Editorial summary. This is our text summary of an article published by The Conversation. Charts, figures, and the author’s full voice are at the original — read it there .
Editorial verdict
Opinion-heavy with partial empirical backing — the CMI/YouGov survey data on accidental managers is credible, but the prescriptive conclusions about emotional intelligence training are largely the author's personal assertions, not evidence-based findings.
Executive summary
This article addresses the phenomenon of 'accidental managers' in the UK workplace — individuals promoted to managerial roles without formal training in leadership or people management. Drawing on a CMI-commissioned YouGov survey of 4,500 workers and managers, the author argues that the prevalence of such managers (82% of new managers in the UK) is a significant driver of employee disengagement, stress-related absence, and voluntary turnover. Key evidence presented includes findings that only one-third of workers with ineffective managers feel motivated, and half are considering leaving within 12 months. The article further notes that nearly one-third of UK workers have quit a job due to negative workplace culture, with 28% citing poor manager relationships. The author contends that emotional intelligence is a critical but unevenly trainable competency, and that organisations promote technically skilled employees without adequately assessing their people management capabilities. The piece concludes that HR teams, structured training programmes, and alternative career progression pathways for technically strong but people-management-unsuited employees are necessary components of addressing the UK's productivity and workplace wellbeing challenges.
Key insights
- 182% of new managers in the UK are classified as 'accidental managers' — promoted without formal management or leadership training, according to a CMI-commissioned YouGov survey of 4,500 workers and managers.
- 2Among workers who reported having an ineffective manager, only one-third felt motivated to do a good job, and approximately half were considering leaving within the next 12 months.
- 3Emotional intelligence is identified as a critical but inconsistently teachable managerial competency — the author distinguishes between those with natural interpersonal skills, those who can be trained, and those for whom training is unlikely to be effective.
Practical takeaways
- Organisations that create alternative career progression pathways — offering increased pay and prestige without people management responsibilities — may reduce the pressure to promote technically skilled employees into roles they are ill-suited for.
- HR teams that maintain current manager performance data from employee surveys and monitor early indicators such as elevated labour turnover may be better positioned to identify ineffective managers before broader organisational damage occurs.
References
- Chartered Management Institute (CMI) / YouGov (2023).CMI/YouGov Survey on Accidental Managers.
Source & Provenance
The Conversation
Cary Cooper
Not specified
Opinion/Commentary
Global
Original source metadata is preserved. AI analysis is generated separately.
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