POW: The Psychology of Work

In discussion with Rob Feltham, Mike shares thought-provoking perspectives on a range of talent topics including: real-time performance management; neuroscience in psychometric assessment; the ever-increasing importance of the freelance workforce as a central element of the talent pool; generational stereotypes (Gen Y, Gen Z etc); and the urgent need for the UK to become world class in digital skills training.  Other issues discussed include the relevance of Business Psychology in the age of AI and digital transformation, and the impact of the current US presidential regime on DEI initiatives.   Mike is a chartered occupational psychologist and has worked for the past 25 years as a consultant in talent management with a particular focus on assessment for senior level roles, especially for private equity clients. Prior to qualifying in psychology, Mike had a career in Bass plc, and later worked for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (forerunner to QinetiQ) as a government scientist researching topics for the UK armed forces, during which time he started his doctorate researching ways of evaluating computer-based training techniques in the submarine service. Subsequently Mike worked for several consultancies and executive search businesses where he set up three assessment practices, before running his own consultancy www.kildonanconsulting.com in talent management with a particular focus on senior leader assessment.  He is now semi-retired.Mike is a frequent conference speaker and has authored many papers on Human Resource issues - several which can be found in open access on the internet. A full list is available on request.  About the book: Rugg-Gunn, M. (2024), Managing Talent: A Short Guide for the Digital Age, Routledge.  Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP  

In discussion with Rob Feltham, Ross McIntosh provides a fascinating overview of the ACT framework and how it can help leaders to build psychological flexibility, in part by managing the interactions between their ‘inner voices' and the ways that they show up at work. Topics covered include: building self awareness with the help of the Micro Pause and Macro Pause; managing transitions between leadership situations; and values-driven authentic leadership.  Ross is a business psychologist and coach who uses evidence-based psychology in all areas of his freelance career. At City St George's, University of London, he works alongside Dr Paul Flaxman in an academic/practitioner partnership. They design and deliver ACT Workplace Training for both the public and private sector. Ross also lectures in organisational psychology at City St George's and Birkbeck, University of London.    Ten years ago, Ross founded his consulting business which aims to cultivate well-being, adaptability, authentic action and awareness in organisations. He has designed and delivered evidence-based training to over 23 NHS Trusts, HM Treasury & Civil Service, Nectar Loyalty, teachers, a global tech company, a big four consultancy, Diageo, hedge fund managers and a variety of ballet companies including Rambert, Scottish Ballet, Northern Ballet and The Royal Ballet.   In a bid to reach more adults with the behavioural science from ACT and beyond, the People Soup Podcast was born in 2018. It's won awards, has a global reach and in the global ranking is one of the top 2.5% most popular podcasts (in a field of around 3.5 million!)   Prior to his portfolio career, Ross spent over 20 years in Senior HR roles in Government. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Fellow of the Association for Coaching.  Ross's website can be found at: https://rossmcintosh.co.uk/Rob Feltham is podcast editor of the ABP.

Nik Kinley is a business psychologist and successful author with over 30 years' experience specialising in assessing leaders, changing people's behaviour and evolving organisational cultures. In an engaging discussion with Rob Feltham, Nik talks about his latest book, co-authored with Shlomo Ben-Hur, entitled Re-writing your Leadership Code: How your childhood made you the leader you are, and what you can do about it.  Nik shows how our past experiences create instincts and tendencies that we are often unaware of, but that tend to come out when we're under pressure and can fundamentally affect how we operate as leaders, both in a good way and in a bad way. Leaders who understand their instinctive responses to pressurised situations have the opportunity to manage those situations better. In the discussion Nik also touches on the relevance of this type of analysis in the leadership assessment context. He also talks about the interaction of personality and power, and describes how positions of power amplify what people ‘bring with them'.  Nik's varied career background includes commercial roles, senior corporate HR positions (with BP and with Barclays) and consulting roles - with YSC and with Accenture - as well as over a decade working in prisons as a forensic psychotherapist. He has thus worked with royalty, CEOs, murderers, politicians and children. During his time as a consultant, he has assessed over 1,000 senior executives from across the world. And as a coach, he has worked with Boards, CEOs and executive teams across industries and regions. He has written a series of books on leadership, change and talent management, published award-winning papers in academic journals, and is a regular lecturer at some of the world's most prestigious business schools.  Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.

In discussion with Rob Feltham, Philip Wilson, brings to life his remarkable journey as Chief Psychologist for UK Civil Service Fast Stream and Emerging Talent. He has led the design of the Fast Stream assessment process, along with the diversity and inclusion strategy and leadership curriculum. The diversity profile of the intake has been transformed in recent years, and Phil provides fascinating insights into the drivers for change and strategies deployed in response. A focus on recruitment from lower social economic backgrounds has had substantial ‘cross-sectional' impact on other areas of diversity. Recruitment from STEM backgrounds has also been a major focus, in line with the demands of the modern civil service. More generally, Phil shares his positive view of the achievements of Business Psychologists in the D&I space, and his optimism about their future contribution.While at Fast Stream, Phil has overseen the multi-award-winning Summer Diversity Internship Programme, Early Diversity Internship Programme, Autism Exchange Internship Programme and other positive action and outreach activities. Prior to his current role he was Head of Occupational Psychology at the London Fire Brigade, as well as Acting Head of Occupational Psychology for Greater Manchester Police, and he has operated as a consultant for a range of industries.Phil has presented at numerous professional conferences & seminars, sits on a variety of advisory boards, and has chaired national committees.  Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of the ABP.

David Sharpley is a leadership development expert and experienced organisational psychologist. In an absorbing discussion with Rob Feltham, David draws on his own extensive experience and research, and shares valuable insights into what distinguishes healthy organisations from unhealthy and self-destructive ones, examples of the latter being UK Post Office and RBS. David is critical of widely shared assumptions about what successful leadership and successful business looks like. He takes aim, for example, at simplistic notions of charismatic and transformational leadership, and challenges primitive theories of motivation. David draws particular attention to the role of Superordinate Principles as the foundation for effective leadership and in enabling organisational alignment and consistent high quality execution.  David has a considerable track-record in the design and implementation of senior management/leadership development, and in support of this he has developed the Pario online resources, which include surveys, 360 feedback, and work-preference profiling. His experience includes collaboration with JCS Investments in Ghana, facilitating new business and developing capability. Significant UK initiatives include work with BT, the financial sector, FTSE 250 companies, the NHS, and leading charities. David has also run Master-Class workshops on Competency Profiling & Assessment in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Bangkok. His lecturing experience at Warwick University (WMG) has explored issues relating to Organizations, People, and Performance.  Call for Collaboration: David is currently piloting a new tool called the Team Index. It is a ‘180 degree feedback' (or survey) tool for managers/team leaders and people in the team. David has undertaken initial validation, is developing it further, and is keen to partner with organisations interested in future-focused development. The tool supports leadership development, highlighting key factors that impact on peoples' motivation and commitment. David welcomes discussion with business psychologists and others who would like to access the questionnaires and reports.  About the book:  Sharpley, D. (2024), Leadership Principles and Purpose: Developing Leadership Effectiveness and Future-Focused Capability, Routledge. (20% discount code SMA22 on Routledge site to 31/07/24)  https://www.routledge.com/Leadership-Principles-and-Purpose-Developing-Leadership-Effectiveness-and-Future-Focused-Capability/Sharpley/p/book/9781032575063  Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.  

Rachel Lewis is widely published in the field of health and wellbeing at work and has contributed to national guidance, and evidence-based tools and interventions. We are delighted to have Rachel as our guest for this special podcast to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, 2024.  In discussion with Alex Forsythe, Rachel provides fresh and sometimes counterintuitive insights into mental health at work, based on her ongoing research into senior leadership disclosure. She challenges the assumption that disclosure is always A Good Thing, and highlights some of the organisational and cultural challenges in creating a safe environment for mental health disclosure across the employee population. Rachel and Alex discuss the rigidity of some HR processes, which can result in an over-institutional approach to managing ‘harmful behaviour' such as workplace violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, Rachel highlights the need for psychologists to pay sufficient attention to their own mental health issues.  The podcast begins with Rachel talking through her varied and interesting career journey to date.Rachel provides the leadership and direction for Affinity Health at Work, as well as being a Reader in Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck University of London. Rachel has worked with leadership teams, HR professionals and at all levels of organisations across sectors to develop and embed new working practices. In 2023, Rachel was honoured to be ranked 3rd in the HR Most Influential Thinker Awards. She is also an Honorary Member of The ABP.Alex Forsythe is an Organisational Psychologist and Managing Director of the educational and organisational consulting firm, Chirality Consulting.Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of the ABP.

Professor Steve Woods works at the leading edge of research into personality at work, including psychometric and personality trait assessment, and personality development and change. In conversation here with Rob Feltham, he discusses two recent and important peer reviewed articles in which he and co-researchers have critically examined and challenged current assumptions and practices in the fields of both personality assessment and of cognitive testing for selection into graduate and higher professional occupations. Steve highlights the need for personality assessment to focus more on the dynamic nature of traits, and for the assessment domain to more fully encompass prosocial behaviours at work, particularly in the context of leadership.  As regards cognitive testing and prestige occupations, Steve points to its potential to perpetuate societal inequality and social disadvantage, and he outlines potential alternative ways forward for employers. Steve also discusses his own personal career journey.  Steve is Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at Surrey Business School, University of Surrey. He conducts research on personality and assessment at work, recruitment and selection in organisations, with special interests in how to ensure fair and effective assessment and digital selection procedures and analytics. His work is published in scientific and professional journals (e.g. Journal of Applied Psychology; Journal of Vocational Behaviour; Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology), scholarly books, and international conferences. He is co-author of the international text The Psychology of Work and Organizations with Prof Michael West.     Steve collaborates with industry to help put research into action, and to help develop solutions to real world challenges of management, as a practitioner work and organisational psychologist in the UK and with businesses and organisations globally, especially in the areas of HR assessment, recruitment, selection and development. Since gaining his PhD, he has held academic posts at University of Nottingham, Aston Business School, University of Liverpool, University of Surrey and University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of the ABP. Reading list:For listeners who wish to look further into the two articles specifically referred to in the podcast, they are:Ritz, J., Woods, S. A., Wille, B., Woo, S. E., Nübold, A., Beckmann, N., Dalal R.S., Galic Z., Wiernik B., Tett, R.P., Pickett, J. & Christiansen, N. (2023). Personality at work. Personality Science, 4(1).Woods, S.A. & Patterson, F. (2024). A critical review of the use of cognitive ability testing for selection into graduate and higher professional occupations. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 97(1).

In this special edition ABP podcast to mark International Women's Day 2024, we hear from four distinguished female leaders who have been instrumental in shaping the exciting field of online learning over the past two decades. Innovation in the online learning space is transforming education to become much more: accessible and inclusive; responsive to the fast changing skills requirements of industry in an increasingly ‘digital first' world of work; and accessible globally, including to traditionally excluded groups. Topics covered include microcredentials, blended learning, and the challenges and exciting opportunities for women working in this space.Podcast guests:Vicky Irwin – Senior Director of Consultancy at Times Higher Education. Vicky works with universities, governments, and businesses across the world, to help guide their higher education strategies. Kate Lindsay – Senior Vice Present of Academic Services at Higher Ed Partners. Kate spearheads academic partnerships with Universities across the UK to build capability and capacity in the delivery of fully online learning programmes. Jo-Anne Murray – VP Education at the University of Aberdeen. Jo-Anne has 20 years' experience of leading online and digital education. She has worked in both the academic and the commercial sector leading digital transformation in education.Alex Forsythe – Professor of Applied Psychology and Organisational Psychologist. Alex works with universities, governments and businesses across the world, to help guide their digital learning strategies. Podcast Editor – Rob Feltham

David Royston-Lee and Dr Sylvana Storey have recently published an updated third edition of their highly popular book, Brand You – a readable and practical guide to developing one's personal brand (details below). In conversation with Rob Feltham, David and Sylvana provide the rationale for, and powerful examples of, developing a strong and consistent personal brand. They also point to the pitfalls of inept personal branding and highlight how the concept of personal brand has become confused with the ‘cult of celebrity'. Authentic personal brand is grounded in purpose and values, is a source of personal energy, guides career choices and decisions, and enables others quickly to understand what one is about across the range of life's situations. Fake personal brand is grounded in what others expect and results in a ‘cardboard cut-out' persona which ultimately satisfies no-one and creates problems for individual well-being and adjustment.Other topics covered in the discussion include definition of personal brand, personal reputation and reach, and the communication of personal brand through social media.David Royston-Lee David is a business psychologist and an expert in career management for people of all ages. He has a background in business as a CEO and Management Consultant, and also as a Human Resources Director, and latterly as a senior executive coach in leadership working globally with individuals wanting to be the best version of themselves.Dr Sylvana Storey is also a business psychologist and former management consultant, and a highly regarded expert in culture change, leadership and diversity equity and inclusion. A former management consultant and CEO of Global Organizational Integrators, Sylvana is now Global Head of People Experience for Kroll.Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor for the ABP.About the book:The book van be located here: https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/brand-you/P200000010321/9781292725581The promo code is BRANDYOU20 and expires on 30th March 2024.

Dan Hughes is Senior Director of Research and Development at Talogy, a global talent management consultancy that specialises in selection, development and engagement of talent and whose solutions blend state-of-art psychology and technology. In discussion with Professor Alex Forsythe, Dan describes some of the key findings from Talogy's extensive research in the leadership space. He highlights in particular: the speed with which employee's expectations of their leaders changing, especially post-pandemic; the central role of motivation in leadership effectiveness; how leadership is enhanced through addressing core psychological needs; and how the best leaders survive and thrive under pressure and in the face of challenges.Dan is Business Psychologist with extensive experience in leading the creation and implementation of innovative product solutions and technology to help organisations with their talent management goals. He is an HCPC Registered Occupational Psychologist with over 25 years' experience working in R&D / Product roles in several talent management consultancies, and has developed a range of products, including personality and emotional intelligence questionnaires, SJTs, competency and leadership frameworks, digital work simulations, volume hire processes, a smartphone app to embed learning, cognitive ability tests, interview guide libraries, 360 feedback questionnaires, and job profiling tools. He has worked with clients across a variety of sectors, including the emergency services, public sector, professional services, healthcare, retail and construction. Dan regularly publishes research and thought leadership, for example at conferences such as DOP, ABP, SIOP and CIPD. He is Consultant Editor for the BPS Psychological Testing Centre test review process.Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton, where she is Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing.Talogy / Strategic talent management, assessment & development

In a special edition of the ABP podcast series, recorded to mark National Career Development Month November 2023, we hear Dawn Nicholson in conversation with Rob Feltham. Drawing a highly successful career which has spanned business and academia, Dawn has led pioneering initiatives for the Association for Business Psychology which have included building the ABP's university accreditation programme and developing the ground-breaking Biz Psych cup – both of which are discussed in the podcast. During the discussion Dawn provides an extremely clear overview of the ABP's approach to development and certification of business psychologists, and highlights the significant benefits that qualified psychologists can offer to organisations, particularly once they learn to adapt their knowledge and data-analytical skills to the practical issues facing business. Dawn also points out similarities and differences between the ABP and British Psychological Society certification processes, which are in some ways complementary. Other topics covered include intergenerational job sharing and the contribution of flexible employment practices to business success.Dawn worked for almost 28 years in internal Human Resources (HR) roles and as an advisor to HR, in professional and financial services in the City of London. She spent 3 years as a Partner in PwC's HR Consulting business, working with clients on their people-related issues and on PwC's client diversity offering. Prior to PwC, Dawn was Managing Director, Deputy Head of Human Resources for Europe, The Middle East and Africa, for the global investment bank, Morgan Stanley, where she worked for 16 years. Dawn was responsible for areas including reward, benefits, diversity, employee engagement, learning and development and recruiting. During that time, she also worked closely with internal employee diversity networks. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Dawn spent 9 years at Arthur Andersen advising clients on employee-related tax and HR issues.Dawn retired from PwC in June 2013 and returned to academia to pursue her primary passion - understanding and improving group decision-making processes. She was awarded her PhD in group decision-making in the School of Psychology at Kent in 2019 and now lectures in Business and Organisational Psychology at Kent, where she is currently the Programme Director for the MSc Organisational and Business Psychology.Dawn is Vice Chair and Head of University Accreditation for the ABP.Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.

In a special edition of the ABP podcast series, recorded during Black History Month 2023, we hear Joy Maitland in conversation with Dawn Nicholson. The discussion delves deep into the heart of inclusivity, unravelling the immense potential that lies within embracing diversity and exploring the boundless strength that diverse perspectives bring to the table. Diversity isn't just a buzzword. It is the secret sauce to innovation and understanding. Drawing from a wealth of psychological expertise and practical insights gained from real-life experiences, Joy shares examples of how embracing diversity of various forms can turn the mundane into the extraordinary. Other topics covered include organisational culture, psychological safety, and Black History Month itself which this year incorporates the theme of ‘saluting our sisters'. Joy is a multi-award-winning Business Psychologist, Organisational Development Consultant and Executive Coach, and the author of ‘From Alpha to Zen: Leadership for a Brave New World.' With extensive experience in senior-level corporate management, Joy holds fellowships with the Institute of Directors, the Institute of Leadership, and the Chartered Management Institute. Throughout her career, Joy has worked with renowned global brands such as Vodafone, 3M, Sony, RBS, and Credit Lyonnais. In 2005, she launched Inemmo Leadership Development Solutions. This venture followed her role as Group Director Operations at Taylor Nelson Sofres, a prominent FTSE 250 firm. Joy also currently holds the position of Non-Executive Director and Vice Chair at the Plane Saver Credit Union. She has served as a Trustee Board Member of The Institute of Leadership and later as an Independent Director on their Nominations and Succession Committee. Additionally, she has contributed her expertise as a board director at the Amos Bursary and as Vice Chair of the Ekaya Housing Association.Dr Dawn Nicholson is Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Business & Organisational Psychology at University of Kent, and a Board Member of the ABP.

Rob Briner is an inspirational thought leader in the field of evidence based practice in management and HR. In a wide ranging discussion with Rob Feltham he highlights the dangers of business psychologists and other practitioners becoming submersed in “activity” without considering sufficiently how their work addresses the client organization's overall goals and needs. He also highlights the potential for business psychologists to deploy their skills to greater effect in the businesses they serve, and the need for better training of psychologists in this regard. Rob is Professor of Organizational Psychology at Queen Mary, University of London and was co-founder and Scientific Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management (www.cebma.org). His research has focused on topics including well-being, emotions, stress, ethnicity, the psychological contract, absence from work, motivation, work-nonwork and everyday work behaviour. He has written for and presented to practitioners on many aspects of HR and organizational psychology and is now involved in various initiatives aimed at developing and promoting evidence-based practice, work for which he has received several prestigious awards. He is regularly invited as a keynote to international conferences and consults and delivers workshops to a range of public, private and third sector organizations. Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.

Rich is the founder of Mindset Practice and author of an evidence-based suite of applied humanistic psychology solutions, including innovative psychometrics, that enable people to perform more consistently from a mindset of Growth than Survival. In discussion with Alex Forsythe, Rich describes how he has drawn on psychological models from areas such as transactional analysis, growth mindset theory and emotional intelligence to develop a powerful blended approach. He illustrates the approach with fascinating examples from both his consulting work and his personal life. Rich is an award-winning mindset and applied-emotional intelligence expert. His work with STEM talent won the 2014 Civil Service Skills Award and most recently Mindset Practice won the 2022 Association of Business Psychology's Excellence in Innovation Award. Rich's 20 years plus experience as a Chartered Occupational Psychologist spans roles in external consultancy (e.g., JCA, Aon Water for Fish), internal consultancy (e.g. Shell) and specialist research (e.g. whilst working for the UK MoD's defence research organisation DERA (now Dstl). http://www.linkedin.com/in/richcook-mindsetpractice Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton.

Sunaina Sinha Haldea began life from humble beginnings, playing on the streets of India and Vietnam as a child - yet went on to found leading global placement agent and secondaries advisory firm Cebile Capital in 2011, which was subsequently acquired by Raymond James, a Fortune-500 financial services firm, where she now works as Global Head of Private Capital Advisory. Having been Stanford and Harvard educated, and working in her early career in Silicon Valley, Sunaina has always thrived in a very male-dominated industry, and has devoted much of her career to mentoring others in the industry, particularly women and minorities. In an engaging discussion with Alex Forsythe, Sunaina describes how she applies psychological principles to work. She places mindfulness and meditation at the core of her practice and attributes a solid portion of her success to her positive mental health practices. And she speaks passionately about driving a healthy, proactive business culture, partly through measurement and assessment. Sunaina has regular speaking slots on CNBC and the BBC, is also a stand-in Dragon for Dragon's Den in the UK. Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton.

The rapidly increasing age profile of the UK's workforce creates both strategic and psychological challenges for employers, for individuals, and for society as a whole. Lyndsey Simpson works across a wide range of industries and sectors to help employers revamp their recruitment and employment practices with regard to older workers. In this episode, Lyndsey is interviewed by Lucy Standing who, as a co-founder of Brave Starts, is herself involved in providing research-backed insights and programmes to support late career professionals. Areas covered in the discussion include the post-war retirement construct, which is broken; evidence that the recruitment market discriminates massively against older workers, whose potential is completely underestimated; and the prevalence of attitudes and employment practices which are not conducive to sustaining careers into older life. Recognising a gap in the market for a brand that answers the call of the ‘bet-your-ass-I-can' over-50s, Lyndsey Simpson set up 55/Redefined to fly the flag for those who may be getting older but have no intention of slowing down. Previously, Lyndsey was CEO of HR & Recruitment Outsourcer, The Curve Group, before exiting her investment in 2020 and her early career was in Financial Services. Lyndsey also co-owns Copper House Bar & Brasserie and is recognised in the ‘UK's Top 35 Businesswomen' by Management Today and The Sunday Times and the ‘UK's 50 Most Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs'.

Dr Jolyon (Jo) Maddocks has played an influential role in the development of psychometrically based approaches to the assessment and development of emotional intelligence. In conversation here with Rob Feltham, he provides a fascinating account of how the emotional intelligence concept originally captured the imagination of business leaders and rapidly became an integral part of business thinking. He discusses the part that he and his colleagues have played in taking assessment of emotional intelligence in fresh directions, with the focus on EI as being “a thing that you do” which is thus learnable and developable. Jo also talks about derailment, and the combined power of EI and personality assessment in understanding and predicting work behaviour and performance.Jo is Chief Psychologist for Developmental Products at Talogy. Prior to this Jo was co-founder of JCA occupational psychologists that he helped to grow into a thriving business over a 25-year period prior to its acquisition by Talogy in 2018. Over a 30-year career Jo has authored several widely used psychometric products and self-development programmes which have helped thousands of people develop their self-esteem, enhance their relationships and improve their performance at work. As a thought leader and experienced practitioner Jo has consulted with global organisations and government institutions. In 2018 he published the second edition of Emotional Intelligence at work: How to make change stick, and in 2019 completed his professional doctorate on an attitude-based model of Emotional Intelligence.Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.

In discussion with Rob Feltham, Stewart shares his innovative approach to personality assessment, and in particular how he has worked to overcome reductionism and evaluative bias. Topics covered include: neurodivergence as a continuum; personality as a lens through which to understand the impacts of the ‘enforced experiment' of remote working during the pandemic and beyond; and effective leadership in the remote environment which appears to draw on some different personality characteristics to those of the traditional leader.Dr Stewart Desson is the founder and CEO of international learning and development company, Lumina Learning. His focus is to ‘transform organisations through transforming their people'. Stewart has developed a wide range of learning resources and web-based psychometrics, including the renowned personality tool Lumina Spark. Through Lumina Learning, Stewart supports clients from around the world in the customisation of these learning resources to achieve effective change at the organisational, team and individual level.Stewart is a highly experienced Business Psychologist and Organisational Development consultant. His special areas of expertise include Team effectiveness, Communication, Personal Development, Executive Coaching and Leadership skill development. Those interested in participating in the research study mentioned by Stewart at the end of the podcast are invited to email Lumina Learning at JonathanCannon@luminalearning.com or to reach out to Stewart at linkedin.com/in/stewartdesson

In a wide-ranging discussion with Rob Feltham, Nathalie shares her insights into factors that help make some businesses and brands resilient and sustainable in competitive markets and during challenging times. Topics covered include the Thoughtful Marketing movement, the interaction of values-based consumer choices and purchasing power, and the market dominance of some global brands. Nathalie's background in human behaviour, web design and the arts offer a unique vantage point from which to examine the complex challenges we face today. Her best-selling book: Webs Of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion has been adopted as the go-to manual by business leaders and universities alike, and her new book, Business Unusual: Values, Uncertainty and the Psychology of Brand Resilience, has been described as “One of the defining business books of our times”. A behavioural science advisor and host of The Hive Podcast, Nathalie helps clients including Google, Accenture, Unilever and Harvard Business Review, to ethically apply behavioural science principles to enhance their business. Rob Feltham is Podcast Editor of The ABP.

This special podcast episode features Sakshi Bansal, recipient of the 2021 ABP Chair's Award for Excellence in Business Psychology, in recognition of her pioneering work as founder of Project LEAP. In conversation with Alex Forsythe, Sakshi gives a fascinating description of how she took LEAP from small beginnings to an initiative with world-wide impact, something that has been recognised by UNESCO in making her its first Kindness Leader. Sakshi outlines the practical steps she has taken to motivate, train and enable the volunteer community. She also discusses Kindness as a concept and, more generally, highlights the need for business psychology to take a strategic, technology-driven and multi-disciplinary approach.Sakshi has received the 2022 Diana Award, the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian work. She works as a Consultant at Saville Assessment and, among a wide range of voluntary roles and responsibilities, is President of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Council for Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton, and Chair of the ABP.

In an engaging discussion with Alex Forsythe, Claire de Carteret points to alarming current trends in workplace well-being globally, and offers practical advice to leaders and employees about how to create exceptional workplaces which have net positive impact on people and the planet. Claire makes a compelling case for adopting a strengths based approach in organisations, and points to the critical role of measurement as a baseline for improving workforce wellbeing. As Regional Director (EMEA) for Gallup, Claire leads the learning and development teams in designing and implementing learning and measurement solutions that help Gallup's clients meet and exceed their organisational goals. Claire provides strategic direction for her region on shaping client solutions, executing sales plans, marketing for events and products, and increasing customer engagement. She is a dedicated strengths performance coach and leader for team members in Europe and the UK. Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton and Chair of the ABP.

In an absorbing discussion with Alex Forsythe, Nuala discusses her research into bystander effects in organisations, and outlines the practical steps that companies can take to encourage their employees to ‘blow the whistle' on unethical behaviours. Nuala also discusses her own career and explains some of the career routes available to those looking to work in her field. Nuala is Founder and CEO of MindEquity, and Founding Director of the Global Association of Applied Behavioural Scientists. Her experience spans three decades in financial services at Merrill Lynch, BlackRock, PA Consulting, and Standard Life Aberdeen. She has been appointed to various advisory Boards including UN Women; The Football Association; World Athletics; the Innocence Project; and TSLombard. Nuala is lecturer and speaker with degrees in three disciplines, and her work has featured in Harvard Business Review and in Forbes. Alex Forsythe is Professor of Psychology at the University Wolverhampton and Chair of the ABP.

In conversation with Rob Feltham prior to his presentation to the recent ABP annual conference, Rob Baker discusses why modern work practices are failing us - constraining rather than amplifying our diverse skills, strengths, passions and interests. Globally over 90% of us aren't engaged, excited, and energised about our jobs. Rob argues that Job Crafting is part of the solution, shaping work around people rather than expecting people to contort themselves around their jobs. The practice of Job Crafting is a growing field of academic study, but to date is largely untapped from a business perspective. There have been some early adopters including Google, Logitech, and Virgin money, and Rob provides fascinating examples based on his experience of introducing the approach to organisations. Rob Baker is a psychologist and founder of Tailored Thinking an award-winning positive psychology, HR and wellbeing consultancy. Rob's work, ideas and research on job crafting has been presented at academic and professional conferences around the globe.

In an absorbing discussion with Alex Forsythe, John Amaechi talks about his background, his views on leadership and the supposed ‘new normal', and the need for radical change in a post Covid world. He also shares some of his personal experiences and perspectives on life. John is a respected organisational psychologist, best-selling New York Times author, sought after public speaker, executive coach, and CEO of APS Ltd. He is a non-executive director of a £2.4bn healthcare organisation in addition to being a board advisor for several FTSE100 organisations. In 2019, John was recognised as one of HR's most influential thinkers by HR Magazine. John is a Chartered Scientist, a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. He is a Research Fellow at the University of East London, and his research interests are effective, inclusive leadership, building high-performing teams, and organisational design that maximises productivity and human thriving in readiness for the future world of work. John is also a former basketball player and was first Briton to have a career in the NBA. Professor Alex Forsythe is Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton and Chair of the ABP.

In conversation with Rob Feltham, Professor Ian Robertson discusses some of the themes from his recently published and critically acclaimed book entitled How Confidence Works. He describes how confidence is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy and how it can be enhanced, and he draws attention to the upsides and downsides of overconfidence and narcissism. He provides fascinating insights into: the role of confidence in leadership, including gender differences; leadership differences across individualistic and collectivist cultures; and the psychology of Brexit. Listeners will also be interested to hear something about Ian's career journey and his future aspirations. Ian is co-director of the Global Brain Health Institute, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, and Research Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is a clinically trained psychologist and neuroscientist who is internationally renowned for his research on neuropsychology. He has written five books and numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and made appearances on BBC radio and in several major television documentaries.

In discussion with ABP Board member Guy Cohen, Dr Nancy Doyle provides a challenging critique of how organisations ‘tick the box of diversity inclusion' whilst their recruitment and development practices perpetuate segregation. She also points to the failings of the education system in preparing young people for the workplace. She brings clarity to the complex terminology surrounding neurodiversity, and offers fascinating insights into the neurodiversity movement as a whole. Nancy offers constructive and forward looking advice to businesses and organisations, seeing the future as being about “systemic inclusion” and greater flexibility in HR processes and programmes.Dr Doyle is a Research Fellow with Birkbeck University and is the CEO and founder owner of Genius Within, which facilitates successful inclusion through consultancy, workshops and coaching for businesses and employees, working with people who are unemployed or incarcerated. Nancy helped create and featured in both series of the award-winning BBC Two series Employable Me, where she supported a group of extraordinary job seekers to unlock their own unique talents and abilities in order to secure employment. This was syndicated in 2019 in the USA as ‘The Employables”, and the show has been incredibly successful in showing that neurodiversity should not be a barrier to employment.

Donald Taylor is a well-known commentator and organiser in the field of workplace learning and learning technologies. In an engaging discussion with ABP Vice Chair Lucy Standing, he shares his perspectives on the future of L&D, highlighting both the dangers of the training course “treadmill” and the huge opportunities for L&D professionals who partner with their organisations and embrace performance consulting. He also provides fascinating insights into the technologies which are reshaping L&D, and shares his observations about how the Covid crisis has accelerated the move to “digital by default” whilst creating a need for pause and reflection. Donald was the 2007 recipient of the Colin Corder award for services to training and has chaired the Learning Technologies Conference since 2000. He also chairs the Learning and Skills Group, hosting its bi-weekly webinar programme, and edits Inside Learning Technologies Magazine. He is a graduate of Oxford University and in 2016 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University in recognition of his work developing the L&D profession.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features Chip Conley – New York Times bestselling author and the maverick iconic boutique hotelier who helped Airbnb’s founders turn their fast-growing tech start-up into a global hospitality brand. In an engaging discussion with ABP board member Nicky Thompson, Chip shares his love for psychology and offers practical insights into how an understanding of human psychology can help to drive business and entrepreneurial success. Topics covered in the discussion include: the role of the CEO as the “chief emotions officer”; the under-recognised contributions and potential of “mid-life” employees; the criticality of getting the business culture right; and current and possible future business impacts of the pandemic.Chip’s publications include Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder – which is manifesto on ageism; and Peak: How great companies get their mojo from Maslow. The podcast was recorded shortly after Chip’s presentation to the 2020 Association for Business Psychology Conference.

In a fascinating discussion with ABP Chair Professor Alex Forsythe, Anton shares his insights into, and predictions about, the future of work, and the role of business psychologists in a world where machine intelligence and human intelligence live side by side. Some of the “corrals” that psychologists have traditionally built around areas of their expertise are unsustainable, whilst the “deeply human” skills of psychologists offer immense future value to individuals and organisations. Anton also shares his unique career journey and gives guidance and encouragement to business psychologists who are starting out. He emphasises the need for psychologists to understand not only their own specialist field but also the world of business and its social/economic/political context.Anton Fishman is an HR & Talent Tech Start-up Advisor, AI Educator, and Organisational Consultant.

In an absorbing discussion with ABP Board member Uzma Waseem, Robert shares his perspectives on the converging paths of data science, cognitive neuroscience, technology and business psychology in the pursuit of innovation. He points to the huge benefits to be gained from working across disciplines towards common goals, and he highlights some of the current ‘mindset’ barriers. Topics covered in this episode include: how technology can enhance working with neurodiversity; examples of fit-for-purpose innovation; and the role of business psychology in bringing transparency to increasingly complex predictive models. Robert co-founded Arctic Shores, his second technology start-up, in 2014 with a grant from Innovate UK and since then the company has grown to support 150+ organisations in more than 50 different countries with offices in Manchester and London.He studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University and completed his MBA at Imperial, where he was a double prize winner.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, was recorded after Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s keynote at the 2020 Association for Business Psychology Conference. In a fascinating discussion with ABP board member Nicky Thompson, Tomas shares his thoughts on, among other things, the critical role of leadership in the pandemic and the challenges and opportunities it presents; the importance of harnessing data and acting on data-driven insights; distinguishing between confidence and competence when evaluating leadership potential, diversity and inclusiveness; the characteristics of great CHROs; and the ever increasing value of business psychology to organisations.Tomas is a psychologist, author and entrepreneur who has written 10 books and over 150 scientific papers on the psychology of talent, leadership, innovation and AI. He has also written articles for the HBR, The Guardian, Forbes and Fast Company, to name just a few! Tomas has made over 100 media appearances, and has shared his ideas on TED, CNN and the BBC. He is also a keynote speaker for the Institute of Economic Affairs. He is currently the Chief Talent Scientist at ManpowerGroup, co-founder of Deeper Signals and Metaprofiling, and Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University.His commercial work focuses on the creation of science-based tools that improve organisations’ ability to predict performance, and people’s ability to understand themselves.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features an absorbing discussion with Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE, recorded shortly after his keynote at the 2020 Association for Business Psychology Conference. Sir Cary shares his thoughts on, among other things, what have we learned from the Covid crisis as we enter a major recession, and the current state of business and world leadership. He also provides a fascinating insight into his early career and what motivated him to get started in the psychology field.Sir Cary is widely regarded as the father of the wellbeing movement. He is 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Manchester Business School, President of the CIPD, and Chair of the National Forum for Health & Wellbeing at Work -- comprising 40 global companies. Amongst his very many roles and achievements he has been an advisor to the World Health Organisation, ILO, and EU in the field of occupational health and wellbeing, and was Chair of the Global Agenda Council on Chronic Disease of the World Economic Forum.He is the author/editor of over 250 books in the field of occupational health psychology, workplace wellbeing, women at work and occupational stress. He was awarded the CBE by the Queen for his contributions to occupational health; and in 2014 he was awarded a Knighthood for his contribution to the social sciences

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features a fascinating discussion with Kate Waters, Director of Strategy and Client at ITV, and Rory Sutherland, vice chair of Ogilvy UK, TED talk superstar and ABP Honorary Member, recorded at the 2019 ABP Conference. They discuss how biases inform how we think about behaviour, TV, advertising, technology, and the value of psychological 'moonshots' in business.At the conference Kate delivered a brilliant talk on how psychology informs ITV's advertising and programming, including the cultural impact of their show 'Love Island'. In this episode she explains how ITV have used behavioural insights to generate commercial opportunities from programming for ITV, and the value of challenging conventional wisdom.Rory was a 2019 conference keynote speaker and delivered an extremely entertaining talk on behavioural science and the power of counter-intuitive ideas (as described in his book 'Alchemy'). In this episode he discusses how we must we wary of seeing bias everywhere, and how dominate technological solutions like Zoom leverage behavioural insights to succeed.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features a fascinating interview with Eric Singler, the Founder, President and CEO of the BVA Nudge Unit, recorded at the 2019 ABP Conference following his keynote speech. Eric is also Global Managing Director of the BVA Group, one of the 15 largest consulting and market research firms in the world (www.bva-group.com). Eric is an entrepreneur, a marketing & research expert, a pioneer in applied behavioural sciences, an author and a lecturer.After starting his career as a marketer for an international company, Eric founded his first company in 1989, IN VIVO – now PRS IN VIVO (www.prs-invivo.com) part of the BVA group – in the field of marketing research. But beyond entrepreneurship, Eric is passionate about the contribution of behavioural Sciences to public and private entities to drive performance. He discovered Daniel Kahneman’s work – and more generally behavioural economics – in the mid-2000s and became a pioneer in applying the lessons of behavioural economics and 'nudge' to meet the challenges of behavioural change for public policy, Fortune 500 companies, NGOs and international organisations (including the French Government and the UN).Eric is also the founding president of the NudgeFrance association and the author of 3 books about the application of 'nudge theory': “Nudge Marketing”, “Green Nudge” and “Nudge Management”. Eric regularly gives conference talks at business schools, universities (Dauphine, INSEAD, HEC, Toulouse) and is also an inspiring speaker in international conferences in Europe, the United States, and Asia (TMRE, Ilex). He is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris in Economics and Finance, the University of Dauphine in Marketing, and the Sorbonne in political and social communication.In this episode Eric discusses how he discovered the value of behavioural science for addressing business problems, when nudge is best applied (and how to 'nudge for good'), barriers to implementation of behavioural science, the ethics of nudging and when a nudge becomes a 'sludge', and describes how BVA Nudge Unit helped the UN encourage men to sign up for the #HeForShe movement addressing gender equality.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features an interview with Claudia Hammond, an award-winning broadcaster, writer and academic psychologist, conducted after her keynote at the 2019 ABP Conference. Hammond is the presenter of All in the Mind, Case Study & Mind Changers on BBC Radio 4 and the weekly Health Check on BBC World Service Radio & BBC World News TV. She has appeared often on TV discussing psychological research, and is on the part-time faculty at Boston University's London base where she lectures in health and social psychology, as well as being a Visiting Professor at the University of Sussex.Claudia Hammond is also the author of "Mind over Money: the psychology of money and how to use it better","Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception", "Emotional Rollercoaster: a journey through the science of feelings", and her latest book "The Art of Rest".In this episode she discusses the psychology of money, and explains some of the limitations of financial incentives and bonuses in business, such as: why you should never pay friends for doing you a favour (give presents instead); the pros and cons of salary transparency; how you can charge people more to eat at a restaurant called Studio 97 than one called Studio 17; and why keeping money in you current account makes sense psychologically, if not economically.

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, is a fascinating interview with Bruce Daisley, author of Sunday Times bestselling book 'The Joy of Work' (published as 'Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat' in the USA) and host of the number 1 European business podcast 'Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat'. At the time of interview (October 2019), Daisley was the VP of Twitter for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and we spoke to him ahead of his brilliant keynote at the ABP Conference. He explains the epidemic of burnout at work, with reference to his own experiences at Twitter, and the concepts of 'recharge, sync, and buzz'. He also discusses why psychology - and social connection - is so critical at work, the challenges this presents to remote working, and why it's so damaging to send weekend emails. This insightful, informative and highly relevant episode covers many critical issues now being faced by businesses during the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as longer term.

In this episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, Dr Zara Whysall and Carina Derrick from Kiddy and Partners share insights on how to create behaviour change amongst business leaders, recognising context, mindset and skillset - building on their great talk at the 2019 ABP Conference. How can we help facilitate change when that pace of change is increasing, particularly at times of crisis? How can we make training "stick", so that behaviours change as a result? They explain how learning programs need to think about the 'last mile', and apply behavioural science and "nudges" to translate good intentions into action - and the practical barriers to doing this in the workplace. This episode will benefit anyone who wants to ensure leadership development interventions translate into lasting behaviour change at work.

This inspiring podcast looks at the issue of social mobility in the labour force, focussing on the questions organisations need to consider regarding recruitment, retention and promotion of the best talent in their business. Neil Morrison, HR Director at Severn Trent, talks about the steps they have taken as an organisation to support social mobility, with the support of their workforce and their leadership teams. He addresses some difficult issues, putting the business case forward to encourage other organisations to follow suit as leaders in encouraging social mobility. In this interview Neil Morrison explores some of the themes he covered in his brilliant talk at the 2019 ABP conference. You can read more in our featured article on social mobility here: https://theabp.org.uk/august-feature-article-social-mobility-a-different-kind-of-diversity/

What is resilience? How do we define it? How does it manifest itself? Can we build up our resilience 'muscle' so that we can cope with difficulties, adversities or unexpected changes and still be able to function, especially in the workplace? In this episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, we speak to Dr Susan Kahn, business psychologist, consultant, coach, mediator and author of the new book: 'Bounce Back: How to Fail Fast and Be Resilient at Work'. Dr Kahn explains how a resilience mindset is essential to being able to bounce back and return to form after experiencing challenging situations. She also offers some techniques that we can start using immediately on our own resilience journeys.

Do you want to become a certified business psychologist? In this episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, we give you an insight into the certification process and the benefits it brings. You can hear from some of the key people involved in our certification program, and hear first-hand from people who have been through the process: Debbie Hance, one of the mentors for the program; Brian Baxter, a founder member and former chair of the ABP; Stewart Desson, board member and certification panellist; Emma Jennings, a recently certified business psychologist; Jo Parkes, a former candidate and mentor; Silpa Williams, a previously certified business psychologist; and Steve Apps, ABP board member who helped create the program. They discuss and answer all questions certification-related, such as what is the program? What is involved? Do you need an MSc or accreditation to apply? What are the benefits? What was the most enjoyable part - and the most difficult? How does mentoring work? If you are considering becoming a certified business psychologist, then this podcast is a must listen.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to love taking risks, whilst others shy away from it? In this episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, Geoff Trickey (CEO of Psychological Consultancy Ltd) talks about the link between risk and personality. Could uncovering your staff’s risk type could help you to understand how each individual employee perceives, reacts and manages themselves in risky situations? And could this knowledge help employers predict how their staff make decisions? What does that mean for teams? Is our appetite for risk innate, or learned?

In this episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, we preview this year's ABP conference on 10th and 11th October (https://theabpconference.org.uk). The theme of this year's conference is 'The Big Nudge: Behavioural Economics meets Business Psychology', and features exclusive interviews with three people at the forefront of applying behavioural economics/science in business, who are speaking at this year's conference. Kate Waters is the Director of Client Strategy and Planning at ITV, the UK's largest commercial broadcaster, and one of the UK's leading advertising planners - she describes how psychology was used to address a key public health issue: smoking. Rory Sutherland, vice-chair of Ogilvy UK, TED talk superstar and author of a brilliant new book 'Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense’ (that conference attendees will receive FREE) describes how behavioural science can be used to solve business problems. And finally, Kate Glazebrook, co-founder and CEO of Applied, describes how they are using latest latest evidence from behavioural science and new technology to address problems in diversity and inclusion in recruitment and assessment. ABP chair Ben Williams and vice-chair Lucy Standing also provide their views on the intersection of behavioural science and business psychology, and the value both can bring to business.

This episode of the Psychology of Work podcast looks at wellbeing in the workplace. It gives us an insight into what this means and how businesses can try to create 'good days at work for everyone, everywhere'. Our podcast features an interview with Professor Ivan Robertson, author of over 40 books and 200 scholarly articles/conference papers on wellbeing and work psychology. Ivan is also an Emeritus Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at The University of Manchester and he is a founding director of Robertson Cooper Ltd.

In this episode we take a deep dive into the themes of leadership and entrepreneurship in the evolving workplace. What makes a good leader? When do we want people to demonstrate entrepreneurial skills in business - and when don’t we? This episode features exclusive interviews with Emma Jones MBE, founder of Enterprise Nation and the government’s small business ’tsar’, and Derek Draper, CEO of CDP Leadership Consultants. We’ll also hear from Professors Peter Saville and Geoff Trickey, as well as concluding remarks from Catherine Hayes, founding partner of Transition Dynamics.

In this episode you can hear an exclusive interview with Professor Peter Saville that ABP board members Richard Chataway and Gab Gallassi conducted at last year's ABP conference. Saville is the founder and chair of 10x Psychology Limited and is widely credited with establishing the modern UK industry of occupational psychology, having been previously listed amongst the UK's leading entrepreneurs and co-founding the company SHL in his garage in 1977. SHL was later floated on the London Stock Exchange for £240 million. In the World Anthology of Psychology Saville is described as "one of the most influential psychologists of our time."The wide ranging discussion covers: the challenges of running a psychology business; personality assessment; the treatment of applicants and cheating; gamification in assessment and its merits; the use of social media data in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal; issues around leadership and entrepreneurship; and, somewhat surprisingly, whether it's ever worth asking people if they like flowers. We hope you enjoy!

You will have almost certainly bought from Amazon. You may have travelled in an Uber taxi. You, or someone you know, may rely on home help from a carer. But have you ever considered what it's really like to work in one of those jobs, as part of the so-called gig economy? A job where you may be on a zero hours contract, with no guarantee of work one day to the next, and without the same safety and security provided by a traditional full time job. If you are a business psychologist you may be an independent freelancer and enjoy the flexibility of that lifestyle. But does the gig economy actually benefit the employee - or the employer? In this episode, we explore this new career deal, the rise of the gig economy and what this means in psychological terms for businesses and individuals. The 'New Career Deal' was our theme for the 2018 ABP conference and in this podcast you'll hear exclusive interviews with two of our keynote speakers. One is Matthew Taylor, the senior policy advisor and Chief Executive of the RSA whose government commissioned report on the nature of good work lead to new legislation in December 2018 giving gig economy workers more rights in terms of pay and leave. The other is the journalist and author James Bloodworth, whose book 'Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain' lifted the lid on what it is really like to work in the gig economy. You will also hear from our vice-chair Lucy Standing, and from ABP members and conference attendees, as we seek to understand more about the reality of the gig economy from a psychological perspective - and whether the gig work makes us happier, and healthier, than a traditional employer-employee relationship.