UK Business News

Bev James & James Caan-EBA Directors

Anyone who has witnessed the aggressive nature of bosses, as depicted through television programmes such as The Apprentice, will have winced or cringed more than once at the way the panel of entrepreneurs talk to the budding business owners.

Of course without such ‘bully bosses’ the programmes would seldom be worth watching and everyone would win a place in the final if characters like Simon Cowell did not exist to tell it how it is.

So these people are invited to ’star’ in these shows to boost viewing figures by being controversial.

However, to work for such people would certainly be a nightmare and Bev James who launched the Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy (EBA) in March alongside the impeccably mannered James Caan (Dragons Den), quite laudably  launched an attack on Britain’s bully bosses yesterday.

Citing the number one reason for people leaving their jobs as being their relationship with their boss, Bev James said that there is “No place for Lord Sugar style bully bosses in the boardroom.”

“When a 20-something entrepreneur and future employer is influenced by the tough talking of Alan Sugar, Simon Cowell or Gordon Ramsey that they see on TV, they are developing a new breed of egotistical bully boss,” she explained. “It’s alienating employees and causing a lot of problems in terms of talent retention in the UK.“

“Today, where there are so many different ways to start a business – for example as an Ebay trader – many new entrepreneurs have little or no experience of working for a boss. Therefore, they have no reliable role models and can soon run into trouble when they find themselves in charge of a dozen or more employees as their enterprise grows. Young people need to know how effective leadership and people management is actually achieved. They need proper guidance and advice!“

“James and I are determined to help young entrepreneurs learn key management skills and have introduced an EBA coaching module, ‘How to Create & Retain Superstar Teams’, which will be run by successful millionaire mentors,” said Bev James.

As well as her involvement with James Caan in the EBA, Bev James is also MD of the worlds largest training agency, The Coaching Academy.