Fallacy of thinking you are better than your boss?
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Original Question
Hi all,
What fallacy if any would thinking you are better than your boss fall under?
I constantly hear people think they would do better than their boss but when you cold hard analyse their accomplishments vs the other person it's hard to believe they would.
Is it just Dunning Kruger? Is that a formal fallacy yet?
Conversely what fallacy am I falling for thinking that even though I don't have the same qualifications I could do a better job?
What fallacy if any would thinking you are better than your boss fall under?
I constantly hear people think they would do better than their boss but when you cold hard analyse their accomplishments vs the other person it's hard to believe they would.
Is it just Dunning Kruger? Is that a formal fallacy yet?
Conversely what fallacy am I falling for thinking that even though I don't have the same qualifications I could do a better job?
Answers
4I would say Dunning-Kruger, or what John Cleese describes as "People, too stupid to know how stupid they are."
I am interested in the alternatives Dr. Bo has submitted as well. Dunning-Kruger is considered more of a cognitive bias than an actual error in reasoning and hence, is not a traditional fallacy.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect Shows Why Some People Think They're Great Even When Their Work Is Terrible via @forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2017/01/24/the-dunning-kruger-effect-shows-why-some-people-think-theyre-great-even-when-their-work-is-terrible/#1eb8a2875d7c<>
I am interested in the alternatives Dr. Bo has submitted as well. Dunning-Kruger is considered more of a cognitive bias than an actual error in reasoning and hence, is not a traditional fallacy.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect Shows Why Some People Think They're Great Even When Their Work Is Terrible via @forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2017/01/24/the-dunning-kruger-effect-shows-why-some-people-think-theyre-great-even-when-their-work-is-terrible/#1eb8a2875d7c<>
I agree with Dr Bo that this isn't a fallacy per se.
Another interesting factor, though, could be the Peter Principle ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet. . .
According to the Peter Principle, when an employee reaches a certain level of competence in their position, they tend to get promoted. Their new position, of course, has a whole new set of requirements which are different from their old one, so chances are they don't know what they're doing. If they're capable, they learn the new skills, become fully competent... and then get promoted again.
If true, of course, it means most managers are basically incompetent at their current roles.
Another interesting factor, though, could be the Peter Principle ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet. . .
According to the Peter Principle, when an employee reaches a certain level of competence in their position, they tend to get promoted. Their new position, of course, has a whole new set of requirements which are different from their old one, so chances are they don't know what they're doing. If they're capable, they learn the new skills, become fully competent... and then get promoted again.
If true, of course, it means most managers are basically incompetent at their current roles.
Dunning Kruger might apply as well. Of course, keep in mind the possibility that people's bosses can be incompetent relative to the employee, and the belief that the employee is "better" than the boss can be a completely well-reasoned conclusion based on facts and experience.
I wouldn't categorize this as a fallacy; it is more of a cognitive bias or a collection of them. Have a look at these:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority<>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egocentric_bias<>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias<>
I agree w/ Dr. Bo. I don't see a fallacy per se. The people who think that they are better than the boss are sometimes right and sometimes wrong.
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