Why is it the wrong people always get promoted?

Question

Is it a flaw of American culture or something?

I think it can happen everywhere, but it always seems like people get screwed over with promotions in this country.

I just remember Jaye in "Wonderfalls" losing her promotion to the high school kid who worked there, while she was the graduate from Brown. It seems this is an all too common nightmare in this country.

Is this a bad sign that hard work and intelligence are not valued in this society?

Answer 1

Usually the wrong people get promoted due to nepotism, brown nosing their bosses and so on. There is a quote from someone that says usually the most incompetent people will rise up the corporate ladder and it does seem true

Answer 2

"Is this a bad sign that hard work and intelligence are not valued in this society?"

Using Jaye from Wonderfalls as your example for this argument doesn't really work. She was intelligent but she would be the first to admit that she didn't work hard in the store. That's why mouthbreather got the promotion and not her.

This is just another example of the persecution complex that so many people in this country seem to have. If someone beats you for a promotion you need to re-examine what you have been doing. There is probably a good reason.

Answer 3

Assuming it is not a race/age/sexual discrimination issue, the common denominator in job promotions is the human element.

For most jobs, there isn't a check list of what's required to get a promotion, so it falls with the promoter to make the ultimate decision, which leads to personal preferences.

If you are the best qualified but don't have good people skills and rub the promoter the wrong way, you might not get the promotion. It doesn't mean it's right or ethical, but that's the way the world is.

I guess the only way to combat this is to be a self-promoter, document all your triumphs, and hope the right people are watching.

Answer 4

Hard work and intelligence are both the good qualities but you have to know the other things--oiling and acting. Sometimes you have to control your emotions and tongue. For example you are working in a Muslim country and you used to share the gossip about the bad habits of the muslims and where your enemies will take advantage by telling this to the muslim boss. So you have to be clever also. The other one is clever and though not having other qualities but the boss will favour him or her as they oil by exploiting others views. Remember this and from now you go and say high of the Muslims but not too much at a time.

Answer 5

Sadly, the answer is too simple. Many bosses, especially mid management, don't want people that are SMARTER then them working at their same level. Why? Because it means increased competition for them being promoted.
And, often the boss will not promote someone even below their level if he/she feels threatened by that person longer-term.

This is not the case in all situations, but very often in mid management levels of large companies. Stupid? Yea. But the bests bosses hire people that are smarter so they can learn too.

Answer 6

Its called Affirmative Action.

< Is this a bad sign that hard work and intelligence are not valued in this society?>

Answer 7

It's a sign of who knows how to kiss the correct as-s at the correct time! Total brownnosing all the way. Total politics. Too much but really this is what it is..

Answer 8

We try to get them straight to the top where no one expects them to do any work so we don't have them messing anything up.