- News
- UK
- Home News
The former First Lady said that ‘tough times’ contribute to developing resilience
Rebecca Whittaker Wednesday 03 June 2026 00:04 BST- Bookmark
- CommentsGo to comments
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks
Close popoverUK's youth unemployment reaches highest level in a decade
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Gen Z needs to experience ”bad bosses” and “boring” jobs before they can become successful, according to former US first lady Michelle Obama.
She suggested that “tough times” and being treated “unfairly” all contribute to developing the resilience needed to become leaders.
“That’s what I want young people to understand: that every experience, the bad boss, the boring assistant job, the job you thought that you weren’t appreciated, the one that didn’t give you the assignment you wanted when you wanted it – all of that is learning to be resilient,” she said at a live podcast recording in London.
“One thing that’s important is to learn how to do something you don’t like to do and be good at it,” the 62-year-old added.
It comes as youth unemployment hit a 12-year high in the UK, as the number of entry level jobs fall.
Mrs Obama spoke alongside her older brother during a recording of their podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch (PA)The crisis is costing Britain £125bn a year, as the number of young people not in work or education reached more than 1 million for the first time since 2013.
Over the past 20 years the number of mid- and lower-skilled jobs have fallen by about 1.6 million.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show vacancies have halved in the hospitality industry over the past four years alone.
Meanwhile, the number of people taking up apprenticeships has fallen by 35 per cent over the past decade.
Mrs Obama spoke alongside her older brother during a recording of their podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch.
She said: “I think a lot of young people want to do what they want to do, or what they are good at. But you have got to earn that, carrying some bags and having some tough times and having people treat you unfairly.
“Not giving you the raise when you think you deserve it, there’s character building that gets you ready down the line before being your own manager, being your own leader.”
She added that she has encouraged her daughters Malia and Sasha to do “a gap year or two” instead of working and would encourage other young people to do the same.
Mrs Obama explained she swapped being an Ivy League-educated lawyer for city work which led to finding she was motivated by “helping people”.
“That is what got me up every day, feeling really excited, and nobody taught me that or teaches young people that in college,” she said.
More about
Gen ZresiliencejobsworkersbossespodcastJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments