I think the Peter Principle addresses a good point, but misses a critical one: the hierarchy itself. Obviously, a manager requires different skills than an engineer, so why should a good engineer be a good manager? This holds the other way round: a good manager is not particularly likely to be a good engineer.
Both is fine, these are just different jobs. However, the problem is that the manager is 'above' the engineer in the generally accepted hierarchy. Consequently, engineers are pressured to become managers for the development. As long as this hierarchy exists, the problem will exist.
After they’ve been promoted to their level of incompetence, they lean in very hard on relationships to survive.
Organizations where they get away with this are miserable to work for, and their influence ensures nothing merit-related ever happens again. Literally the source of the famous expression “A-people hire A-people, B-people hire C-people”.
There's plenty of stuff that goes on in large organisations which sits in what I would call "minor illegality" i.e. technically illegal, but the sort of thing people are going to pretend not to notice as long as they can have plausible deniability themselves.
Usually, all sins are forgiven if a project launches on time.
Often it is board-level folks that have a naive understanding of the problem scope, and ruminate on their bruised ego from the harsh words burned-out staff spew.
There is also silly folks that honestly believe they will figure anything out faster, or can get away with a quick MVP bodge before jumping firms. I would argue they form an ecosystem, that keeps people that clean up messes fully employed. =3
Both is fine, these are just different jobs. However, the problem is that the manager is 'above' the engineer in the generally accepted hierarchy. Consequently, engineers are pressured to become managers for the development. As long as this hierarchy exists, the problem will exist.
Organizations where they get away with this are miserable to work for, and their influence ensures nothing merit-related ever happens again. Literally the source of the famous expression “A-people hire A-people, B-people hire C-people”.
Often it is board-level folks that have a naive understanding of the problem scope, and ruminate on their bruised ego from the harsh words burned-out staff spew.
There is also silly folks that honestly believe they will figure anything out faster, or can get away with a quick MVP bodge before jumping firms. I would argue they form an ecosystem, that keeps people that clean up messes fully employed. =3