The months of February and March are usually busy months with dance, drama and emotional actions in the companies especially because of the dragging appraisal, promotions and salary increase cycles.

Let me give you a real-life work example to explain the Peter Principle and Weaponized Iincompetence which I guess the majority of leaders and people managers are going through, not realizing they are victims of it in their workplace.
First for weaponized incompetence.
I will draw an example from the IT sector, an industry in India known for its highly competitive environment. In a software development team where a particular team member say Rani who consistently underperforms in tasks related to documentation, a task often viewed as less prestigious compared to coding. By delivering subpar documentation, Rani signals to their peers and supervisors her incompetence in this area. The underlying motivation for weaponized incompetence might not be a lack of capability but a strategic dodging move to be assigned more coding work, which is considered more valuable to the team and beneficial for Rani's career progression.
Now on the Peter principle.
Let us take the example of a highly skilled technician, whom we will refer to as "Raj," who shows exceptional prowess in his role on the production floor. His technical skills, dedication, and innovative solutions to manufacturing challenges earn him several promotions over the years. Eventually, Raj finds himself in a managerial position, overseeing the entire production line.
While Raj's technical expertise is beyond reproach, his managerial skills do not match his technical abilities. Despite his best efforts, Raj struggles to manage his team effectively, leading to decreased productivity, lower morale among his subordinates, and bottlenecks in production processes. This example is a classic representation of the Peter Principle. Raj was promoted to a level of incompetence, not due to a lack of effort or intelligence but because the skills that made him an excellent technician are vastly different from those required to be an effective manager.
So, leaders and people managers should be watchful of these two factors related melt down at your workplace and not fall prey to it.
Here are the tools to identify Weaponized Incomptence in your Team member.
Avoiding accountability by always blaming others or circumstances, with the excuse, "It's not my fault; I wasn't trained properly."
Consistently failing to complete tasks or meet deadlines despite ample resources, claiming, "I'm just a slow learner."
Constantly seeking help for tasks they should be familiar with, suggesting a strategic avoidance of effort.
Declining opportunities for new skills, often saying, "Now's not a good time for me to learn".
Remedying the behaviour of weaponized incompetence.
Fostering Accountability with Kindness The journey begins with nurturing an atmosphere where everyone feels responsible for their actions. Begin by setting clear roles and expectations, gently yet firmly. Engaging in open dialogues about performance, and if necessary, kindly enforcing fair outcomes for unmet goals, paves the way for growth and learning.
Confronting Challenges with Direct Compassion When faced with strategic incompetence, embrace clarity and directness. Approach the matter head-on, with a heart full of understanding yet a resolve to seek improvement. It's crucial that individuals recognize that their actions have been noticed and that a path forward is being charted together.
Cultivating an Open Garden of Transparency In a garden where transparency flourishes, shadows where misunderstandings and hidden agendas might linger are dispelled by the light of openness. By creating a space where information flows freely, everyone is empowered to spot discrepancies or intentional underperformance. This openness also nurtures a safe environment for expressing concerns, fostering a community built on trust and mutual respect.
Drawing Lines in the Sand with Care Understanding and respecting the boundaries of one's role is key. If expectations stretch beyond these boundaries, it’s essential to recognize and address this overreach. Knowing where these lines are drawn helps in identifying and addressing any attempts to exploit kindness or generosity.
Harmonizing through Clear Communication Clear and compassionate communication is the bridge to understanding. When dealing with instances of strategic incompetence, speaking plainly about the issue and its impact on the collective well-being is crucial. Through open dialogue, not only are challenges brought to light, but pathways to collaborative solutions are also discovered.
Srinivas A
Founder and Chief Scientist
Eye opening