Fergie is role model for Scots managers

Group business correspondent

Wednesday 20 February 2013

SCOTTISH bosses are the best behaved in Britain, with many likening their supervisors to the fair but tough-talking manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson.

INSPIRATION: Shop steward-turned-football manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a fair but tough approach that many workers admire.

A survey found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers in Scotland rated their bosses' behaviour as good, compared with 28% in the south-west of England. London bosses were found to be well behaved, but across Britain as a whole, around one in three (35%) was found to not behave well, with the actions of 11% described as bad or despicable.

And it seems Scottish workers like the tough but fair approach from managers, with most comparing their superiors with Sir Alex, one of Govan's best-known sons. Less flatteringly, 10% of respondents throughout Britain compared their boss to Ricky Gervais's David Brent character from The Office. The survey, carried out by ICM on behalf of management consultancy Inspiring Business Performance (IBP), considered the impact of bad leadership on company profits and employee productivity. But while Scots topped the popularity chart, it seems their behaviour is not always good. Some Scots bosses were guilty of using bad language, bullying, lying and breaching confidentiality. Such behaviour might help explain why many staff across Britain have taken matters into their own hands. Faced with unwelcome behaviour, 13% said they had sought a another job, while 4% said they had quit a job without a new one to go to. In addition, 10% claimed bad behaviour from their boss had caused them to purposely disrupt the workplace, with 8% admitting to feigning illness to skip work. The survey also found men generally had a lower opinion of line managers than women and were more likely to directly challenge bad behaviour. "Bosses in Scotland are doing something right," said John Telfer, managing director of IBP. "However, there are always some rotten apples."

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Fergie is role model for Scots managers

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