Comments on: Why Morons Win

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:40:07 +0000

They may not be business savvy- but rest assured, they are not stupid. They are master manipulators. They have learned who they needed to befriend to get to where they are. They have mastered the fine art of doing just enough to make it look like they are working hard. They can pick out those stars who’s ideas they can utilize to benefit themselves. They know how to work the system to give the appearance that they are over worked and bring so much to the organization. We all sit back and wonder how those above them can allow themselves to be fooled by this behavior.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:35:41 +0000

This idea has been around since at least the late 60′s and was published is a book called “The Peter Principle” by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull.

By: Gwynne

Gwynne — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:07:32 +0000

This sounds like a Catch-22. If I think I am good, then I am probably not. But if I am good, I don’t think I am.

Explains alot.

This is related to the disappointment that you felt when you learned that the big guns were not so big in the intellect department. It makes me sad, too, that believing in a meritocracy can be career-derailing. But if we really are smart (which if we think we are, we are not via the Dunning-Kruger Catch 22), we would spend more time building those effective glad-handing skills. The smart person who can work a crowd is the real diamond. I am still working on that. (But maybe I have already mastered it, but just don’t know it– The Dunning-Kruger Catch 22).

Great post, Mark.

By: Nate

Nate — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 02:24:30 +0000

A seemingly interesting parallel frequently is on display in the game of Survivor, where more productive, but less socially adept players are often eliminated early. Which makes a whole lot of sense if your strengths are in the social realm. You have to level the playing field if you will, by removing the productive performer early and change the game to fit your strengths.

By: James P. Carter

James P. Carter — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:08:00 +0000

pfft… he also said “state agency”… so the normal rules need not apply. Once you are in, you’re in. Catering to the mediocre, yes-man, make no waves mentality is trained and ingrained.

By: James P. Carter

James P. Carter — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:57:33 +0000

“…the hard-worker who immediately sees all the obstacles and can identify why something will never work.”

And is often times labeled incorrectly as ‘lazy’ or a “doom-sayer”. Encumbered by “idjits” we press on…

By: Dale Harvey

Dale Harvey — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:25:22 +0000

Seven years ago a New Zealand local hospital mistakenly published our business phone/fax number as that of their Super Clinic. Within days our phone lines were tied up with calls which ultimately nearly ruined our business. It took almost a year for them to admit their mistake. And once they did attempt to rectify the error, the same office once again mistakenly published our business number as that of their Super Clinic! The endless calls and faxes-in-error included frequent intimate and urgent surgical information about patients (often awaiting immediate surgery) but incorrectly sent to us, the local florist. Scores of time-consuming but useless calls from us to a chain of supposedly intelligent administrative superiors brought no resolution. In fact, repeatedly we were attacked, verbally abused and victimized by not only the reception staff and administration, but even doctors who personally set aside their work to come to the phone and abuse us for “not knowing what we were talking about”. We were even told that WE were the ones with the wrong number! This was not from just the one hospital at fault but from clinics and practices countrywide! In the end we finally had to personally consult almost every medical practice in the country, one after another, and personally give them the correct number they were attempting to reach. It took seven years!!! When it was all over (?) we were firmly convinced with conclusive evidence that we live in a world of incredibly stupid monkeys with absolutely no idea what they are doing, who apparently get by more on intimidation than knowledge. Our only real hope is that someday a God-blessed tsunami might do the world a favour and sink this place and all those idiots back into the ocean from which they once slithered.

By: mark.stelzner

mark.stelzner — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:47:15 +0000

Thanks Debbie. I wish we had a means of screening for this sort of behavior but I think it’s difficult to assess until you’re living the culture day in and day out. Like I said to you on Twitter, I really wish I had my former naiveté as this is something I can’t “unsee”.

By: mark.stelzner

mark.stelzner — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:45:53 +0000

Great examples of the “smart enough to be dangerous” that I was citing in the post Jim. I feel for your colleagues who simply want to be recognized for their contribution and not play games or politics. My sense is that these restricted individuals will quit the moment they have a viable option elsewhere, something that is scaring the hell out of employers everywhere as we start to emerge from the recession.

By: mark.stelzner

mark.stelzner — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:42:44 +0000

Your point is well taken Bet and that’s why I think relationships really do matter. If everything else were equal but you personally knew a candidate for promotion, who would you choose? Thanks for your thoughts.