Discover the critical forces transforming today's workplace as Dr. Amanda Potter, the insightful CEO of Zircon, returns to our podcast to examine the dynamics of fairness, accountability, sustainability, and technology. As we navigate these waters, we'll scrutinize how these forces not only shape employee engagement but also the broader operational landscape. Unpack the tensions between high salary expectations and the pursuit of ethical practices with Gen Z talent at the helm, revealing a ge...

What lies ahead in our working life, what challenges can we expect to face in 2024. The Zircon Psychologists conducted some research to understand the forces that will impact the future of work. This podcast summarises the first 4 of 8 forces that will particularly impact employees and teams, and will start to look at the steps they can take to make the best of the situation and thrive in 2024 and beyond.Unlock the secrets to a thriving workplace with Dr. Amanda Potter, CEO of Zircon, as she ...

Ever feel like your brain is stuck on autopilot, falling prey to biases and inefficiencies? Dulcie Swanston and Dr Iain Price join us again, offering enlightening insights into the art of personal effectiveness and the power of neuroplasticity. Through their dynamic exchange, they unveil approaches to work smarter, transforming "imposter syndrome" into manageable "imposter moments," and fostering stronger professional and personal relationships. Their strategies aren't just about...

Have you ever noticed how a simple act of kindness can transform an entire day?  Dr. Amanda Potter, CEO of Zircon, joins me, Caitlin, on a heart warming expedition through the corridors of compassionate leadership, discussing how friendship and empathy at the top echelons of a company can sculpt a culture of inclusivity and high performance. We navigate the delicate dance of accepting compliments with grace and delve into the science behind kindness, revealing how our brains can become...

As we navigate the complexities of the workplace, it's essential to foster an environment where every mind is valued for its unique contributions. This episode introduces Dr Ian Iceton, a neurodiversity advocate with a rich HR background and personal ties to the topic. We delve into the importance of language, the evolving understanding of conditions like autism and ADHD, and the role of inclusive communication in developing a supportive corporate culture.    Our discussion with Ian extends...

Why do managers bully their people? What do they hope will happen? What does Psychology and Neuroscience say about bullying at work? In this episode Amanda and Caitlin look at the science, the psychology and the neuroscience to try to unpick this difficult topic.  This episode title was recommended by Julie Grosvenor from Dudley MBC, at the NW Coaching & Mentoring Conference in November 2023 in Birmingham. Thank you Julie for recommending this episode. Episodes are available here...

With January being the month of tightening our financial belts we are looking at the concept of sunk cost and why we submit to the bias of sunk cost and throw good money after bad? The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that occurs when people continue to invest in a decision or project based on the resources (time, money, or effort) they have already put into it, despite the evidence suggesting that these investments are no longer rational or beneficial. Why do we do this and how can we...

Trust is the foundation to Psychological Safety, and Psychologically Safe teams are more likely to speak up challenge and ask questions, thus creating more innovative solutions and improving team performance. Does this mean therefore that trust is the foundation of team performance? In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer we look at the importance of trust at work, and what teams can do to improve the levels of trust at work. Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/ To...

Get ready for a festive and light hearted episode of the Chief Psychology Officer Dr Amanda Potter becomes the host, interviewing Senior Consultant Kristian Lee-Bell and Business Psychologist Caitlin Cooper, sharing heartwarming tales of the best advice and the worst gifts they have ever received. 'Tis the season for a podcast that unwraps the magic of holiday generosity, laughter, and science behind the joy of giving. But that is not all, they also take time to discuss the psychology of...

The ability for senior leaders and C-Suite leaders to make decisions has been reported to be the single most important characteristic of success for those leaders. As a result, for the past 20 years the Zircon Psychologists have been researching decision making behaviours to understand how leaders make decisions and how leaders, teams and businesses can capitalise on the cognitive diversity of the team to be more innovative, efficient and decisive. In this episode Caitlin Cooper interviews Dr...

What does neuroscience say about burnout? In this episode, Senior Consultant Kristian Lees-Bell and the Chief Psychology Officer Dr Amanda Potter build on the neuroscience of resilience podcast and discuss the physiological and neurological reaction to stress, the emotions we feel as a result and the risk of burnout. This podcast explains the chemical response to burnout and starts to outline some actions you can take to reduce the risk of burning out and remain stronger in prolonged or acute...

What does neuroscience say about how you can cope effectively with stress and improve your resilience? In this episode, Senior Consultant Kristian Lees-Bell and the Chief Psychology Officer Dr Amanda Potter discuss the physiological and neurological reaction to stress, and the emotions we feel as a result. This podcast explains the chemical response to stress and starts to outline some actions you can take to train yourself to calm the stress response and feel happier and stronger in times of...

Most employees need to feel like they belong to the team in which they work in order to be fully motivated and engaged. Belonging is the feeling of being accepted and respected in a team or organisation and is created by having inclusive work environments. When we belong we feel connected to colleagues, there is the right work life balance, and our values are lived at at work.  The feeling of belonging in a workplace is more important than we would think. In fact research has shown that the...

What would you say about yourself if introduced to a new potential employer or client for the first time? What would be the most important things you would like to share about yourself? In this episode of the CPO we look at Elevator Pitches, are they useful, how do we prepare one and what is important to share?  The Chief Psychology Officer episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/ To follow Zircon on LinkedIn and to be first to hear about podcasts, publications and news, please...

How can you build your self-confidence and have a happier life? In this podcast, Kristian and Dr Amanda interviewed Dulcie and Iain the authors of DOSE a book that articulates 52 Science based ways for a happier and more confident life. They share both the psychological and neuroscientific benefits of each of the 52 actions in terms of the positive neurotransmitters and chemicals for short - DOSE (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins) and the role each of these play in helping us to...

For many years a large proportion of global organisations have been using the 360/multi-rater approach to giving feedback for coaching, development and learning. But how effective are they? What does an effective 360 look like? When should we be applying qualitative or quantitative 360s? In this podcast Caitlin and Amanda look at the science behind robust and valid 360 measures and how they should be effectively applied. They also look at the risks of misusing 360 instruments and some of the...

Today we are talking about succession planning, it's importance for organisational success and the role it plays in individual development and talent planning. We will look at good and bad practice and some of the key success factors. Succession planning is a crucial tool for managing and retaining top talent especially in private organisations where it is more commonly practised. However, there is often a lack of consistent workforce planning and many public and non-profit organisations...

What does it mean to have Self-Compassion, why is it important? How can we practice self-compassion and what is the impact of this on how we interact and engage with family, friends and colleagues? We look at the research from the most prolific self-compassion author Dr Kristin Neff and her look at Fierce and Tender Self-Compassion and the role of each for helping us to extend compassion and understanding towards oneself in times of suffering or perceived failure, rather than harsh...

Compassionate leadership is a type of leadership where there is a clear focus on building relationships through careful attending to, understanding, empathising with and supporting other people. Compassionate leaders value, respect and care for their team members enabling them to reach their potential and do their best work. In this podcast we examine what it means to be a Compassionate Leader and how is it different from inclusive leadership. We also discuss how we can be more compassionate...

There are many components to being a successful leader, and there is a plethora of research looking at leadership strengths and qualities, however few look at what makes a leader Inspirational. We often question, challenge and encourage our clients to be more Inspirational as leaders, but what does this really mean? In this podcast episode we will explore what makes leaders Inspirational; and whether being Inspirational is critical for leadership success. The Chief Psychology Officer...

What is Executive Presence and how is it different from being Inspirational as a leader? For many years clients have asked our executive coaches to help their leaders with their presence and impact, and to have more gravitas. However, Executive Presence is a bit like the dark science of leadership and it eludes many leaders who want to have presence and make a positive impact but they do not know how. Zircon therefore conducted research with nearly 200 leaders to understand the concept of...

Over the past 5 years, we have increasingly been talking about Psychological Safety, how to define it, measure it, and diagnose the level of psychological safety in teams and organisations. However, many clients are struggling with how to create a psychologically safe environment in their organisation, once the level of safety is diagnosed. Once we have identified a risk - what now?  In this episode, Amanda is being interviewed by Kristian and they will be talking about practical steps teams...

The role of the CEO has changed drastically in the past 20 years, and our expectations of them has both increased and changed. Since the 1990s the median tenure of CEOs has shortened to 10 to 5 years, and "it has become challenging for a CEO to advocate, motivate and embed their strategic direction in this reduced time frame". In this episode Kristian Lees-Bell and Dr Amanda Potter interview our guest the Author and Psychologist Dr. Sylvana Storey to understand the changing role of the CEO...

Happiness - We are all trying to find it or work for it, yet it is something quite intangible and difficult to define, and it can mean something completely different for two different people. In this episode of the Chief Psychology Officer. Amanda is being interviewed by our new podcast host Kristian and we explore the topic of Happiness: what it is, what does science say about it, and what can we do to be closer to feeling happy? The Chief Psychology Officer episodes are available here...