Veterinary Leadership: The Peter Principle explained (#386)

In 1969, Dr. Laurence J. Peter introduced a painfully humorous yet alarmingly accurate concept in his book The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong.

The core idea?

In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence.

In other words, people are often promoted based on success in their current role. That is fine, until they land in one they can’t do well. This satirical theory, aimed at office bureaucracy, has stood the test of time, and it applies to veterinary medicine, too.

Veterinary Medicine: A Field of Rapid Ascent

Veterinary medicine, especially in academic, hospital, and corporate settings, has its own complex hierarchies: interns become residents, clinicians become department heads, private practitioners become medical directors or regional managers. Leadership and administrative roles are often filled by those who were excellent clinicians or teachers. But those very skills don’t necessarily translate into organizational leadership, budgetary oversight, personnel management, or strategic vision.

The result?

A surprisingly high number of vets find themselves out of their depth. Not for lack of intelligence or dedication, but because the skills that earned them a promotion aren't the ones needed at the next level.

Examples of the Peter Principle in Veterinary Life

• From Great Clinician to Ineffective Manager: A brilliant small animal surgeon, revered by students and admired by peers, is promoted to head of surgery. Suddenly, they’re no longer in the OR but in meetings about scheduling conflicts, capital equipment budgets, and HR complaints. Their joy dims. Their team flounders. And the department suffers.

• The Corporate Ladder Trap: In the rapidly consolidating world of corporate veterinary medicine, veterinarians are often elevated to district or regional roles. They're handed spreadsheets, profit-and-loss statements, and staff turnover targets. But they weren’t trained for this, and the job often pulls them far from what made them enter the profession in the first place: the animals and the medicine.

• Academic Paralysis: In academia, success in research often becomes the gateway to administrative roles like department chair or dean. Yet managing people and navigating institutional politics are worlds apart from publishing papers or writing grants. Universities sometimes end up with leaders who are ill-equipped to lead, resistant to dissent, and reliant on bureaucratic armor rather than transparent dialogue.

Why It Happens

Veterinary culture often equates promotion with success.

There's an implicit belief that those who’ve made it should keep climbing. But this ignores the nuance: that leadership is not a natural extension of technical skill. There’s no shame in excelling where your talents align, nor in declining roles that don’t suit your strengths. But culturally, that’s still a difficult conversation in the profession.

Consequences of the Peter Principle in Vet Med

• Burnout: Veterinarians promoted into ill-fitting leadership roles often experience disillusionment, fatigue, and isolation.

• Team Dysfunction: Teams suffer when led by someone who lacks emotional intelligence, organizational skills, or collaborative vision.

• Talent Drain: Talented individuals may leave the profession entirely if promoted beyond their competence and left unsupported.

• Stagnation: When leadership is ineffective, innovation slows, conflict festers, and morale plummets.

  
  

Can the Peter Principle Be Defused?

Yes, but only with deliberate change.

• Rethink What We Reward: Instead of assuming vertical movement is the only form of recognition, we can value mastery within a role. A top-tier wildlife veterinarian doesn’t have to become a dean to be acknowledged as a leader in their field.

• Train for Leadership, Don’t Improvise It: If someone expresses interest in management or academic leadership, provide structured training. Offer mentorship. Encourage reflection. Competence in administration, finance, and people management can be developed, but should not be assumed to exist.

• Allow Lateral or Reverse Moves Without Shame: Create environments where stepping sideways, or even down, is not viewed as failure. If a medical director wants to return to full-time clinical work, they shouldn’t have to spin a story to justify it. They should be supported and thanked.

• Foster Honest Dialogue: Colleagues should feel empowered to give feedback when leaders are struggling. Systems should exist to evaluate leadership not just from above, but from below and beside.

Rick’s Commentary

The Peter Principle isn’t just a funny theory from the '60s.

It’s a real and pressing issue in veterinary medicine.

As the profession becomes increasingly corporatized and complex, the need for competent, well-trained, and self-aware leaders is more critical than ever.

Let’s not assume that great vets make great managers by default.

Let’s build a culture where excellence is measured not by how high you rise, but by how well you serve.

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