The Strengths Guy

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https://www.strengthscope.com/blog/ A series of real talk weekly podcasts covering topics to inspire, educate and well, maybe even transform. Occupational psychologist Dr Paul Brewerton takes you inside some of the stuff that can help you get the most from work and from life, every day. Get ready.

Paul Brewerton


    • Oct 10, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 15m AVG DURATION
    • 245 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Strengths Guy

    Strengths on World Mental Health Day – what's the link and what can you do?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 6:46


    In this episode, Dr. Paul Brewerton discusses the importance of mental health awareness in organisations, emphasising the need for supportive workplace cultures. He highlights the alarming statistics regarding mental health issues among workers and the challenges in discussing these topics openly. Dr. Brewerton advocates for a strengths-based approach to enhance employee wellbeing and create a more positive work environment, suggesting that organisations can significantly improve mental health outcomes by valuing employees as individuals and fostering open communication. 00:00 Enhancing Mental Health Awareness in Organisations02:55 The Role of Organisational Culture in Mental Health05:48 Implementing a Strengths-Based Approach to Wellbeing Follow Dr Paul Brewerton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-brewerton-0719461/ ​ Follow Strengthscope

    How to use strengths in early careers and onboarding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 10:38


    Psychology@Work with The Strengths Guy! How can strengths be used to recruit and onboard early-career employees? The main difference when recruiting early-career professionals is their lack of direct work experience, but this is when strengths come in. Tune into this episode to learn about Dr. Paul Brewerton's 8 steps to have a successful recruitment and onboarding experience. https://www.strengthscope.com/resources

    How strengths can help support teams to address Lencioni's five dysfunctions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2024 15:22


    If you're not familiar with Patrick Lencioni's model, it describes where leadership teams can go wrong. In this episode, Dr. Paul Brewerton breaks down the five dysfunctions and introduces the StrengthscopeTeam model, which offers practical tips to turn dysfunction into high performance. Hope you enjoy!

    P42 Strengths, business and neurodiversity with Nik Govier, Founder and CEO at Blurred

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2024 60:11


    In this podcast episode, Dr Paul Brewerton and Nik Govier (Founder and CEO of Blurred) discuss why BCorp matters, neurodiversity, and how organisations can better help people with different neurodivergences thrive at work.  Hope you enjoy!

    P41 Josh Allan Dykstra on the challenge of measuring impact in the HR world

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 58:56


    For all of us in HR, L&D, OD, and all the subsets of the people professions, it's difficult to measure the impact of our work in a credible, business-friendly, and commercially relevant way. So today, Dr Paul Brewerton invites Josh Allan Dykstra, CEO of #Love Work, to talk about all of this and more to provoke some thinking and discussion around the return on investment measurement in the people professions. Hope you enjoy!

    P40 Strengths and entrepreneurism with Rachel Carrell, CEO of Koru Kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2024 53:24


    An insightful conversation between Strengthcope Founder, Paul Brewerton, and CEO of Koru Kids, Rachel Carrell, as they dive into the strengths within leadership and entrepreneurship. Hope you enjoy!

    P39 Scott Christie on strengths vs skills: defining the future world of work

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2024 59:07


    Are strengths or skills going to be more important when we think about the future world of work and the future workforce? And quite frankly, right now? What are strengths, and how are they different from skills? Can you have one without the other? Find out in this episode with Dr Paul Brewerton - Founder & Chair of Strengthscope, and Scott Christie - Head of Training & Integration at Strengthscope.

    S17E3 Research alert – how to get the most from strengths at work… the evidence!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 15:41


    Listen in as Dr Paul Brewerton dives into the 5-step model to maximise the chances of achieving positive outcomes from the application of strengths at work. All research-backed, of course. Hope you enjoy!

    P38 Bringing your people to the centre of change and transformation, with Dr Pete Thomond

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 69:00


    Dive into this jam-packed episode with Dr Paul Brewerton and Dr Peter Thomond as they discuss the dynamic topic of change and transformation and how you can bring your people to the centre of it all. Enjoy!

    S17E2 Assessments in recruitment - from social desirability to the full candidate picture with strengths

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 11:14


    Do you work in recruitment, talent acquisition, or in a broader HR role responsible for recruitment?  Have you ever applied for a job or participated in an assessment centre or development centre, or you may do so in the future? Are you interested in the strengths approach and how it can create a fairer, less biased, more open and relaxed recruitment process? If any of the above, then this episode is for you. Hope you enjoy!

    S17E1 Get ready for candidate-led recruitment, the strengths way

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 8:48


    Recruitment today is no longer a ‘two-way' process. It's more ‘candidate way' than ever, irrespective of the ebbs and flows of the recruitment market. Recruitment today needs to allow a candidate-centric, candidate-led approach in order to win the war for talent and to keep people engaged and retained for as long as it makes sense for both parties. In this episode, find out how the strengths approach plays a crucial part in candidate-led recruitment. Hope you enjoy.

    P37 - Kent Frazier, CEO of ParadoxEdge - a strengths-based approach to becoming more fully human

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 59:26


    Tune into this insightful conversation between Paul Brewerton, Founder and Chair of Strengthscope, and Kent Frazier, CEO of ParadoxEdge, on a strengths-based approach to becoming more fully human. Hope you enjoy!

    S16E12 5 strengths must-dos to keep strengths in your daily practice and in the flow of work

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 7:21


    Research tells us that people who use their strengths every day see many positive outcomes: less stress, better relationships, greater job satisfaction, higher levels of well-being and improved problem-solving. So how can you be part of that group? Today I want to share my top 5 tips for making strengths part of your daily practice and bringing them into your day to day work flow. Enjoy!

    P36 The Future of Work with Ollie Pickup – what role for humans?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2023 31:11


    The Future of Work: What role for humans? An episode with Ollie Pickup. Listen as Ollie Pickup and Paul Brewerton dive into the future of work, touching on topics such as AI in recruitment. Hope you enjoy. Ollie is a London-based technology and business journalist. He has been labelled a "future-of-work influencer" and writes and talks about all of the subjects covered by the future of work – including employee experience, cybersecurity, workforce trends and artificial intelligence.

    S16E11 - The 8-point plan that will guarantee your strengths-based organisation lasts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 10:41


    How do you implement a strengths-based approach that sticks in the long term? In this episode, you'll uncover eight key principles to help you sustainably achieve an organisation with strengths embedded in its culture.

    S16E10 - How you can change a culture in 5 simple steps

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2023 12:44


    Where does culture come from, and what influences it? Why is culture so hard to change? We delve into these questions and explore 5 simple steps to change a culture. This is the final part of our culture trilogy. Check Season 12, Episodes 7 and 11 for the first 2 parts.

    S16E9 - Why social identity theory matters to us all and what you can do about it

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 11:35


    In this episode, we explore how individuals adopt different identities based on their social groups and why they do this. The social identity theory is relevant in various life contexts, particularly work environments. From the impact on teams and organizations to the critical aspect of leadership, you will gain valuable insights into harnessing the power of social identity theory for positive outcomes. Join us as we navigate the complexities of human behaviour and discover how it can shape history and the workplace.

    S16E8 - Why would anyone want to be led by you? The question all leaders should still be asking themselves

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2023 9:22


    In this episode, we delve into the enduring question posed by professors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones: "Why should anyone be led by you?" We explore the challenges of authentic leadership, reflecting on how this concept has evolved over the years, and discuss the struggle of aligning academic research, business demands, and popular opinion in the realm of leadership.

    leaders rob goffee
    Why would anyone want to be led by you - The question all leaders should still be asking themselves

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 9:22


    In this episode, we delve into the enduring question posed by professors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones: "Why should anyone be led by you?" We explore the challenges of authentic leadership, reflecting on how this concept has evolved over the years, and discuss the struggle of aligning academic research, business demands, and popular opinion in the realm of leadership.

    leaders rob goffee
    S16E7 - How can you tell if your organisation is ‘strengths ready'?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2023 10:24


    In this podcast, we explore the journey of adopting a strengths-based approach in organizations. From defining the approach to understanding its impact, we delve into what it takes to make the strengths approach work. Discover the keys to success and the common pitfalls to avoid.

    S16E6 The loneliness of the leader (and what you can do about it)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2023 12:58


    Stepping into a leadership position is one of the most challenging career transitions you can make, but, If becoming a leader can lead to a sense of loneliness, and continuing on your leadership journey can get more and more isolating, what are the risks of that, and what are the solutions that have worked for other leaders? Here is my four-step guide to dealing with leadership loneliness - hope you enjoy!

    S16E5 - How the strengths approach can support a neurodiverse culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2023 6:45


    Neurodiversity is a super important topic for everyone in the workplace, not least for managers and for people professionals in HR, talent and learning and development teams. Neurodivergences need to be understood at work so that they can be accommodated, so that ND individuals can continue to feel included and valued.

    S16E4 - How to use strengths in influencing

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 8:22


    In today's podcast, you'll learn about six clear steps for upping your influence game using your own strengths. Enjoy!

    S16E3 Using strengths to support DE&I in today's lockdown-affected generation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2023 8:46


    How should your talent acquisition strategy be modified to accommodate the lockdown-affected generation? The strengths approach can help! Find out how in this episode - hope you enjoy.

    S16E2 The power of compassion - social support is the most crucial driver of our health

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2023 12:02


    Today's episode is about the power of compassion and how you can bring more of it into your life, into the lives of the people you care about and into the lives of everyone you come into contact with, in practical ways. Enjoy!

    S16E1 Unlocking early careers - the power of strengths based onboarding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2023 8:09


    Successful onboarding programmes play a pivotal role in retaining and engaging graduates and apprentices. Embracing a strengths-based approach to onboarding allows employers to bridge the gap between expectations and the realities of the workplace. That's the topic for today's podcast. Enjoy!

    S15E12 How strengths can positively impact your early career

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2023 7:11


    Whether you're a graduate, an apprentice, or someone else early in your career, or whether you're someone who works with those in early careers, today's episode is for you.  I want to share how strengths can really help those coming into the workplace in various ways. Enjoy!

    S15E11 Research alert - is Gallup's latest 'global trends' engagement survey helpful or hurtful

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 9:45


    In today's podcast episode, Dr. Paul Brewerton provides a personal view of not just Gallup's annual engagement survey findings but also some pointers on making sense of any research report – what to look out for from a positive point of view and from a contrary perspective, so that you can draw your own conclusions on what's helpful and what's not so helpful in research such as Gallup's. Enjoy!

    S15E10 How managers can get the most from a strengths approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2023 10:36


    In today's podcast, I want to offer some practical tips to managers for getting the best use of the strengths approach. I'm going to answer three questions: How can you bring your strengths into day-to-day management practice?How can you start a dialogue about strengths with your direct reports?What are some concrete actions you take immediately to get strengths talked about, lived and breathed? Enjoy!

    P35 Strengths in team coaching with Andy Chandler

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 59:52


    This podcast with Paul Brewerton and Andy Chandler (MD of Barefoot Coaching) explores using strengths in the context of coaching, and particularly, team coaching. Enjoy!

    strengths team coaching barefoot coaching
    S15E9 Building a feedback culture in 8 steps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 8:45


    Today's episode is about building a feedback culture by focusing on culture first. So here is my 8-step guide on how to get feedback flowing in your organisation.

    S15E8 Research Alert - This is what makes an effective leader

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2023 11:38


    Our study found that 1. Successful leaders have very different strengths that they draw on to achieve results, 2. That it matters more how you use your strengths and not whether you have specific strengths, 3. That to be rated as an effective leader, you need to show breadth of behaviour across 4 key areas and that 4. The highest predictor of leadership effectiveness as judged by feedback providers is when leaders are focused on creating a highly motivating work culture. Find out more in this episode.

    S15E7 Does 360 degree feedback actually work? How can you get the best from it?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2023 12:01


    In today's episode, I want to explore the evidence for 360-degree feedback and the evidence against. I want to give you some top tips on how to get the best from 360-degree feedback when you're the feedback recipient and how to get the best from your feedback process as an organisation. Enjoy!

    S15E6 The power of strengths-based feedback

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2023 10:30


    Today I want to throw the spotlight on the power of strengths-based feedback – when to do it, how to do it and what happens because of it. Hope you enjoy!

    S15E5 Research alert – strengthening teams to deliver on their goals

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2023 7:13


    There isn't a huge amount of high-quality peer-reviewed research out there on the benefits of using strengths in a team setting, which is why this new research paper I'm going to share is so exciting and why I'm keen to share it with you. Hope you enjoy!

    P34 Effective leadership in times of change - the value of strengths with Nyawera Kibuka

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2023 43:48


    In today's episode, Paul and Nyawera talk about leadership in times of change. A conversation about what leaders need to do more of, less of, to learn, to focus on during change… for the good of their people and for the good of their organisations. And the role of strengths in this.  Enjoy!

    S15E4 A pathway to a high performing team - Tuckman x strengths

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2023 12:02


    In today's podcast, I want to smush together two tried and tested philosophies: the strengths approach and Tuckman's model of team development, to give you some practical pointers on developing teams towards high performance using team members' strengths. Enjoy!

    S15E3 No not that AI… Appreciative Inquiry as a powerful method for change

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 12:51


    In today's show, I'm going to focus in on why Appreciative Inquiry is such a powerful tool for personal, team, organisational and even societal change. Enjoy!

    S15E2 Taking control of your career with strengths

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2023 11:06


    Today's podcast is how to use your strengths as foundations to support you when you decide that you need to make a career move. Or when your employer decides for you. I have 5 top tips for you. Enjoy!

    S15E1 Applying the strengths approach to learning through change: 4 top tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 9:46


    Change can take so many forms. And for most of us, it is registered in the brain as a threat rather than an opportunity. But, if change is now so commonplace, maybe we can consider reframing it so that we're less likely to deny or resist it and more likely to look for learning and growth opportunities for ourselves. Hope you enjoy!

    P33 Strengthening my squiggly career with Shetel Khimashia

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2023 35:35


    Today, Dr Paul Brewerton talks to Shetel Khimashia as they share some tips on managing and strengthening your own career. While also diving into Shetel's own impressive professional experience as she explains how and why she has been through many different roles in the past 3 years, for various reasons. Tune in!

    P32 Strengths in education with Paul Mehra

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2023 52:23


    So today's podcast is on a topic that I know will be of major interest to a lot of our audience, as it regularly comes up in conversation – strengths in education. Why do we need the strengths philosophy in education? How can we introduce more strengths thinking and practice into schools, colleges, universities, all places of education? And what needs to change to enable this?

    S14E12 How you can insulate your career from new technology by focusing on strengths

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2023 8:40


    Fast forward to today, and AI is powering the majority of customer service interactions for many businesses. In Strengthscope's case, this runs at up to 85% for a typical month. In today's episode, I would like to give you, fellow non-AI human, 6 tips for staying relevant as AI advances accelerate.

    S14E11 Combatting change fatigue with strengths

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2023 6:51


    One of the top priorities for HR leaders in 2023? Organisational change. If change is everywhere, and we know it is everywhere, how can we keep our people insulated from change fatigue? That's the topic of today's episode on combatting change fatigue with strengths.

    S14E10 How to give feedback well - 7 top tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2023 8:01


    Today I want to give you seven top tips for getting the best from feedback, particularly when giving it, but with a couple of references to receiving feedback too. 

    S14E9 Are strengths still relevant in 2023? Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2023 12:03


    The question at Strengthscope that we pose ourselves regularly is, how can we support our clients to create strengths-based cultures? To truly breathe life into the strengths approach? That's what I want to focus on today: can you create a strengths-based organisation? And if so, from a practical point of view, how? Enjoy!

    S14E8 - Are strengths still relevant in 2023? Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 10:58


    Are strengths still relevant in our volatile, unpredictable world in 2023? That's the question I'd like to address in today's episode and next week in a two-parter, by putting the pros and the cons in this episode. And in my next episode, I want to cover some of the practicalities of introducing and embedding a strengths approach into organisations today.

    P31 Leadership lessons from 2022 to set you up for 2023, with Rebecca Christianson

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2022 49:02


    I'm excited that today, we'll have an opportunity to chat to Bec about her reflections on 2022 and what the year has taught leaders and HR (People and Culture) professionals, as well as looking ahead into 2023 with some tips for facing into next year with a clear plan for people priorities. Enjoy!

    P30 Are leaders ready for the 4th industrial revolution with Dr Naeema Pasha

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2022 51:10


    Today, we're fast-forwarding 3 years, through the pandemic, out the other side, and now into one of the most turbulent and unpredictable periods I can remember in the world and in the world of work. What we're going to be asking today is whether leaders are ready for the 4th industrial revolution? Wait what? 4th? When were the other 3? Oh yeah, the first one was looms smashing the machine and everything, but what about the other 2 then? And what's this 4th one? You'll be delighted to know that all these questions and more will be answered today.

    S14E7 Privilege - what it is and why it matters

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2022 15:48


    Privilege is getting quite a bit of airtime right now. So as a white, straight, cis, non-disabled, middle-class male, I'd like to spend today's podcast introducing the idea of privilege, talking a little about the journey I've been on with it, and to talk about its importance and relevance to work and to life today. I appreciate that talking about privilege at all can raise questions. Like ‘Who is this guy to be talking about privilege anyway?', ‘Why should I listen to this? I come from an underprivileged background and I've worked hard to get where I am, so this doesn't apply to me' or even ‘I'm done with all this woke nonsense, can't we just move on?'. I appreciate it all that so all I ask is that you spare me 10 minutes to see if you get any value in what I'm going to share. 

    S14E6 How can you apply positive psychology during change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2022 13:13


    In today's podcast, I want to give you some reflections and practical tips on how you can apply positive psychology during change, in VUCA environments. This is relevant both if you're a manager or leader, or if you're not. Enjoy!

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