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...

Creating a "Just culture" that has Psychological Safety at its core is the life work of Martin Bromiley OBE since personal tragedy hit his family over 17 years ago. Martin is the founder and Chair, and now Trustee of the Clinical Human Factors Group (CHFG). It is the mission of CHFG to show how a better understanding of the role of human factors can have a significant impact on safety, quality and productivity in healthcare and beyond. It is his aim to to stimulate dialogue and demonstrate...

Self-limiting beliefs have the potential to negatively impact our lives. They can hold us back and prompt us to make fear-based decisions, which can at times, lead to the very same painful experiences they have been created to help us avoid. If we do not take action and challenge these beliefs, we can stay stuck in the damaging cycle. It is important to create empowering beliefs which help us to move forward and accomplish everything we set our mind to achieve. This podcast episode takes a...

The Covid Pandemic has been the biggest global stress event since WW2 and has encouraged us as business leaders and HR managers to have a greater focus than ever on the mental health and wellbeing of our people. In this podcast we explore hybrid working, the research behind creating successful and happy hybrid workforces, and how we can get the best out of our people to drive individual and organisational success. We know that to retain and motivate a happy and healthy workforce is critical...

Increasingly we are hearing about organisations considering their social responsibility, or sustainability, to achieve this they consider their ESG rating. But what is it? In this episode, we have a guest James Lewry, Director of Social Risks who is an expert in ESG. James has been working for the past 20 years for Control Risks and is responsible for their (Environmental, Social, Governance) strategic framework. With organisations such as Enron or the Lehman Brothers being found guilty of...

Research suggests that there are many characteristics that contribute to an individual making it to the top of their sport or industry. Less information exists however about the critical elements that make the real difference and catapult people to the dizzy heights of the Olympics, Global Business or West End success. Here, success means a person being at the top of their game, achieving significant results and being championed by others as a Winner; a success that others only aspire to...

In this episode, our guest Maria Paviour is being interviewed by Dr Amanda Potter and Angela Malik. Maria is a multi-award-winning IT/App innovator, the founder of the NeuChem® coaching model, a best-selling author and a respected international speaker. Maria is passionate about taking wellbeing out of HR and into the Boardroom. She firmly believes that by putting wellbeing at the core of organisational culture and elevating every individual's brain performance, Executives can have the best...

In this episode, Angela Malik will be interviewing our Chief Psychology Officer - Dr Amanda Potter and our guest George Karseras, the author of Build Better Teams and CEO of TeamUp, to understand how teams can create successful outcomes in a virtual/hybrid working environment. The interview looks at way we can quickly build trust and overcome the challenges of creating successful, yet remote teams. Amanda will also touch on the different roles that can be taken on within a team - based on the...

After decades of using personality tools to support assessment for recruitment, succession, development and coaching, in this podcast we are debating the pros and cons of a personality versus strengths approach to assessment. We look at the various personality questionnaires developed since the work of Eysenck, Cattell and Jung, and the role personality has played in helping us understand individual differences. We then look at the move away from personality towards strengths and the benefit...

Imposter Syndrome is something most of us have experienced, or at least been aware of, at some point in our careers, but how can we overcome it? In this episode, the Chief Psychology Officer explores what Imposter Syndrome is, the different biases that contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome, and the underlying causes. Amanda will also discuss Zircon's own research into the link between Imposter Syndrome and resilience, as well as a number of useful changes both individuals and...

This week we interview a client Megan Gianinni, Global Head of Talent, Development and Organisational Effectiveness at Philips, on the topic of building strong, high performing teams. Megan has been a client of Zircon for over 5 years and has been responsible for rolling out a number of initiatives across the organisation to improve team performance and collaboration. In this podcast we talk about some of the characteristics of high performing teams, the tips businesses can put into place...

Why should your organisation consider having a strengths-based culture? Dr Amanda Potter with her host Angela Malik explore how strengths play a critical role in both personal satisfaction and organisational success in an inclusive environment.  They discuss the importance of diversity in the context of organisational culture with examples how certain companies holding onto corporate traditions see significant problems in their business. As usual, the topics will be approached from a...

In this podcast we interview Matthew Benjamin (also known in the music world as Bushwacka). Matthew is a DJ, producer, recording artist and performer. We discuss Matthews personal life changing journey from addiction to finding personal acceptance, compassion, forgiveness and recovery. Recently trained as a psychotherapist, Matthew set up his therapy business with his wife Belinda Matwali, spiritual meditation and inner work mentor and guide (interviewed in Episode 18). In this podcast,...

What is mentoring and why is it important? What are the benefits of mentoring for individuals and for the organisation? Who is suitable to be a mentor and what are the skills? In this podcast we will also explore the difference between being a coach and a mentor, and what it would take to be a successful mentor for a colleague or leader. We will also help new mentees prepare and get the most out of their mentoring agreement. Finally, Angela and Amanda take a look at the neuroscientific...

In this special Christmas episode, the table is turned and Amanda asks Tim and Angela a few questions about that they have enjoyed, learnt and appreciated about their first year podcasting. In the spirit of fun at Christmas, together they will share some Psychology jokes gathered from their Psychology peers on LinkedIn, and have a few funny moments together to mark the fabulous first year hosting the Chief Psychology Officer podcast. The Chief Psychology Officer website is now available...

Joe Wicks MBE is loved by millions for his unrelenting focus on helping families get healthier and happier. Recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from St Mary's University, the raw passion and humility in Joe's acceptance speech prompted us to invite him to be a guest on our podcast.  In this episode, Joe tells his story of how with persistence and resilience he went from being labelled the ‘naughty kid’ to becoming a household name. We discuss the opportunity leaders and colleagues have in...

In this episode, we interview the President of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Dr Nicky Hayes to explore the past, present and future of Psychology. Nicky is an exceptionally well-regarded social psychologist who has written over 25 books on psychology, management and neuroscience. She has made significant contributions to psychology, research methods and applied psychology. In the podcast Amanda and Tim talk to Nicky about how psychology has changed over the past 50 years, its...

Radical Candour (Candor) can be used to help facilitate courageous conversations, give difficult feedback and create an environment of trust and psychological safety. It is a management philosophy, originally coined by Kim Scott built on the concept of how to give feedback constructively by challenging directly, whilst also caring personally. As a boss, leader, or aspiring professional, Radical Candour is a relationship-building tool that can be used to help navigate feedback conversations...

In this podcast we interview Belinda Matwali. Belinda is a spiritual meditation and inner work mentor and guide. In her words she "works with people to help them to connect with their essence, make peace with their self limiting beliefs, and lean into the magic of their highest potential".  In this episode of the Chief Psychology Officer, we (Angela Malik and Dr Amanda Potter) will talk to Belinda about the importance of meditation and nutrition and its impact on wellbeing and performance....

With quiet quitting being a hot topic in both business and HR recently, many might wonder what how responsibility and accountability influence their workplaces, colleagues and themselves. In this episode, Dr Amanda Potter is being interviewed by Tim Hepworth to talk about how to build a culture of accountability that leads to a thriving organisation and engaged employees. They will explore this through the lens of psychology, neuroscience, and topics like whistleblowing, wellbeing and...

In this special episode for Black History Month, we invite our guest Maurice Mcleod (pronounced as 'Morris' by his friends), the CEO of ROTA (Race on the Agenda), to give his views on how racism has changed over his lifetime, and how we as individuals and organisations can learn from and support Black, Asian and other ethnic minority colleagues. We discuss the impact on personal judgement and decision-making and what we can each personally do to be more inclusive and become true allies.  For...

We have probably all heard the well used phrase from Peter Drucker that "Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast", this podcast looks at the importance of culture for success, and the question of whether we should be assessing talent for cultural fit or cultural agility and what is the impact of assessing for cultural fit or values fit on diversity? The term culture fit has been an increasingly contentious subject in talent assessment, however there has been a move towards culture agility for...

For an organisation, department or team to succeed, they need the right environment for it to be great. As leaders, our success depends on our environment, so it is critical that we make sure what we are surrounding ourselves with the right people who will give us the energy, challenge, insight to thrive. To succeed, we need to surround ourselves with the right people, because you who you spend time with impacts your belief and your mindset.  The interview will look at the impact that...

In this episode, Tim will be interviewing our Chief Psychology Officer - Dr Amanda Potter and Claire Dale, the author of Physical Intelligence, to understand the importance of Physical Intelligence in creating physical, emotional and mental stamina and staying power.  The interview will look at tips for energy maintenance and for endurance. Amanda will also touch on the role of each of the hormones and neurotransmitters in happiness, success and well being. In this episode, Claire and...

We all have to have difficult conversations from time to time and some of these can be particularly challenging. What can we do to have more courageous conversations? In this episode, the Chief Psychology Officer explores how to navigate through uncomfortable topics with confidence, honesty and kindness and the impact avoiding these conversations can have on Psychological Safety. Amanda will look at different psychological theories, the latest research findings and share her insights from...