Bad Bosses curb young ambition

British businesses risk losing young talent because of poor management, according to new research released by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Nearly 400,000* UK workers aged 18-24 feel that their manager is holding them back. And British businesses are in danger of losing these future leaders, as one quarter (27 per cent) of young workers would leave their organisation if they were badly managed.

Bad bosses are putting many young workers off management altogether. Twice as many young people who have had a negative management experience donít want to become a manager in the future (28 per cent), compared with those who get on well with their superiors (14 per cent).

The lack of strong leadership in British businesses is also breeding cynicism in young people, with 25 per cent of young workers believing that they could do a better job than their current manager.

Old style, dictatorial management practices top the list of management doníts, with 60 per cent of respondents saying that they most dislike a manager who looks for someone to blame. Managers who expect staff to do as theyíre told without debate, those who donít allow staff to contribute and those who are obstructive are also unpopular.

Young people want progressive management to inspire them - 86 per cent of the younger generation put approachability at the top of the list when it comes to desirable management traits, followed by letting staff ëget on with the jobí (66 per cent), being team-focused (47 per cent) and consultative (47 per cent).

And theyíre an ambitious bunch, as 40 per cent of young workers say they would like to manage a team of their own within five years.

Despite the poor perception of todayís bosses, 61 per cent of future leaders expect to learn about management directly from their own managers. This highlights the need for quality management training at all levels in order to ensure it is good practice that is being passed down throughout organisations.

Kim Parish, Chief Executive of the Institute of Leadership and Management comments, íItís imperative that we develop our young talent because they have no qualms about moving on. Young people will leave organisations if they experience poor management and that, combined with the increasing trend for portfolio careers, means that businesses risk losing the talent they have put so much time, money and effort into recruiting and developing.

íThis adds to the challenges for todayís managers - not only must they deliver results, inspire customers and cut costs, but they must involve their team, even when the going gets tough. Itís a tall order. Now more than ever managers need support and development; organisations investing in management qualifications and professional development for their staff will be the winners.í

* ONS, Labour Market Trends 2006 (Table B2 Employment by age). Number of 18-24 year olds in employment (Dec 2005 - Feb 2006) is 3.534 million. Eleven per cent of respondents state that their manager is holding them back. Eleven per cent of 3.534 million is 388,740.