Thread: Do Bad Workers Make Good Supervisors?

I hear this quite often. So and so gets the supervisory position because the company can't risk having him/her in the field, or wherever the rank & file workforce may be.

So do companies consciously or subconsciously keep the better workers in the field because removing them would lower production? Good workers likely work safer, are easily trained, act as mentors to new hires, have better attendance, and are probably less costly because of all that. Not every company promotes poor workers but is it in their best interest to do so? It's not as easy to fire someone today as it was maybe 40 years ago, with employment laws the way they are now.

Or is the lament of those not promoted only sour grapes? Perhaps the bad worker was that way because he/she always felt they deserved promotion, thus their work in the field became subpar. Do companies promote bad workers just to set them up to fail?

Anyone experienced such dealings?

Try Googling "The Peter Principle"

Originally Posted by MeteorWayne

Try Googling "The Peter Principle"

I thought of it but I was worried that something like nepotism might be some kind of monkey wrench. I don't consider relatives thrust into higher positions as adhering to the principle. The principle is violated whenever CEO Jr. is positioned well beyond his/her level of incompetence. All in all though I should not have disregarded it. So if it is a genuine principle then is promoting a conscious act by someone who's already reached their level of incompetence? Christ, I sure hope there's no HR people reading this.

Originally Posted by zinjanthropos

I hear this quite often. So and so gets the supervisory position because the company can't risk having him/her in the field, or wherever the rank & file workforce may be.

Sounds like some kind of a myth or urban legend. I've never seen it happen. This is not to say that all supervisors are good at their jobs.

I agree with Harold. This seems more of a case where sometimes people excel at different things. Some people are good at task X, but not task Y, and this idea probably comes from people who are pissed off because they got passed over for promotion.

Even if it's sometimes true, it's hardly applicable across the board. I might even make the counter argument. Great workers make great supervisors, because they understand what needs to be done to be successful, they are driven, and they are able to share tips and tricks with their team to make them all better, too. They lead by example, and serve as the "rising tide" which raises all ships.

Originally Posted by inow

Even if it's sometimes true, it's hardly applicable across the board. I might even make the counter argument. Great workers make great supervisors, because they understand what needs to be done to be successful, they are driven, and they are able to share tips and tricks with their team to make them all better, too. They lead by example, and serve as the "rising tide" which raises all ships.

Here in Ontario Canada we have a government agency called the Ministry of Labor. They inspect workplaces and investigate accidents whether or not fatalities occur. I can tell you this much, management & especially supervisors are on the hook for poor safety practices and bad decision making. It is not uncommon for supervisors to be fined heavily. There are several cases that have already resulted in hefty monetary penalties for supervisors. It's all so fairly recent but I believe a case in Toronto where 3 workers fell to their deaths Xmas Eve resulted in prison sentences to Managers of the company involved.

All in all management seems to escape punishment with the exception of the supervisors. This may work against the government's attempt to curtail workplace accidents because a lot of good people may not wish to supervise and thus encourage the promoting of those with lesser people skills.....no proof...just saying maybe.

Why did you choose to quote me when your response had zero to do with what I wrote?

Originally Posted by inow

Why did you choose to quote me when your response had zero to do with what I wrote?

I do it all the time and you've just noticed?. I do it out of respect for a previous poster, the least I can do to acknowledge I've read their piece. I consider it a courtesy but I don't mind the question. I try to find a common denominator, such as supervisor in this case. Why would that bother you?

Originally Posted by zinjanthropos

I do it all the time and you've just noticed?. I do it out of respect for a previous poster, the least I can do to acknowledge I've read their piece. I consider it a courtesy but I don't mind the question. I try to find a common denominator, such as supervisor in this case. Why would that bother you?

I wonder where the myth came from, and I like cheese.

Originally Posted by inow

Originally Posted by zinjanthropos

I do it all the time and you've just noticed?. I do it out of respect for a previous poster, the least I can do to acknowledge I've read their piece. I consider it a courtesy but I don't mind the question. I try to find a common denominator, such as supervisor in this case. Why would that bother you?

I wonder where the myth came from, and I like cheese.

I like cheese too, and my boss was a total douchebag.

A related myth, if in fact either are indeed myths, is: "Those who can't, teach."

Judging from the degree of overlap between best selling novelists and English faculty, there might be some truth to this. Professors of political science and successful politicians are another pair of generally non-overlapping sets.

Originally Posted by inow

Originally Posted by zinjanthropos

I do it all the time and you've just noticed?. I do it out of respect for a previous poster, the least I can do to acknowledge I've read their piece. I consider it a courtesy but I don't mind the question. I try to find a common denominator, such as supervisor in this case. Why would that bother you?

I wonder where the myth came from, and I like cheese.

Well made point, inow. I giggle every time I see it. Would like to see more on the topic but maybe just be patient, goodwill to all!