This term, a portmanteau of two Greek words, reflects the reality of the world of work: when power is attributed to people who lack skills. Explanations.
It is likely that this term will be a discovery for some readers… Kakistocracy actually does not denote either the culture of persimmons or a psychological syndrome. This linguistic UFO consists of two Greek words. Kakistos – meaning the worst – and Kratos – power… This is the subject of a just published book entitled “Kakistocracy or the power of the worst – journey into the heart of incompetence”, signed by the teacher Isabelle Barth.
Strengthen the mediocre
This book could be a comic farce or a slightly strange thriller, but it is an extremely serious work that ultimately focuses on that classic business question: How did a person whose incompetence is obvious manage to rise to positions of responsibility? Or how can we give power – or the illusion of having power – to mediocre people in certain cases?
It is an old word that resurfaced on April 13, 2018 in a tweet by CIA Director John O. Brennan against US President Donald Trump. “Your Kakistocracy is collapsing after its dark journey,” Brennan tweeted. If politics is a breeding ground for this kind of power, explains Isabelle Barth in the Harvard Business Review, so is the world of work! A manager's incompetence results in tasks being performed poorly or not completed.
It's a shame to be run by incompetent people
If the hierarchical superior does not fulfill his role, he must be replaced by his subordinates, which requires a lot of time and energy. Another effect of kakistocracy is employees' shame at having an incompetent representative of their company. In fact, the company's image is directly linked to that of its managers…
Why encourage incompetence? The most common explanation for the prosperity of incompetence is the Peter Principle. According to this principle, competent employees are promoted until they reach a position that they can no longer hold. Another possible factor is the situation in which the most incompetent people are systematically assigned to positions where they are likely to cause the least harm: those of managers.
Incompetence in the service of the consultocracy
Fear of competence and competition are also a good reason to promote incompetent people. Finally, writes Isabelle Barth, another explanation for incompetence at the highest levels of companies and institutions is the development of consultocracy, i.e. the delegation of complex or strategic tasks to consulting firms. …But rest assured, François: it is possible to become competent from your incompetence! Necessary condition to put an end to the Kakistocracies!
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