If new research is to be believed, there's very little chance of rising to the lofty heights of CEO unless you were permenently psychologically damaged in childhood!

The research, unveiled at a British Psychological Society conference last month, says that many top executives have used their career as an 'escape route' from dealing with problems which developed due to an unhappy childhood.

People who experienced a distant father or lack of affection from their family apparently have a greater drive to be successful due to an excessive need for approval. As a result, their career becomes all-important and family and friends can be neglected. If such individuals face redundancy or premature retirement, they often lose any focus to their lives.

The author of the report, Dr Chris Ridgeway, a chartered counsellor and occupational therapist, handles clients who have found themselves in this position by asking them to bring in photos of themselves as children to discuss.