Pow: The Psychology Of Work

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

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

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

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 organisatio

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

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 Developme

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 Un

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 c

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

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

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

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 doc

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 Busi

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 a

This episode of POW, the Psychology of Work podcast, features an absorbing discussion between Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE, and Professor Alex Forsythe, recorded shortly after Sir Cary’s 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 wellbei

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 eve

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 behavioura