Tactics institutions can use to combat the Peter Principle: Opinion

Postsecondary institutions can use a variety of tactics to combat the “Peter Principle” in academic leadership, writes Stefan Niewiesk. Niewiesk argues that most institutions fall into this trap by continuing to promote people based primarily on academic performance. The author writes that there are two tiers of this problem: Tier 1 problems occur when departments are in crisis or are believed to possess unrealized strategic potential, leading to undue emphasis being placed on a candidate’s previous administrative performance; Tier 2 problems occur when institutions only consider internal candidates without using established performance criteria. Niewiesk recommends that institutions define clear standards for their academic leadership and examine the recruiting pipeline to review the appointment, promotion, and tenure standards.