Korean managers lack leadership skills: LGERI poll

Leadership skills are considered a key factor in corporate performance, but a survey shows that Korean managers are failing miserably - to the extent that they receive a failing grade of F, according to a Korean research institute.

According to Seoul-based LG Economic Research Institute, 843 workers it surveyed gave an average 44.1 points, out of a possible 100, to managers at their respective workplace.

"This reveals a serious issue facing Korean companies - the lack of leadership," the institute said in a report to be released today.

Poor leadership leads to unmotivated workplaces, a culture of cronyism, and is often one of the key reasons a company`s output per worker lags behind competitors, it said.

The think tank said it asked workers in their 20s to 50s in an online survey to evaluate their bosses at work and how content they are about the leadership at their workplace.

It found that those working for foreign firms gave higher grades to their supervisors, an average of 55.1 points, than workers of local firms. Employees of Korean firms gave their bosses a score of 42.6.

"Discontent with leadership can lead to many problems at the workplace. For instance, it dampens employee`s commitment to the job and causes a high turnover rate," it said.

Asked whether they would choose to work with their current bosses again, employees of Korean firms responded with a 39.5, compared with 55.1 points for those working for foreign firms.

The LGERI pointed out that many Korean companies do not have in place leadership development programs such as supervisor training or leadership seminars - widely existent in foreign firms - and often fail to properly appraise leadership skills in performance evaluation of their employees.

Vocabulary

1. failing miserably
2. respective
3. cronyism
4. lags behind
5. think tank
6. content
7. dampens
8. high turnover rate
9. appraise


Discussion

1. What are your experiences of Korean managers?
2. What are your experiences have of managers in other countries?
3. Have you ever been in a managerial position? How did you do?
4. What skills do you think a good manager needs?
5. Would you prefer to work for a Korean company or a foreign company?