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In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, Dr Amanda Potter and Caitlin Cooper are joined by Adam Smith, a mindset and behavioural change coach, to explore the inner critic, negative self-talk, and the language we use to describe ourselves.

Adam shares his personal story and explains how our thoughts, labels, and belief systems can shape confidence, resilience, behaviour, and performance. The conversation looks at how unhelpful self-talk develops, why familiar patterns can keep us stuck, and how changing our language can help us build healthier habits and a more constructive mindset.

This episode covers:

• how to recognise and manage your inner critic
• the impact of negative self-talk on confidence and wellbeing
• why labels and belief systems matter
• how language shapes behaviour and results
• practical ways to reframe thoughts with more helpful language
• how curiosity, gratitude, and self-compassion support change

If you are interested in resilience, confidence, mindset, leadership psychology, or improving the way you speak to yourself, this episode offers practical and powerful insights.

Episodes are available here https://www.thecpo.co.uk/

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Decisiveness is not speed; it is clarity. We explore how top teams make better choices by slowing the front end of the process, framing the real problem, agreeing decision criteria, and then committing with pace. Joined by leadership coach Mark Herbert, we unpack the human side of decisions—how dopamine, mood and pressure change what feels obvious, how halo and horns biases skew judgment, and why similarity bias keeps boardrooms comfortable but wrong.

We get practical about building cognitive diversity you can actually use. Mark shares simple moves that shift thinking on demand: invite an external provoker, seat the newest voice next to the most senior, or create distance by asking be someone else, be somewhere else, be sometime else. We also dive into decision styles, moving beyond self-awareness to self-engagement—understanding how your pace, risk stance and intuition land on others, and how to turn friction into value. Visual team profiles, thinking hats, and clear contracting help teams replace circular debates with crisp outcomes.

The heart of our conversation is a meta-skill: decide how to decide. Before arguing options, align on reversibility, ownership, criteria and authority. Are we voting, seeking consensus, or does a single decision-maker hold the D? That simple ritual prevents flip-flopping, reduces rework, and boosts follow-through. We look at why extremes in style are potential superpowers when respected, how environment shapes attention and thought, and where AI fits—great for speed and options, but still not relational. Thoughtful leaders use AI as input and keep values, context and commitment firmly human.

Mark also lifts the lid on his seven-step decision masterclass, where leaders from different industries bring live dilemmas and practice better thinking in a calm, outdoor setting designed to reduce noise and increase attention. The result is a repeatable way to make choices under uncertainty without losing pace or people. If this conversation helped sharpen your approach, follow and subscribe for more human-centred leadership insights, share it with a colleague who shapes big calls, and leave a quick review to tell us what you’ll try first.

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

Send a text

AI is rapidly reshaping how organisations operate, make decisions, and develop talent. But as technology accelerates, what happens to the human skills that drive performance?

In this episode of The Chief Psychology Officer Podcast, Dr Amanda Potter and Angela Malik are joined by Simon Defoe CPsychol, Learning and Performance Senior Manager at Vodafone, to explore the intersection of AI, psychological safety, and leadership.

Drawing on expertise in organisational psychology, resilience, and decision making, the conversation moves beyond technical hype to focus on what matters most for HR and business leaders.

How do we integrate AI into talent strategy without eroding accountability, critical thinking, or human judgement?

What are the risks of bias amplification?

And how can leaders protect belonging, trust, and performance in an increasingly automated world?

The discussion examines AI in HR, human centred leadership, board level decision dynamics, organisational resilience, and the role of psychological safety in enabling innovation without losing ownership.

For leaders navigating digital transformation, workforce change, and AI enabled performance, this episode offers a grounded and practical lens on keeping organisations both technologically advanced and deeply human.

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