📚 6 Books mentioned in "Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses? | Freakonomics Radio | Episode 495" of Freakonomics Radio
Podcast: Freakonomics Radio
Episode: Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses? | Freakonomics Radio | Episode 495
Published on December 30, 2022
Here’s a list of all the books mentioned in this episode. Click on the links to watch specific excerpts on YouTube and feel free to purchase the books if they caught your interest!
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
The book he wrote with Raymond Hall was called the Peter Principle. It wound up selling millions of copies.
The host references the book 'The Peter Principle' authored by Laurence J. Peter, highlighting that it achieved significant commercial success, selling millions of copies.
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
They wanted to see if the Peter Principle actually exists, and if so, what should be done about it. The first step is to get hold of some data.
The hosts discuss the goal of their research, which is to determine whether the Peter Principle actually exists and to explore potential actions that could be taken.
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
In other words, the Peter Principle is as real as Lawrence Peter said it was, and I'm editorializing here, it also seems to be incredibly stupid.
The host discusses the Peter Principle, affirming its reality as claimed by Laurence J. Peter, and expresses a critical opinion about it.
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
So does this mean that modern firms simply aren't aware of the age-old Peter Principle? Most firms are aware of the Peter Principle problem, and it's a problem that they purposely choose to live with.
During the discussion, the host raises the question of whether modern firms are oblivious to the long-established concept known as the Peter Principle.
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
A firm having a Peter Principle problem doesn't necessarily mean that the firm doesn't understand what it's doing, or that it's making a mistake. So what is going on?
The host discusses how a company experiencing issues related to the Peter Principle does not imply it is making errors or lacks understanding.
The Peter Principle
Buy The Peter Principle by Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull on Amazon
The way the Peter Principle is usually described is to me almost comical: it's that people rise to the level of their incompetence, which I find is a bit cruel sounding because one could also say that people rise to their ceiling of competence, right?
The host discusses the Peter Principle, commonly described as individuals rising to their level of incompetence. However, he suggests that it could be viewed more positively as people reaching their ceiling of competence.