The Chief Psychology Officer

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In the second Best Bits episode of The Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, we explore how strengths, cognitive diversity and leadership behaviour shape high-performing teams.
Caitlin Cooper and Kristian Lees-Bell revisit standout conversations with Dr Amanda Potter, Stuart Desson, Simon Rogerson and Joe Wicks to unpack what energises people at work, why strengths are different from motivation and skill, and how leaders can create the conditions for people to perform at their best.
The episode explores the role of strengths in employee engagement, team performance, leadership development, recruitment, psychological safety and organisational culture. It also looks at the risks of profile matching, clone teams and overusing strengths, showing why diverse thinking and different strengths are essential for innovation, adaptability and sustainable performance.
For HR leaders, people professionals, coaches and anyone interested in organisational psychology, this episode offers practical insight into how strengths-based development can help individuals, teams and leaders build greater energy, trust, resilience and performance at work.
Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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In the first part of our Best of Series, Caitlin Cooper and Angela Malik revisit some of the most powerful conversations we have had on psychological safety and high-performing teams.
As we approach our 100th episode, this special round-up brings together insights from previous guests including Megan Giannini from Philips, Mike Wright from Network Rail, Laura McLean from Santander, Alex Myers, and Professor Adrian Furnham.
Together, these conversations explore what psychological safety really means at work, why it is not about being nice all the time, and how it supports performance, learning, innovation, inclusion, and healthier challenge.
From speaking up and listening up, to dealing with failure productively, measuring team climate, and creating environments where people can contribute honestly, this episode brings together the science, stories, and practical lessons that have shaped our thinking on psychological safety.
Listen now to Best Bits: Driving High Performance Through Psychological Safety.
Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer, Dr Amanda Potter and Kristian Lees-Bell explore cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort we feel when our beliefs, values, and behaviours do not align. From everyday choices to high-pressure leadership decisions, they discuss why the brain often rushes to reduce discomfort by rationalising, justifying, or reframing decisions, even when those decisions may not be the most effective.

Amanda and Kristian also examine how cognitive dissonance influences decision-making, bias, self-awareness, and workplace behaviour, particularly during periods of stress, ambiguity, and organisational change. They explore the links between cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias, anchoring bias, optimism bias, and resilience, highlighting why leaders need to create space for reflection rather than defaulting to the path of least resistance.

This practical conversation offers insight into how we can notice cognitive dissonance, challenge our assumptions, and make better decisions by becoming more honest with ourselves about the gap between what we believe and how we behave.
Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, Dr Amanda Potter and Caitlin Cooper are joined by occupational psychologist and Chief Connection Officer John Cooper to explore why human connection is essential to performance at work.

Together, they discuss why great teams are not built through harmony alone, but through the quality of connection that allows people to challenge, support, trust, and understand each other. John shares why the “chemistry” between people matters, and Amanda reflects on how this connects to psychological safety, belonging, resilience, and the environments organisations create.

The conversation also explores how AI and new ways of working may be changing the way we connect. As work becomes more efficient, remote, and technology-enabled, there is a risk that we turn to tools before we turn to each other.

This episode asks an important question for leaders and organisations: are we building in the conditions for people to continue to build trust, strengthen relationships, and perform well together?

Tune into Episode 94: Why Great Teams Need Friction with John Cooper.
Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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Ep 93 Stop fixing people: start fixing work with Jo Yarker
What does it take to sustain performance over time?
In this episode of the Chief Psychology Officer podcast, Dr Amanda Potter is joined by Professor Jo Yarker to explore how organisations can create healthy working environments that support both wellbeing and performance.
Many organisations invest in resilience and wellbeing initiatives, yet still struggle with burnout, disengagement, and declining performance. This conversation challenges why and where organisations may be focusing on the wrong solutions.
Rather than placing responsibility on individuals, this episode explores the role of organisational systems, leadership behaviour, and work design in shaping employee health and resilience.
Key themes include:
 Why sustainable performance depends on healthy work, not just resilient individuals 
 The shift from reactive wellbeing initiatives to proactive prevention 
 How leadership and line managers influence employee health and performance 
 The impact of workload, clarity, and consistency on resilience 
 The IGLU framework. understanding how individual, group, leader, organisational, and external factors interact 
 Why health should be treated as a core business outcome 
This episode is for HR leaders, senior executives, and organisations looking to reduce burnout, improve employee wellbeing, and build environments where people can perform consistently under pressure.
Because sustainable performance is not driven by effort alone. it is enabled by healthy work.
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 like and follow us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betalent-by-zircon/

To access the research white papers mentioned in this and other podcasts, please go to: https://www.betalent.com/research
 
For more information about the BeTalent suite of tools and platform please contact: Hello@BeTalent.com