Show #96: Leadership Pschology - How the Best Leaders Inspire Their People

Special Guest: Alan Cutler, Author of ‘Leadership Psychology – How the Best Leaders Inspire Their People’

Whilst taking an Open University course in psychology in 2013, Alan had a ‘light bulb’ moment! He had been writing about leadership, and delivering leadership training, for many years, but had not previously considered the fundamental link between the two disciplines.

It suddenly occurred to him that if a definition of psychology is ‘understanding the mind and how it affects behaviour’ – that is exactly what leaders seek to do. To be inspirational, or even merely effective, they must understand what makes their people, as individuals and teams, tick: their hopes, aspirations, concerns, strengths, weaknesses and, hence, motivational stimuli.

Yet, whilst there are a multitude of books written about both leadership and psychology every year, Alan found that there were very few that explored the connection between both. Hence, he wrote ‘Leadership Psychology – How the best leaders inspire their people’, published by Kogan Page, which is designed for both practicing middle and senior managers, and students studying either disciplines.

The book offers new approaches to concepts such as emotional intelligence, leader development and the psychological contract, as well as original material offering business managers lessons from those who lead when life is threatened.

Host: Jo Moffatt