Meddling middle managers are crushing the UK's creative instincts.

Today's report from the department of the bleedin' obvious Chartered Management Institute found that overbearing and dogmatic managers are the most common in the UK.

Topping the poll are bureaucratic managers with 40 per cent, reactive managers are next with 37 per cent, and 30 per cent describe their manager as "authoritarian".

The survey of 1,511 managers found correspondingly higher levels of sickness and absence in companies with negative management styles - 45 per cent of respondents reckon sickness rates go up when management is suspicious.

The report was written by academics Professor Les Worrall from the University of Wolverhampton Business School, and Prof Cary Cooper from Lancaster University Business School.

Cooper said: "In an environment dominated by the need to retain the best talent, it is also extremely disappointing to see negative styles prevail in the UK."

Press release is here. ®

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