Episode 30 - The Psychology of Leadership - Dr Joanna Harvey

The Centre for Army Leadership Podcast

In this week's episode of the CAL Podcast we do a deep dive into the psychology of leadership by speaking to Doctor Joanna Harvey, the professional head of Occupational Psychology for the MOD. Joanna is a leading expert in applied psychology. Her notable areas of work include integrating women into dismounted close combat roles, support to the 'Executive Committee of the Army Board' on the psychology of strategic decision making, and the psychology of leadership in the British Army. We discussed with her the evolution of leadership theory through history and unpacked the current thinking on the importance of 'followership' and the need to harness your wider team's cognitive potential. Next, she speaks in detail about the importance of psychology in decision-making, discussing her work in helping support strategic decision-making within the British Army. Joanna speaks with real passion about the need for teams to engender a challenge culture but highlights the potential tension the British Army has in applying this philosophy due to the hierarchical and command-led structures we have. Finally, she speaks about the science of leadership and highlights that leaders' biological responses and risk thresholds will change dramatically through time and experience.

A fascinating deep dive into the psychology of leadership.