As an occupational psychologist, my areas of interest are centred around the social psychology of organisations, including utilising occupational psychology skills to build performance cultures that facilitate wellbeing and collaboration, deliver ethical and responsible leadership, and engage employees in sustainable organisational change. Working at an individual, team and organisational level, I am committed to both enhancing the experience of work for individuals and improving organisational performance through more effective relational networks.

As a constructivist researcher and coach, I am interested in the notion of the 'storied life'. I work across a broad range of contexts to understand how people (individually and in groups) make sense of their lived experiences, and how the narratives they are told and tell themselves shape their lived reality and society more generally. 

Research supervision 

I welcome enquiries about research supervision. My main areas of supervision are:

• The social psychology of organisations, in particular leadership and leader relationships, higher purpose leadership (authentic, ethical, etc), dyadic and group relationships, gender and age at work.
• Higher Education as a transformative learning experience. In particular, enhancing transitions into HE from school/college and from HE to work, and developing student employability from a learning perspective.
• The psychology of consumer behaviour. In particular, how marketing and social media shape popular culture and perceptions of identity/gender roles. 
• Constructivist approaches and methods in research (all fields).

I am a Registered and Chartered Psychologist specialising in leadership and organisational behaviour. Following a long and successful marketing career working in senior roles across a number of iconic household brands, I decided to retrain as an occupational psychologist in 2005. My decision was motivated by a genuine interest in the development and support of individuals and teams at work, as well as an affinity with research at all levels.

My PhD was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and used constructivist methods to bring greater clarity and depth to an important, but contested, academic field by exploring managers implicit beliefs of authentic leadership, and the meaning and relational contribution of authentic behaviour at work.

Qualifications

• PhD Leadership and Organisational Behaviour (Reading)
• MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology (Surrey)
• Higher Education Teaching Qualification: Higher Education Academy Senior Fellowship (SFHEA)

Funding

• 2022 RKE grant to explore the experiences of working in the 'new normal'
• 2017-2022 RKE grants to assess taught employability interventions at undergraduate level
• 2021 L&T grant to identify the challenges and facilitators of learning through Covid
• 2020 RKE grant to develop a new leadership scale
• 2012 Journal of Management Studies Doctoral Training Workshop, University of Oxford
• 2010 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) UK PhD studentship

Awards

• 2018 Senate award for outstanding and innovative teaching
• 2015 Emerald/EMFD Highly Commended Award winner for outstanding doctoral research
• 2007 Top student MSc Occupational & Organisational Psychology, University of Surrey
• 2006 Driver Prize for Excellence (top student), Royal Holloway, University of London

Professional memberships

• Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS)
• Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and HCPC registered
• Certified Management Coach
• Member of the BPS Division of Occupational Psychology and the
  Special Group in Coaching Psychology
• Qualified and BPS registered Test User (RQTU - Ability and Personality)

Books/chapters

• Bradley-Cole, K., & Denicolo, P. (2020). Constructivist Coaching: a practical guide to unlocking potential alternative futures. Routledge.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2018). The transformational influence of authentic leadership on followers in early career relationships. In D. Cotter-Lockard (Ed.), Authentic leadership and followership: International perspectives. Springer International Publishing.
• Denicolo, P., Long, T., & Bradley-Cole, K. (2016). Constructivist Approaches and Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Exploring Personal Meanings. Sage.

Articles and case studies

• Bradley-Cole, K., Denicolo, P., & Daniels, M. (2023). It’s the way I tell them. A personal construct psychology method for analysing narratives, Journal of Constructivist Psychology.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2021). Friend of fiend? An interpretative phenomenological analysis of moral and relational orientation in authentic leadership.  Leadership. 17(4), 401-420.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2016). Learning a living discussion session on leadership. OP Matters, No. 30.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2014). Utilising the repertory grid in organisational research: exploring managers’ implicit theories of authentic leadership. In Sage Cases in Methodology Series. Sage: London.

Industry reports

• (2007) Creation of the YPCD (Young Persons Career Decision) Scale for inclusion in a Surrey University project commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry, led by Dr L. Millward.

Conferences

• Bradley-Cole, K. (2022). Using visual metaphors to enrich qualitative enquiry. Paper presented at the 6th ILA Women and Leadership Conference, Portsmouth, UK.
• Ilaug, A., & Bradley-Cole, K. (2019). Between two rocks and a hard place: Understanding primary school teachers' experience of the systemic context in Norway. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Chester, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2016, January). New thinking on leadership and implications for practitioner occupational psychologists. Workshop conducted at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Nottingham, UK.
• Elliott, E., & Bradley-Cole, K. (2016, January). The role of self, reciprocity and social identity in burnout. Poster presented at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Nottingham, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2014, June). The Emperor's New Clothes. Re-dressing Authentic Leadership and why organisations should encourage a culture of 'candid friendship'. Paper presented at The Institute of Work Psychology Conference, Sheffield, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2014, January). Knowing You, Knowing Me; it's the best we can be. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Brighton, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2013, January). What it means to me: exploring the role and value of authentic leadership for followers. Poster accepted at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Chester, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2012, July). How will I know if I see the ‘real’ you? Poster presented at the SEDTC Conference, Guildford, UK.
• Bradley-Cole, K. (2012, June). Exploring managers experience and understanding of authentic leader: leader relationships. Poster presented at the Institute of Work Psychology Conference, Sheffield, UK.