11/11/2022, 7:30 am

By: Juliane Reyle

"Peter" and "Paula" behave differently in their jobs.

Paulas often fall short of their potential.

(Iconic image) © Christin Klose/dpa-tmn

Climbing the career ladder – many people have this desire in their job.

It is not uncommon for people to work diligently while the boss appears to be incompetent.

How can that be?

You know some of them, the bosses, who often ask: "How did he get to this position?" Most of the time, the superiors even lack essential skills that would be important for their job.

The project manager, for example, of organizational skills.

There is often not even envy behind such statements, but they correspond to the truth: Researchers have found that in companies with a strong hierarchical structure, posts are actually often occupied by unqualified people.

The phenomenon also has a name: The Peter principle was recognized by Laurence J. Peter as early as the 20th century.

Assumption: Supervisors are incompetent, while employees work efficiently

But not only Peter is wrong in his post.

In addition to the Peter principle, there is also the Paula principle.

The Peter principle is based on the observation that in every hierarchy people are promoted until they are in a position where they are no longer competent and overwhelmed.

The Paula principle, on the other hand, corresponds to the opposite: Paulas are mostly women, but also men who are underqualified in their job - with their good work they catch the managers - i.e. the "Peters" who are overwhelmed with their tasks.

If there are discrepancies due to the hierarchy, tips on how to work with colleagues who don't like you can help.

However, when problems and difficulties are addressed, it could become critical: so much brooding is normal in the job.

How can that be - Why is Peter rising and Paula stagnating?

Most people are promoted to a higher position if they do a good job.

But it is often a fallacy that these people are still competent in a position as boss.

After all, a manager needs completely different skills than a specialist for a specific area of ​​responsibility.

But going backwards down the career ladder is something that hardly any employee in a managerial position can do.

After all, the boss relationship not only brings other tasks, but also more prestige and salary.

The performance of the supervisor is generally difficult to question and so incompetent people stay in their positions.

Paula, on the other hand, is stuck in her role.

Although women often perform better than some men when they are still in school, they are still discriminated against and less often hired as managers.

But a lack of self-confidence, family planning with classic role distribution, outdated company structures or sexual harassment can also restrict women in their careers.

Don't miss anything: You can find everything to do with careers in the regular careers newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.

What can be done against the Peter boss and the Paula trap?

While little can be done against the incumbent Peter bosses, such as seeking a conversation and addressing the problems in the company, the Paula principle can be fought with commitment.

Self-reflection plays an important role for everyone.

Only those who know their own weaknesses and strengths can act accordingly and fight for a promotion or consider whether the offer of a new job is really suitable.

Individual needs and preferences should always be considered.

The goal should always be an employment relationship in which one feels comfortable and also takes care of others.

However, false self-doubt can also damage your career.

For many people, however, the salary is also a deciding factor when choosing a job.

These are the jobs with the highest salaries in Germany.