In October the media reported that Michael Gove has turned up unannounced to a meeting of senior civil servants.

The weekly meetings in question are informal gatherings of permanent secretaries, with no published agenda or minutes, and are widely reported as serving as a venting space for the civil servants. Members of Parliament are not routinely invited to these meetings but the government Chief Whip nevertheless decided to attend.

The Guardian contacted Gerard Hodgkinson of the Behavioural Science Group at Warwick Business school to comment on the story.

Gerard explains that it is important for all workers to have their own psychological spaces where they can blow off steam. Leaders invading these spaces will cause defensive and hostile behaviours in workers, and can prove counterproductive.

You can read the full Guardian article here.