My Pocket Psych

The topic of the month over on WorkLifeSpark, our online personal development community, is resilience. So for the next couple of episodes, we're going to take a look at this concept. In particular, why it's not the panacea or answer to all organisational problems.  In this first episode, we look at resilience from the organisational perspective, and how it often gets over-emphasised and how. If "you need to be resilient to work here" is the pervading message, what does this do to employee behaviour, performance and wellbeing? What message does it send out to prospective employees? And what behaviours will be accepted in the name of 'resilience'? In the next episode, we'll look at the employee perspective and explain why often, resilience just isn't enough.  Thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Self-care: what is it and why does it matter? https://www.worklifepsych.com/self-care-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/ Resilience: when all you have is a hammer https://www.worklifepsych.com/resilience-when-all-you-have-is-a-hammer/  Resilience: prevention is better than cure https://www.worklifepsych.com/resilience-prevention-is-better-than-cure/  Ep 043: You don't have to be resilient to work here - but it helps!  https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-043-you-dont-have-to-be-resilient-to-work-here-but-it-helps/  Our working definition of resilience comes from Michael Neenan's book, which you can find here: https://www.routledge.com/Developing-Resilience-A-Cognitive-Behavioural-Approach/Neenan/p/book/9780415792912  Don't forget, you can continue the conversation on WorkLifeSpark and join for free today: https://www.worklifespark.com/sign-up 

In this episode, I take a few minutes to remind us all that we can make a fresh start on any day of the year. There's nothing particularly magical about January 1st! So if your attempts at change since New Year's Day haven't been fruitful, it's never too late to try again. But rather than simply repeating the same unhelpful or overly-demanding approach again and again, I have some recommendations for how you can Reflect, Recalibrate and be Realistic about your planned changes and then leverage the 'fresh start' effect. "Fresh starts increase your motivation to change because they give you either a real clean slate or the impression of one..." - 'How to Change' by Katy Milkman I also explore some other simple behaviour change principles you can put into practice to make your attempts at change more likely to stick. And remember: there's no law that says you have to make personal changes in January - or at all. Don't feel pressurised to jump on the change bandwagon if things are going well or if this time of year just doesn't work for you. Thanks for listening! Resources for this episode 'How to change' by Katy Milkman - https://www.katymilkman.com/book  You can sign up for our online personal development community WorkLifeSpark here: https://www.worklifespark.com/sign-up

Welcome back for the first of our episodes for 2026 🎉 In this episode, Richard is once again joined by business psychologist Kara Daley. This time, it's for a discussion on the wide-ranging topic of organisational culture. What exactly is it? Why can it be so hard to pin down and change? And what exactly is the role of leaders in culture development and change?  We'd love to hear from you on this key topic. Drop us an email "podcast at worklifepsych dot com" or join us for online discussion on WorkLifeSpark, our personal development community. It's free to join.  As ever, thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Find out more about Kara here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-lee-daly/ Learn about Sustainable Leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership   You can join our online community for free here: https://www.worklifespark.com/sign-up  Check out our previous episode all about Menopause at work: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/168/ 

Hello and welcome to the final episode of My Pocket Psych for 2025. In this brief episode, I take a look ahead to the benefits of side-stepping unhelpful messages about the New Year, and how small changes, personal experiments and a fresh start might be what we all need instead.  No matter what holiday you're celebrating in December, I hope you get a chance to effectively disconnect from work. I hope you get a chance to engage in whatever traditions bring you a sense of meaning and purpose, and really importantly, get a chance to relax and enjoy yourself. I'll be back in touch in 2026, but until then, I wish you an excellent holiday. Thanks for listening!  Resources mentioned in this episode The WorkLifePsych Newsletter - https://www.worklifepsych.news  The People Soup podcast by Ross McIntosh - https://rossmcintosh.co.uk/people-soup/  Episode 200 - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast  Join our online personal development community, WorkLifeSpark - https://www.worklifespark.com/sign-up  Find out more about our January masterclass - Fresh starts in Wellbeing https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fresh-starts-in-wellbeing-tickets-1687257284959?aff=oddtdtcreator 

In this special celebratory 200th episode, we turn the tables: Richard is in the hot seat and interviewed by friend of the show, Ross McIntosh.  Ross asks Richard about the origins of the show, what he learnt over 199 episodes, how he's changed and what lessons he'd share with others. We look at popular episodes, why psychics don't get invited on, and answer a series of questions from listeners.  The show wouldn't exist without its listeners. So a massive thank you to everyone who's ever given the show a chance. Huge thanks to everyone who has ever written in with feedback, questions and ideas. And, of course, thanks to the many guests and contributors who shared their time and expertise over the last eight years. Thanks also to Ross for being a fantastic host and interviewer.  To make the next 200 episodes even better, feel free to get in touch with your feedback and suggestions. Email us at 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com'.  Finally - a link to the song that lends its title to this episode: 'I'm still here' performed by the legendary Elaine Stritch.  Resources mentioned in this episode Ep 182: Dealing with workplace challenges using psychological flexibility - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/182/  Ep 102: Building psychological safety - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/102/  Ep 156: Psychological inflexibility - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/156/  Ep168: Menopause at work with Kara Daly - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/168/  WorkLifeSpark - https://www.worklifespark.com/sign-up 

Richard is once again joined by fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh to discuss the importance of coping with difficulties and setbacks - especially when it comes to leadership roles.  They outline the inevitability of challenges and the importances of using healthy and sustainable coping strategies in response. They look at why some of the more unhealthy and unhelpful strategies are so attractive and present some simple and accessible alternatives.  Thanks for listening! And we hope you'll join us for the livestream of our 200th episode on Monday 8th December at 4pm UK time. Join our Zoom call via https://www.mypocketpsych.com/200 You'll be able to pose your questions, share your feedback and anything else you'd like. We'd love to see you there. And if you can't make it, feel free to send in your questions and comments in advance. Just email us 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com'.  Resources for this episode: Ep 198: Self-care for leaders - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/198 Ep 189: Burnout – signs and symptoms - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/189  Ep 190: Burnout – recognition and recovery - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/190  Find out more about sustainable leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership  Find out about our approach to wellbeing at work here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/wellbeing 

In this episode, Richard is joined by colleague and fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh for a discussion about the importance of self-care for leaders. Given the tough roles leaders occupy, maintaining a focus on their wellbeing is key. Richard and Ross look at common misunderstandings about self-care and why it's not all glasses of wine in luxurious bubble baths! They also explain its relevance of leadership effectiveness, why it's so hard to consider our future selves, and how self-care is different to coping. Join us for our next episode, when we'll build on these concepts and explain how to construct your very own coping toolkit.  Thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Find out more about Sustainable leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/SustainableLeadership Join our online personal development community WorkLifeSpark✨ here: https://www.worklifespark.com/join-us  Paper on decision-making and lifestyle illnesses: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350546158_Why_We_Are_Not_Acting_to_Save_Ourselves_ACT_Health_and_Culture  'Your Future Self' by Hal Hershfield: https://www.halhershfield.com/yourfutureself 

In this episode, Richard is joined by Dr. Austin Tay, a chartered psychologist with significant experience of working across cultures in the fields of assessment, leadership development and coaching. Together, they explore why leaders benefit from intercultural awareness, why it's important not to fall back on overly-simplistic stereotypes about national cultures, and why curiosity and observation go a long way for leaders working in other cultures. Are you a leader who has worked across cultures? Have an example of how intercultural awareness has helped or hindered your effectiveness in the workplace? Get in touch with your comments and questions. Email us at 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com' - we always love to hear from our listeners. Until next time, thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Find out more about Sustainable Leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership Download our free Sustainable Leadership white paper here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sustainable_Leadership_whitepaper.pdf Find out more about Dr. Austin Tay here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draustintay/ Check out Austin's podcast here: https://www.psychchat.me/episodes/episode-054-the-humble-ceo-paradox-why-the-best-leaders-dont-act-like-theyre-the-best

This episode focuses on the important role that good quality coaching can play as part of structured leadership development. As part of a leadership programme, coaching allows the participants to explore new concepts and practice bringing them to life, to work on barriers to behavioural change, and any other important personal development topics not covered in the programmes core curriculum.  This episode is made up of a recording of a recent webinar on the topic, co-facilitated by Dr. Richard MacKinnon and Dr. Rachael Skews. They also explore what to look for in a prospective leadership coach and the role of evidence-based coaching methods - in particular, Acceptance and Commitment Coaching (ACC).  You can find all the resources mention in this episode by visiting our website at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcst/196 . As ever, thanks for listening! 

Following on from the last episode, where I discussed how to get the most from your experience on a development programme, this time I ask: once the programme is over, how do you keep focused on your development?  How do you avoid letting your new knowledge and skills wither on the vine? How do you prevent your new perspectives and concepts staying in notebooks and folders, rather than being brought to life in your decisions and day to day behaviour? I share ten tips that will help ensure your development remains an ongoing are aof focus - just like your career, your wellbeing and your relationships - rather thna something you only consider when participating in formal learning. But like any of my lists, it's far from finite. Let me know what you think - how do you keep your development a priority? How do you ensure it's something that gets your attention? Drop me an email with your comments and questions - 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com' - it's always amazing to hear from listeners. Or, even better, join WorkLifeSpark and keep the conversation going in our online discussion forum.  As ever, thanks for listening! Check out our Sustainable Leadership hub here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership Join our new and improved personal development community, WorkLifeSpark: https://www.worklifepsych.com/spark     📆 Upcoming events On October 7th, we have the latest in our Sustainable Leadership series. I'll be joined by the excellent Dr. Rachael Skews for a webinar all about the role that coaching can play in leadership development. We'll be discussing the valuable contribution it can make, but also flag some of the ways it can go wrong and how to ensure you're working with the best kind of coaches. Find out more here. On October 15th, I'll be running another of our 'Considering Coaching?' webinars, where the focus will be on the various ways that coaching can address productivity-related challenges. From procrastination, to overwhelm, prioritisation and over-working our prospective memory. If your task list is causing you panic, this could be the session for you. Find out more and reserve your place here.  On October 30th, I'll be facilitating the first in a new quarterly masterclass series: 'The Value of Values'. Designed to support all aspects of personal development, this series is being made freely available to our Spark Plus community members. Non-members can sign-up on a per-masterclass basis. The first session is all about getting clear on values and bringing them to life in the service of our different roles, goals and habits. I'll explain how to clear on what matters to you in life, how to cultivate values-aligned habits, and use values to navigate options, challenges and setbacks. Find out more and secure your place here. 

And we're back! After a break to enjoy my summer holiday in Japan, My Pocket Psych is back with a focus on how to get the most from your involvement in a leadership development programme.  We look at the importance of four key factors: mindset, engagement, reflection and application. These include your own thoughts and beliefs about development, the extent to which you get 'stuck in' to the programme, how you reflect on your development journey and how you put what you've learnt into practice. This epsiode is part of our Sustainable Leadership series and you can find out more about this concept, as well as download our free white paper on the topic, by visiting www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership If you've recently been part of a development programme at work, what helped you get real value from your involvement? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com'. Thanks for listening! 

After quite a few weeks focusing on self-care and coping - as topics for leaders - I realised I was at risk of neglecting my own self-care and planned holiday. So this short episode constitutes a bit of a reflection of sorts, as I consider how I can best disconnect from work while in Japan.  Resources for this episode To find out more about 'Sustainable Leadership', you can visit the resources page at worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership. You can find out more about self-care and coping by watching our recent webinar on the topic: https://youtu.be/i9obBx7ZTbw

In this episode, I take a look at some of the ways leaders' wellbeing is challenged. Stressors from the role of leadership, the culture of the organisation and from within the leader him/herself can combine to make the job much more difficult than it needs to be.  I look at some of the sources of these difficulties and explore one in particular: the various ways that business travel can erode leaders' wellbeing.  This is part of our series on 'Sustainable Leadership' and you can find all the resources that support it on our website at worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership 

In this episode, as part of our Sustainable Leadership series, Richard explores some of the many ways that leadership development activities can fail to deliver.  While it's often one of the most important people development investments an organisation can make, the results can fall of short of expectations for a variety of reasons. From a lack of evidence, over-reliance on fads, and use of 'motivational speakers', through to avoiding any kind of evaluation. Let us know what you think about the leadership development you've experienced, or have been responsible for - we love to hear from listeners. Email us your questions and reflections at 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com'. Thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Our Sustainable Leadership information hub: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership 'What is sustainable leadership?' https://youtu.be/2jsVtHRpg4Q Blog post: When leadership development goes wrong: https://www.worklifepsych.com/when-leadership-development-goes-wrong/

This is the second part of Richard's two-part interview with Dr. Richard Duggins, all about his work in treating burnout. You can find the first part of this interview here.  In this episode, Dr. Richard Duggins explains the role of the workplace and workplace culture in employees' experiene of burnout. Why 'keeping calm and carrying on' is precisely what not to do in the face of overwhelming demands. And busts some common myths about burnout.  We also look at the role of leadership and its demands when it comes to burnout, the dangerous and unsustainable coping strategies leaders may be tempted to use, and how post-burnout growth can represent a light at the end of the tunnel.  Again, big thanks to Richard for his time and expertise.  And to everyone else, thanks for listening! Resources for this episode Find out more about our Sustainable Leadership campaign here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership Find out more about Dr. Richard Duggins here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-duggins-dr/ Find Richard's book here: https://uk.jkp.com/products/burnoutfree-working Our video on the wellbeing challenges faced by leaders: https://youtu.be/Uk4uCpEzzfQ 

In this episode of our 'Sustainable Leadership' series, we explore the antithesis of sustainable work: professional burnout.  Richard is joined by Dr. Richard Duggins, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist, who is known as the 'Doctor's Doctor' due to his work with physicians experiencing burnout in the NHS. His recent book 'Burnout-free working' explores the topic in detail, demystifying burnout and explaining how recovery is possible.  In this first part of a two-part interview, we establish what burnout actually is, explore the 'burnout cliff' concept, learn about the role of 'radiators' and 'drains' the key impact of organisational culture.  Huge thanks to Dr. Richard Duggins for taking the time to join us for this discussion. Part two of the interview follows in the next episode.  Thanks for listening!  Resources for this episode Find out more about our Sustainable Leadership campaign here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership  Find out more about Dr. Richard Duggins here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-duggins-dr/ Find Richard's book here: https://uk.jkp.com/products/burnoutfree-working 

This episode of the podcast is based on a webinar we recently ran on the topic of emotional literacy. In this session, Dr. Richard MacKinnon and Ross McIntosh explain what sustainable leadership is, the role of emotional literacy in leadership, the risks of neglecting it and some simple ways to develop it.  This is part of our 'Sustainable Leadership' series and you can find out more and access our free white paper on the topic, by clicking the link below. Resources for this episode Find out all about sustainable leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership Watch our recent webinar on the role of psychological flexibility in sustainable leadership here: https://youtu.be/QeGSpYbeguY Find out more about psychological flexibility here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/psychologicalflexibility

Welcome to another episode of My Pocket Psych, which is part of our ongoing 'Sustainable Leadership' series. In this episode, Richard is joined by clinical and coaching psychologist Dr. Petra Gwilliam, to discuss the importance of mental health when it comes to leadership. We've previously looked at some of the challenges leaders can face at work, and the benefits of cultivating psychological flexibility (Episode 186). In this episode, Richard and Petra discuss some of the many challenges to leaders' mental health specifically, how dips in mental health can show up in leaders' emotions, attitudes and behaviour, and the importance of taking early action when mental health issues become apparent.  Resources for this episode Our Sustainable Leadership information hub: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership Download our free white on Sustainable Leadership: https://www.worklifepsych.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sustainable_Leadership_whitepaper.pdf   Ep 186 - Why leaders need to be psychologically flexible: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/186 Our Psychological Flexibility information hub: https://www.worklifepsych.com/psychologicalflexibility  Find out more about Dr. Petra Gwilliam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petragwilliam/  Register for our upcoming free Sustainable Leadership webinars here: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/sustainable-leadership-4167563  Visit https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/187 for full show notes, Petra's detailed bio and a selection of important mental health resources. 

Continuing our theme of the importance of Sustainable Leadership, this episode is a little bit different.  Earlier this month, I facilitated a webinar with my good friend and collaborator Dr. Rachael Skews.  It was the first of our new series of free monthly webinars on the topic of Sustainable leadership - and I'll put a link to the booking site so you can see the details of the remaining sessions. The focus of our session was making the case for boosting psychological flexibility in leaders. I explained what we mean by sustainable leadership, Rachael introduced the concept of psychological flexibility, and then we looked at how it can address some of the many challenges leaders can face at work. We wrap up with exploring some of the ways leaders can cultivate these important skills. And while we have a lovely video recording of the webinar live on our YouTube channel, I know lots of you prefer to access this kind of information via audio, as you go for a walk or a run, do the housework, or navigate your daily commute. So here's a slightly edited copy of the audio from last week. As always, get in touch with your questions, comments and feedback by email via podcast@worklifepsych.com Thanks for listening! Resources for this episode The video recording of this webinar: https://youtu.be/QeGSpYbeguY  Download the slides that accompany this webinar here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Why-leaders-need-to-be-psychologically-flexible-slides.pdf  You can find all the resources that accompany this series at our dedicated page: https://www.worklifepsych.com/SustainableLeadership Download our free white paper on Sustainable Leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sustainable_Leadership_whitepaper.pdf We're also running a series of free leadership-focused webinars over the next few months. You can find out more and reserve your place by visiting our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/sustainable-leadership-4167563 Finally, you can learn all about Psychological Flexibility by visiting our resources page here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/PsychologicalFlexibility 

This episode is the first in a new series where we'll unpack all aspects of leadership, leadership development and the wellbeing and performance of leaders.  In this episode, Richard is joined by Dr. Wayne Mullen, an experienced leadership development expert, to set the scene, outline our rationale for focusing on leadership, and explore some of the ways leadership can go wrong.  In the coming episodes, we're going to look at topics like the role of coaching in leadership development, the importance of leaders' mental health at work, and why resilience just isn't enough.  We hope you'll join us on the journey Resources for this episode You can find all the resources that accompany this series at our dedicated page: https://www.worklifepsych.com/SustainableLeadership  We're also running a series of free leadership-focused webinars over the next few months. You can find out more and reserve your place by visiting our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/sustainable-leadership-4167563  Details of our 'Considering Coaching?' webinars can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/considering-coaching-4113743 You can find Wayne's blog post about intentional leadership here: https://www.worklifepsych.com/sustainable-leadership-leading-on-purpose/