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Podcast with Dr. David Weiss

Overview

  • Guest: Dr. David Weiss, renowned organizational psychologist, consultant, author based in Toronto; President & CEO of Weiss International; focus areas include leadership, strategic change, talent management, and innovation.
  • Theme of conversation: career journey, evolution of the field, how to position oneself as a strategic partner in organizations, and practical guidance for students pursuing organizational psychology, HR, and leadership roles.

Career Journey: From Clinical Psychology to Organizational Leadership and Change

  • Early training and shift:
    • Background in clinical psychology; master’s work at Columbia University in New York; started a doctoral program in Toronto in an applied psychology track.
    • Internships at clinical sites (e.g., Queen Street Mental Health Centre) with adults; realized a preference for working with people who were not severely mentally ill (the “normal neurotics”) and for achieving tangible impact.
    • Found greater engagement in direct interaction with people rather than lengthy testing/reporting cycles.
  • Move into leadership-focused work:
    • Initial exposure to leadership through training work; discovered a natural affinity for leadership roles and the ability to influence through psychological insights.
    • Early career in assessment work within consulting; realized assessment was not his preferred emphasis.
  • Entry into organizational development (OD) and leadership focus:
    • Shift toward leadership, strategy, and change; deep dive into helping leaders and senior teams work more effectively together.
  • 1990s Ontario labour relations transformation:
    • The period when Bob Rae’s government introduced Bill 40, which required management and labor to negotiate at the table (interest-based bargaining).
    • Weiss applied leadership and negotiation expertise broadly across private sector, nonprofits, and government; leveraged these skills to help organizations through collaborative bargaining.
    • This work broadened his consulting practice beyond pure leadership to include labor relations and organizational negotiations.
  • Writing and brand evolution:
    • Began writing as opportunities arose; first book produced after successful collaboration with a partner.
    • Wrote the first of seven books; emphasis on documenting practical approaches to leadership, labor relations, and organizational change.
  • Brand evolution and expansion into HR:
    • Realized a risk of being pigeonholed as a “labor guy”; expanded into human resources (HR) and OD, working with HR professionals as primary clients.
    • Wrote High Impact HR to position HR as a strategic asset rather than a purely administrative function.
  • Transition to broader organizational consulting and leadership strategy:
    • Joined a partnership; grew an OD training and coaching practice across private, nonprofit, and public sectors; focused on HR as a strategic lever and on leadership and change.
    • The labour relations environment shifted with political changes (Bill 7 era); Weiss capitalized on new opportunities and redirected focus as needed.
  • Breakthrough in leadership and innovation:
    • Wrote and promoted a book on leadership, The Leadership Gap, followed by rebranding under Sequo as Leadership Solutions.
    • Later collaborated on a book focused on leading innovation; argued that HR should be a driver of innovation and that innovation is a precursor to change.
    • Published Innovative Intelligence, which gained wide traction (viral) and led to teaching in Shanghai after translation into Chinese.
  • Firm trajectory and current practice:
    • Firm grew, was eventually sold; Weiss then joined Knightsbridge as Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer.
    • Later departed and founded Weiss International, now operating for about 17 years with ongoing projects and client work connected to books he has written.
  • Core philosophy throughout career:
    • Stay open to opportunities, focus on what moves you, and trust the process.
    • In consulting, understand the art of knowing when to exit a client engagement to prevent brand erosion and to empower clients to perform independently.
    • The journey is non-linear: blend psychology, leadership, HR, change management, and organizational strategy to stay relevant.

Key Concepts in Organizational Psychology and Practice

  • Assessment vs interaction
    • Early career involved heavy use of assessments; Weiss found the testing and reporting process didn’t capture the essence of the person as well as direct interaction.
    • Emphasizes the value of communication and human interaction in understanding clients and guiding change.
  • Evolution of testing in the field
    • Testing field has evolved; not everything that looks scientific in testing translates into practical, impactful understanding of a person.
  • HR as a strategic function
    • HR has two essential functions:
    • Employee experience across the lifecycle (before hire, development, retention, and departure).
    • Organizational/systemic change (shaping culture, change management, and strategic alignment).
    • Change management emphasizes the human factor and resistance to change; HR should leverage psychological insight to improve adoption and reduce resistance.
    • Dave Ulrich’s framework (referenced): HR plays a central role in changing organizations by going beyond administrative tasks to shaping strategy and culture.
  • How to evaluate HR’s strategic role in a company
    • The reporting line is a practical indicator of HR’s strategic influence:
    • If the most senior HR person reports to the president, HR is more likely to be seen as strategic.
    • If HR reports to the COO or CFO or a similar function, HR may be seen as less strategically central.
  • Change and culture as systemic issues
    • HR must develop methodologies for managing change and reducing resistance, acknowledging that people’s responses to change are central to success.
  • Leadership and its many levels
    • Leadership is not confined to the top executive tier; leaders exist at all levels and are defined by followers, not just formal position.
    • Distinguishing between management (planning, delegating, evaluating, controlling) and leadership (creating future opportunities, hope, and anticipation).
  • Innovation and the leadership role
    • Traditional views of leadership as the most innovative person are challenged: the goal is to become a catalyst and facilitator who draws out innovation from diverse teams.
    • Key competencies include emotional intelligence, maturity to handle constructive conflict, and the ability to manage ideas in a way that fosters productive insights.
    • Embrace a discovery mindset: ongoing exploration and learning, outside-of-the-box thinking, and a willingness to see conflict as a pathway to better results.
  • Building leadership at all levels to drive innovation
    • If individuals at all levels develop leadership and collaboration skills, teams become more productive and innovative.
    • A successful approach includes balancing diverse perspectives, managing disagreements without contempt, and recognizing when to pivot based on new insights.

Innovations in Organizations and Practice

  • Innovation as a capability, not just an outcome
    • Early critique: simply training people in innovation is unlikely to substantially boost innovation capacity across an organization.
    • Instead, build leaders of innovation who can unlock the creative potential of diverse teams and harness collaborative problem-solving.
  • The catalyst/facilitator leadership model
    • Leaders should focus on drawing out ideas from others rather than being the sole source of innovation.
    • Emotional intelligence and maturity are essential to manage diverse viewpoints and conflicts constructively.
  • Practical implications for HR and leadership development
    • HR should be actively involved in fostering innovation throughout the organization, not just in a silo for HR tasks.
    • Leadership development should emphasize practical skills for leading innovation within teams and across functions.

Consulting Practice: Proposals, Exit Strategy, and Client Relationships

  • Key consulting principles Weiss emphasizes
    • The art of consulting includes knowing when to get out of a engagement to avoid creating dependency or diminishing the client’s perceived value of external support.
    • The core value lies in empowering clients to perform tasks themselves so that external support remains a strategic investment, not a continuous obligation.
  • Proposals as the essential entry point
    • The ability to write a compelling, clear proposal quickly is critical; it is the primary offer document and a determinant of whether a client engages.
    • Templates and speed in proposal drafting help win business and establish credibility.
  • Balancing involvement with client empowerment
    • Do the work that clients cannot do themselves (e.g., assessments or specialized interventions) while training and coaching them to take over afterward.
    • The aim is to leave behind a functioning system that can operate without ongoing dependence on the consultant.
  • Client relationships and long-term impact
    • Weiss emphasizes staying with clients over time rather than chasing new engagements constantly.
    • A mentor’s advice (Terry Brown) to “call every three months” to maintain connection, understand evolving struggles, and remain a trusted advisor.
  • Career lessons for students entering consulting
    • Learn to write proposals well and quickly; develop templates; be prepared to deliver fast.
    • Start with projects where you can add meaningful value and grow credibility with clients over time.
    • Build credibility and trust through consistent, thoughtful engagement rather than short-term transactional work.

Professional Involvement, Credibility, and Networks

  • Early involvement in IO psychology and professional associations
    • Served as president of the Ontario Psychological Association's IO Psychology section and held board roles, which helped build credibility and a sense of community.
  • Broadening professional identity
    • Over time, Weiss moved from a pure IO psychology identity to broader roles in HR, OD, leadership, and governance.
    • Involvement with HR associations, professional training and professionalism bodies, and governance (corporate directors) work, reflecting a broader portfolio and influence.
  • Board and governance work
    • Became a corporate director; ongoing work with boards and governance as part of the portfolio.
  • Real-world relevance of the psychological toolkit
    • The core principles of psychology—understanding human behavior, motivation, resistance to change, communication, and leadership—remain central to consulting and leadership development, even as the application broadens beyond traditional psychology settings.

Practical Career Guidance for Students and Early-Career Professionals

  • The importance of curiosity and fit
    • If you’re a student, think broadly about where your psychology background can apply (HR, leadership development, OD, change management) rather than sticking to a single niche.
  • Embrace seasons and transitions
    • Careers evolve; different seasons require different skillsets and focus areas; stay flexible and pursue what moves you.
  • Start with credibility and scale thoughtfully
    • In client work, begin with assignments where you can add clear value and gradually expand; avoid trying to tackle top-level clients without sufficient credibility.
  • Build long-term relationships and stay present
    • The practice of maintaining contact with clients, listening to evolving needs, and being a trusted advisor increases long-term career resilience and opportunities.
  • The value of mentorship and models of success
    • Learn from mentors and peers; adopt practical guidance (e.g., regular check-ins with clients) to sustain relevance and impact.
  • Practical tips for aspiring consultants
    • Develop strong writing and proposal skills; build templates to accelerate workflow; deliver results quickly; keep client outcomes at the forefront.
  • Ethics and practical implications
    • Empower clients; avoid over-dependence on external help; ensure clients can self-sustain and continue progress after external support ends.

Resources and Where to Learn More

  • Weiss International website: www.weissinternational.ca
    • Tab: Books and Articles; free downloads available.
    • About 60 articles written by Weiss; chapters from his books available for download.

Key Takeaways and Reflective Questions

  • Leadership is distributed: leaders exist at all levels, and fostering leadership across the organization enhances innovation and engagement.
  • HR can be a strategic driver, not just an administrative function; the reporting structure of the HR leader often signals its strategic weight within the organization.
  • Innovation requires a leadership style that catalyzes and choreographs diverse ideas rather than sole possession of innovative insights.
  • The art of consulting includes knowing when to exit, empowering clients to do more themselves, and maintaining a relationship that can be called upon again as needs evolve.
  • Balance breadth and depth: cultivate a strong foundation in psychology while building expertise in HR, leadership, change, and governance to stay adaptable.

Final Thoughts from the Interview

  • Focus, persistence, and openness to opportunities are recurring themes in Weiss’s career.
  • Real-world impact comes from combining psychological insight with practical business and governance acumen, and from maintaining enduring client relationships.
  • Students should keep their eyes open for evolving roles and be ready to adapt to the changing needs of organizations and markets.