Interview: Becky Westwood, Organisational Psychologist

This week isn’t about cats despite my photo accompanying the post however, I do think having a cat on your office work desk might help to decrease anxiety and stress in the work environment! Hey, what do I know?! Someone who would know is my guest this week, Becky Westwood,who is an organisational psychologist. Becky has a particular interest in anxiety : how it manifests in the workplace, how it can impact work life, and the horrors of giving and receiving feedback at work. Becky has done a lot of thorough research & her book, “Can I Offer You Something? Expert Ways To Unpack The Horrors Of Organisational Feedback “ shows a refreshing approach and is a definitive guide to conquering anxieties surrounding giving and receiving feedback. Without further ado, let’s welcome Becky onto the blog … Hi Becky 👋

Hi, I’m Becky an organisational psychologist, coach, avid Lego fan and more recently author. As an organisational psychologist with over 17 years of experience, I’ve had the privilege of training and coaching individuals across diverse industries in the UK, US, and Europe. I learned very early in my career that working hard and having fun are not mutually exclusive, and my love of Lego reminds me that at heart, I’m still a big kid!

My journey began with in-house training roles in retail and aerospace, leading me to establish my own consultancy in 2016, where I developed a specialisation in supporting individuals with social anxiety. Since 2021, I’ve been part of the Monkey Puzzle Training and Consultancy team, where I wear multiple hats as an organisational psychologist, coach, trainer, and Chief Experience Officer.

I have a particular interest in anxiety and how it manifests in the workplace, including its impact on burnout, feedback, and psychological safety. I’ve recently concluded two research projects exploring the relationship between anxiety and feedback in organizations, and I love sharing those findings, helping clients translate them into practical strategies for themselves and their teams. I’m also passionate about fostering inclusive workplaces and championing diversity. This commitment extends to my involvement with UK charities, including Diversity Role Models, where I serve as an LGBTQ+ role model, supporting young people.

What made you decide to launch your book “Can I Offer You Something? Expert Ways To Overcome The Horrors Of Organisational Feedback”?

When you hear the word feedback – what happens to you? Do you feel excited or do you feal dread? It turns out that most people feel the same.

So, I decided to launch ‘Can I Offer You Something’ because I realized that feedback, something meant to be constructive, has become a major source of anxiety for virtually everyone in the workplace. It’s not just a concern for those with diagnosed anxiety, but a universal experience that hinders our natural desire to contribute and grow. Through my research, it became clear that the process of giving and receiving feedback has become overly complicated and processed, stripping away the human connection. We’ve created this environment where both the giver and the receiver often share similar anxieties, yet we treat them as separate entities. My book aims to simplify this process, offering practical, holistic strategies to demystify feedback and turn it back into a collaborative, empowering tool, rather than a source of dread. It’s about restoring the human element to a process that should be about growth and connection.

About 10 years ago, I went to a job interview for a job I was qualified to do although it had been a long time since I had been office based. The interview itself went ok, but I later learned I hadn’t got the job. However they asked me to get back in touch if I wanted feedback. This was the first time I had come across a company offering feedback, I was unsure whether I wanted to hear the feedback, but nevertheless, I did contact them. The feedback they gave me was so inspirational that I followed their advice, and it led me to pursue a totally different career, that I am still really enjoying. Why do you think feedback is looked upon with such dread?

In today’s world of work most people feel individually connected to what they do, work is no longer something that you just show up and get on with. For many it has become entangled in their identity. Exchanging feedback can end up feeling incredibly personal. The highs are encouraging and motivating, the lows can feel confronting and judgemental. When someone hears “that could have gone better” what they often feel is that “you could be better”. It’s usually this feeling that recipients of feedback dread and it’s the reaction to this feeling that providers of feedback fear. This all leads to lots of anxiety, frustration crossed wires and missed opportunities.

In your example, it sounds like everyone faced feedback head on, with purpose and that lead to great outcomes. This is what I hope everyone’s experience with feedback becomes.

What tips do you suggest to help someone who may be anxious or dreading receiving organisational feedback?

My top three tips would be:

1. Don’t wait for feedback to find you; instead take control by working out what your professional goals and aspirations are, what things you would like to change or develop and go out and actively seek perspectives that will help you achieve the changes you want.

2. Recognise you have a choice; if it’s truly feedback you have a choice about how you use it. (if you don’t have a choice then what someone is giving you is a direction or instruction not feedback). Once you receive feedback take the time to consider what you have heard and then decide if you want to action it, get clarity on it or put it to one side.

3. Stay grounded; learning some grounding techniques can help you stay in the conversation rather than getting overwhelmed by anxiety or emotion. You could explore breathing techniques or ways to stay present. These don’t only work in feedback situations!

What main tip(s) do you suggest to someone who has to prepare organisational feedback about another person?

My top three tips for providers would be:

1. Get the recipients feedback recipe; most people have preferences for how they like to receive feedback, for example in writing vs in person, privately or publicly or in advance so they can reflect or ‘live’. When we prepare feedback, we tend to do it with our own preferences in mind, but that might not work for the recipient. Get their recipe ahead of time and you’re likely to have more positive impact with your feedback.

2. Conversation not a monologue; Feedback is an exchange not a transaction, give space to hear the recipient, let them ask questions for clarity and share their perspectives on what they are hearing. Most people in my research want and welcome feedback, they just don’t want it ‘done to them’.

3. Think about the environment; environments that suggest formality can add extra anxiety to the feedback exchange. Think about what you want to say and then what are your options for example could you do a walking meeting, could you go to a less formal meeting room if your organisation has one. The environment we are in can have a big effect on how both the provider and recipient feel.

Being an organisational psychologist, what is it about your job that you enjoy or gives you the most satisfaction? The downside?

I enjoy many things about my job, I find humans fascinating and I feel incredibly fortunate that I get to work with such diverse people and organisations, as they pursue their goals.

One of the key things that’s gives me satisfaction is seeing the people I work with do things that they once thought they couldn’t. That could be watching them deliver a presentation, improving their mental health, working more sustainably or changing unhelpful habits. I find it very rewarding and a privilege that I get to walk alongside people as they go on these journeys.

Growing up, did you always want to be a psychologist, or did you want to pursue a career in a completely different direction?

When I was in my early teens, I actually wanted to be a barrister – I think there is something about human behaviour that I have always found interesting. Then in my late teens and early 20s I started coaching school basketball and found a passion for coaching. At this stage I thought I would pursue a career in sports psychology and coaching but never imagined some years later that I would be an organisational psychologist and now author.

What are the common problems/symptoms that social anxiety can create in the workplace and what do you suggest they should try to alleviate the anxiety?

Social anxiety in an organisational setting can manifest in various ways, significantly impacting both individual performance, perception and overall workplace dynamics.

Individuals with social anxiety often experience intense fear of being judged or evaluated by others. This can make performance reviews, presentations, and even casual interactions like lunch highly stressful. This fear can lead to avoidance of situations where they might be evaluated, limiting their opportunities for growth and advancement. One of the other challenges is the miss perception this behaviour can then create in others, I might start to make meaning of why Dave or Katrina don’t come to that meeting, “overreact” or “get defensive” in that review etc and I might then start to do their thinking for them. Meaning I might discount them for that opportunity, I might stop inviting them or giving them feedback assuming they don’t want it.

It’s first important to recognise that anxiety is a normal human response to perceived or real threat, so there is nothing “wrong” with someone if they experience anxiety. I would encourage people who feel able to, to talk to their managers or colleagues about their anxiety and figure out ways they can navigate organisational life and even practice some of the things they find that activate their anxiety.

If people don’t want to talk to colleagues about it, I think it can be really helpful to work out what activates your anxiety, what real or imagined threats you are perceiving and then what resources you have to support you in dealing with them.

Is your book “Can I Offer You Something? Expert Ways To Unpack The Horrors Of Organisational Feedback” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, Can I Offer You Something is available worldwide in print, eBook and audio book. Here are some of the Amazon worldwide links.

USA –Amazon.com

Germany – Amazon.de

France – Amazon.fr

Spain – Amazon.es

Italy – Amazon.it

Netherlands – Amazon.nl

Japan – Amazon.jp

Brazil – Amazon.br

Canada – Amazon.ca

Mexico – Amazon.mx

Australia – Amazon.au

India – Amazon.in

In the US it’s also available in Barnes and Noble and other local book retailers globally.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I’d typically be found wearing a nice pair of jeans, a blouse or top and cardigan and 99 times out of 100 with converse on my feet. It’s important for me to be comfortable when I work and be authentic in how I show up, for me my clothes and shoes are a part of that authenticity.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

I spend most of my spare time playing instruments, baking or building Lego so I love browsing sites that sell guitars and ukuleles, the Lego store and sites where I can learn new recipes.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I’d like to expand my converse collection, and I have my eye on a lovely pair of forest green low tops.

Boots or Shoes?

I would say shoes, I find shoes (and trainers) offer more variety for me in terms of design and colour. I also find them generally more comfortable to wear, although in the winter you will find me in a nice pair of brown lace up boots.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/Facebook etc