The outsourcing and IT boom has led to a deluge of foreign expats in India. But how do they feel about working in India? Has their experience with managers in India been positive?

Most foreign expats think that Indian managers are over-confident, immature and think themselves to be more knowledgeable than their foreign clients.

Says Michael Anderson, COO of a US-based BPO in Gurgaon: “Indian managers lack honesty. One of the clients I know wanted to upgrade headcount at his India centre from 20 to 100 in three weeks. The Indian manager said yes very confidently. But failed to deliver. The end result was that the client got frustrated and pulled out of India totally.”

He goes on to add: “Managers in India lack global exposure. This makes them look immature while interacting with western clients.”

The problem is more at mid-level than senior-level positions. “There is a reason to it,” says Ian Stern, founder, Holistic Enterprises, a voice and accent training firm. “Due to the rapid economic growth, there has been a shortage of mid-level managers in India. So, while in western countries, you would see mid-level managers in their 30s, in India you can see a 20-something being promoted as a mid-level manager.”

Foreign expats are also astounded to see how casually people take an off on account of family marriages or ill health.

Gurgaon News.