folio

All around us, the Peter Principle fully exemplified, as colleagues are promoted to their optimal level of incompetence. The latest, a senior bod sending hares racing, because they don’t understand the technology, and only sought expert advice after highlighting an unverified issue to all and sundry.

I do understand why so many of us feel compelled to rise through the ranks into senior roles we’re not suited for. Here in the south east, a nice house costs a bloody fortune. Plus, a decent education for your kids means either going private or investing in expensive tuition. All of these must be funded somehow.

So, onwards and upwards, even if that means you’re completely out of your depth, and left the comfort of your true expertise several roles ago. That’s no big deal, of course, for you can always fall back on those that stayed in their lane, even if that does mean consulting them after the fact.

Gone the days when leaders required a foundation of expertise and practice to perform their role. The key prerequisite for securing such roles now is aggressive self-confidence, warranted or not. It’s not so much what you know or the experience you bring that’s important, but a bold self-belief capable of persuading you to pursue any role, competent or not.