The Chief Psychology Officer

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Why does feedback still feel so difficult, even when we know how to give it?
In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer, Dr Amanda Potter and Caitlin Cooper explore the psychology behind feedback culture, challenging the idea that better feedback simply comes down to learning the skills for how to give it.
Together, they discuss why giving and receiving feedback can trigger feelings of threat, discomfort and defensiveness, and why psychological safety is essential for creating an environment where people feel comfortable having honest conversations. Drawing on neuroscience, the SCARF model and negativity bias, they explore why we often fixate on one negative comment, how feedback can threaten our sense of identity, and why even well-intentioned leaders can unintentionally discourage others from speaking up.
You'll discover practical ways to:
Recognise the psychological barriers to giving and receiving feedback
Create the conditions for more open and honest conversations
Understand why negative feedback can overshadow positive messages
Recognise how leadership behaviours influence psychological safety
Build a feedback culture where feedback becomes a continuous habit rather than a difficult event
If you're a leader, manager or someone looking to create a more open and constructive workplace, this episode challenges you to consider not only if your people know how to give feedback, but whether they feel safe enough to give it.
Tune into Episode 102: Some Feedback on Feedback Culture...
Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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Why do some teams thrive under pressure while others unravel?
Former professional rugby player and founder of 101st Will Fraser joins Dr Amanda Potter and Angela Malik to explore the psychology behind team resilience, psychological safety and high performance.
Will challenges the idea that resilient teams are simply made up of resilient individuals. Instead, resilience is built through a team's ability to solve problems together under pressure and that depends on clarity, shared understanding and creating an environment where people feel safe to question, challenge and admit, “I don't understand.”
Together, they explore the hidden assumptions that can quietly derail even experienced teams, including the curse of knowledge, expertise reversal and the tapping mistake. They discuss why people nod along when they're actually confused, how individual incentives can undermine teamwork, and why leaders may be too quick to blame someone's competence when performance slips.
You'll discover practical ways to:
Build greater clarity and shared understanding
Create psychological safety and encourage people to speak up
Spot assumptions before they become costly mistakes
Challenge misunderstandings without creating blame
Build more resilient, cohesive and high-performing teams
If you lead, develop or work within a team, this conversation will leave you with one deceptively simple question:
Just because it's obvious to you, does everyone else really understand it?
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

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For the 100th episode of The Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, Dr Amanda Potter is joined by cohosts Caitlin Cooper, Angela Malik and Kristian Lees-Bell to revisit some of the conversations, ideas and research that have shaped the podcast so far.
Across the episode, they return to discussions on psychological safety, cognitive diversity, resilience, decision-making, human judgement, connection and the changing world of work. Taking time to reflect on how those ideas have evolved and what they mean for organisations today. 
The episode features clips and reflections from conversations with:
 Martin Bromley OBE, on human factors, error and just organisations 
 Professor Adrian Furnham, on psychological safety and unheard voices 
 John Cooper, on connection and performance 
 Mark Herbert, on decisiveness, clarity and pace 
 Adam Smith, on the inner critic and the language we use with ourselves 
We also revisit episodes featuring Figen Murray OBE, Simon Rogerson and Lucy Becque as each host reflects on the conversations that have stayed with them most.
A special episode looking back at what we have learned, how some of that thinking has evolved, and the questions that feel most important for organisations now.
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/

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What really gets in the way of good decision making?
In this final Best Bits episode, Angela Malik and Kristian Lees-Bell reflect on some of our most memorable conversations about decision making and human judgement.
Revisiting Dr Amanda Potter’s insights, alongside a conversation with Mark Herbert, the episode explores the psychology and neuroscience behind the choices we make, and what better decision making looks like for leaders and teams. 
Together they unpack why we procrastinate, how fear of failure and sunk cost can keep us stuck, and how brain chemistry, pressure and our emotional state influence the decisions we make.
In essence, this episode explores what better decision making means for leaders and teams. From choosing clarity over speed and understanding different decision styles, to knowing when to change course and how our choices affect those around us.
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

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What does resilience really look like when pressure keeps building?
In this Best Bits episode, Angela Malik and Kristian Lees-Bell revisit some of our most memorable conversations about resilience, stress and recovery.
Featuring insights from Dr Amanda Potter of BeTalent by Zircon; Martin Hewitt, founder of Adaptive Grand Slam; Figen Murray OBE, campaigner behind Martyn’s Law; John N Cooper, Chief Connection Officer at Thomas International; Lucy Becque, Group Chief People Officer at Coventry Building Society; and Professor Jo Yarker of Birkbeck, University of London and Affinity Health at Work.
Together, they explore why resilience is more than simply coping or pushing through. The episode covers the neuroscience of stress, the difference between persistence and resilience, why high resilience scores do not always create stronger teams, and how relationships, leadership and working environments shape our ability to recover and adapt.
From personal adversity to sustained organisational change, these conversations challenge us to think differently about who is responsible for resilience and what people really need when the pressure does not let up.
Go deeper and listen to the original conversations:
Martin Hewitt in Ep. 5
Lucy Becque in Ep. 78
Figen Murray in Ep. 86
Professor Jo Yarker in Ep. 93
John Cooper in Ep. 94
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