Sadly not one of my own - but a profound Bertrand Russell quote to be found inside this great little piece from The Guardian. I've always been very interested in the Peter Principle; such a cheery thought that we're all on the way to being in the wrong job.
The new US research referred to serves only to back up our man Peter's theory. If you're after a recent example - look no further than the shameless hubris of the Banking heads at the Treasury Select Committee a couple of weeks ago.
Do run an eye over this brief article - there's some fundamental posers in here for all of us interested in the talent agenda...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/burkeman-work-incompetence-skills-wellbeing
Fancy reading the whole 14 pages of 'Unskilled and Unaware of it?' Then chuckle along with those laugh-a-minute psychologists from Cornell University (no I don't know where that is either) here: http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf
Cornell Uni? One of the 'Ivy League' institutions in the USA. It's based in New York State and boasts alumni such as Christopher 'Superman' Reeve, Henry Heimlich of Heimlich Manoeuvre fame, and authors Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager) and a personal favourite with more social comment you can shake a stick at, EB White (Charlotte's Web) - to mention a few.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracey - if it's good enough for Superman... that'll do for me... ;-)
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