Psychology Stripped Bare

Naked Leader Week 823- 27 May 2019

Time to Read: 3 minutes

Psychology Stripped Bare

Clive Barrett has spent some time with Clair Carpenter this month for our Leader Feature. Read on – I’m sure you will find her thoughts refreshing and uplifting.

YOU’VE all heard of Naked Leader, well, meet Clair Carpenter, the Naked Psychologist.

Clair, who launched the business in April, is a Harvard educated expert in the field of Psychology and, her philosophy – to simplify the jargon that surrounds the subject – ties in with Naked Leader’s ethos.

It’s a marriage made in heaven, you might say.

Just as Naked Leader advocates we all, every one of us, has it within us to be successful and the best we already are, so too does Clair, who uses this Albert Einstein quote as an example…

“Everybody is a Genius. But If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid”

Clair explains that while Psychology has become academic, she aims to make it practical, clear and available to everyone.

Based on Psychology at work, she is able to share three tips for success:

1. Focus on strengths over competencies

The first sets people free, the second assumes that we all need to be the same and that is, by its nature, limiting

‘It’s a sad fact that when people are asked only about one third of people can readily name their own strengths.

‘Could this simply be a reflection of natural reserve? Or is it that we just don’t know what our strengths are? Possibly, but all this may conceal a deeper truth: that we often do not fully appreciate our strengths, and may not even know what they are.
‘And it we don’t know what our own strengths are it is unlikely that we will recognise strengths in others. ‘If we focus on strengths it provides a new framework through which people are able to recognise, develop and celebrate their natural and learned talents and abilities, and re-cast their lives in ways that allow them to do more of what they are good at and make more of an impact.

2. Foster a growth (rather than a fixed) mindset.

Developing growth mindsets in organisations will raise standards and create happier places to work.

‘Research has shown that companies which only focus on target-based results create cultures which suppress growth and stifle innovation. The results are unhappy and inward-looking workplaces. This is described as a fixed mindset culture.
‘In contrast, those organisations which encourage people to believe they can develop, grow and improve, create innovative, forward-thinking, creative workplaces which embrace risk and use failure to learn.

‘This is described as a growth mindset culture. Leaders who enable learning and encourage others to have self-belief will build engaged teams which flourish with ability, mutual trust and positive outcomes.
3. Understand the principles of our brains and how they work – its agility – we are all naturally agile – fast and flexible.

Some people talk about agility as if it is something to learn, to master and to build a process around. It isn’t! We have it already.

‘Recent advances in neuroscience have shown us that the brain is far more malleable than we ever knew, regardless of our age.

‘Research on brain plasticity has shown how connectivity between neurons can change with experience. With practice, neural networks grow new connections, strengthen existing ones, and build insulation that speeds transmission of impulses.
‘These neuroscientific discoveries have shown us that we can increase our neural growth by the actions we take.’

Straightforward, simple, easy to understand.

Naked Leader style.

David Taylor adds:

‘Clair’s mission – to simplify Psychology and make it accessible to everyone, mirrors ours – to simplify success, business and leadership. As Naked Leader’s Psychology adviser Clair brings an academic gravitas to all that we do. It is powerful, and the results are amazing.’

– Thank you Clair and Clive.

If you have any recommendations or suggestions for future Leader Features please email Clivebarrett@nakedleader.com.

With my love and best wishes to you all

David

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