POW: The Psychology of Work

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/P200000010321/9781292725581

The 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.