Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. – Ecclesiastes 10:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 5, 2026): Ecclesiastes 10

In 1969, Dr. Laurence J. Peter, with the help of Raymond Hull, wrote a book titled “The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong.” Dr. Peter’s theory is that in a hierarchical environment, executives tend to be promoted to the level of their incompetence. Basically, promotions are given based on current job performance, not on their aptitude for the next level. If you excel at your current job, you can be promoted. And you will continue to be promoted until you are no longer competent at what you do. There you will stay. The result is the mass incompetence of executives who have been promoted beyond the point at which they can excel. The direct result of the “Peter Principle” is that people at the highest level tend to be incompetent; they have been promoted away from the jobs at which they once excelled.

The secret is actually twofold. First, employers need to be more aware of the traits required for the next level of the job, and promote people with the aptitude for that role, rather than promoting simply because the person excels at the job they are currently doing. It is a little more work, and sometimes might even seem unfair. Still, it would keep people at the top of the hierarchical ladder who can excel in that job, rather than depending on their excellence in another, lower position.

The second part of the solution is aimed at the employee. Employees need to consider whether they really can excel at the next step on the ladder. If you don’t have the required ability, then stay where you are. Of course, the real problem is that we often chase more money, security, prestige, and power that only exist at higher levels of the ladder. That means we have to risk climbing another rung to achieve those benefits, even if we know we will not excel at that job.

The Preacher tries to describe Dr. Laurence Peter’s principle. He recognizes that fools are often placed in positions of power and prestige, while the rich, maybe better described as the capable, are stranded on lower rungs. A result of the “Peter Principle” is that executive positions often become clogged with incompetent people, leaving more capable people stranded in lower positions. These executives can neither be promoted nor evidently fired, so they remain in that position, and movement up the hierarchical ladder stagnates. And maybe, there really is no solution to that problem.

(Just a note, if my bosses are reading this, don’t worry, you are doing an excellent job. And I am quite happy occupying the place on the ladder precisely where I am.)

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 11