Why do ‘post turtles’ routinely get promoted and elevated within their organizations / industries?  So what is a ‘post turtle’?

When you’re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that’s a ‘post turtle’.  You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he’s up there, he’s elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb #$%$ put him up there to begin with.

Perhaps it’s just my perception, but it seems like I see more and more of them.

I think this is a metaphor jog..... For people who get put into positions they clearly don't belong in and all they do is thrash about, stuck there, like Obama for instance.

I guess it's the only way to know what the person's maximum capability is. On the other hand, it's true that it's hard to demote someone you've just promoted. It happens, but rare.

I remember someone once told me the "indispensable person is not promotable."

I see this happen a lot because people are too scared to tell someone they are not worth a promotion. Instead of confronting them, they just promote them.