Everything is identity

Everything is identity

Author: brucedaisley.com October 21, 2025 Duration: 43:03


Why are we so fixated on the individual self? I think it was a big con. The individual self is a relatively modern invention. The idea that human psychology is about the individual self was really an analytical fiction that was devised in the 20th century.”


This is the first part of a wide-ranging discussion with Professor Alex Haslam. He talks us why our group identities are so essential to us and define who we are as adults. He quotes his mentor John Turner who said, 'Social identity is what makes group behaviour possible'. By the time you've finished with this episode I'm sure you'll agree.


Check out an utterly brilliant talk by Alex - consider this the best training you could send yourself on.


Alex mentions his partner Cath Haslam, who is also a psychologist.


Full transcript and notes are on the website - along with an Identity playlist of episodes.


Alex Haslam is Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology at the University of Queensland. He is one of the world’s leading researchers on group dynamics, leadership, and identity. Over the past three decades, Alex has helped reshape our understanding of how people think, feel, and behave as members of groups, and why social identity is central to motivation, resilience, and effective teamwork.


Alex is co-author of The New Psychology of Leadership and The New Psychology of Sport and Exercise, and his work has been applied widely—from health and education to business, politics, and the military. With over 300 research articles and multiple international awards to his name, Alex is recognised as a pioneer of social identity theory in practice, showing how a sense of “us” can unlock extraordinary human potential.


Sign up to the Make Work Better newsletter or check out the best ever episodes at the website.

Eat Sleep Work Repeat is made and hosted by Bruce Daisley.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


There’s a conversation happening about how our jobs shape us, and Eat Sleep Work Repeat sits right at the heart of it. Host Bruce Daisley approaches workplace culture not with prescriptive advice, but with genuine curiosity, digging into the science and social dynamics behind why we work the way we do. Each episode feels like a thoughtful exploration, blending research from management, psychology, and sociology with real-world stories. You’ll hear discussions that challenge conventional wisdom about productivity, teamwork, and wellbeing, moving beyond simple fixes to understand the deeper systems at play. This podcast recognizes that improving work isn't just about office perks; it's about examining the rhythms, relationships, and expectations that fill our days. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered how to make their team more resilient, their own work more meaningful, or simply how to disconnect at the end of the day. With millions of listens, it’s become a trusted resource for rethinking the modern work experience. The tone is engaging and accessible, turning complex ideas into practical reflections. For more from Bruce Daisley, visit brucedaisley.com.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Eat Sleep Work Repeat - better workplace culture
Podcast Episodes
Transformational cultures use the manager as a coach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:30
Sign up for the newsletterTiffany Gaskell outlines coaching as a route to transformational leadershipTiffany Gaskell is the co-author of Coaching for Performance, the top-selling guide to coaching first published by Sir…
How Intel fixed work and then threw it away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
Subscribe to the free Make Work Better newsletterBrigid Schulte is a journalist and writer who brings a reporter's ear for stories to her exploration of modern work.Over the course of a decade Schulte has talked to peopl…
TOXIC: When good cultures go bad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:23
Colin Ellis is a consultant and author who spends his time working with organisations to improve their culture. He's turned his attention to why some companies go bad in a new book Detox Your Culture. He talked me throug…
"Help: my team doesn't feel connected any more" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:00
Sign up for the newsletterHow can any of us build a more effective team?Owen Eastwood is one of the world’s most in demand performance coaches, with a focus on team culture & leading. Owen has worked with some of the mos…
Should we focus on making workers happy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:28
Sign up for the Make Work Better newsletterHow important is a happy workforce? According to Mark Price, the former boss of Waitrose, it's the main thing that leaders should be thinking about. Make your workforce happy an…
Presence: Fish! Time to revisit a culture classic? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:24
This episode is part of the Presence project: Presence: Fixing culture starts with your calendar, not your officeIn the 2000s a book called Fish! A remarkable way to boost morale and improve results became a bestseller.…
Presence: exploring real life culture rituals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:09
This episode is part of the Presence project: Presence: Fixing culture starts with your calendar, not your officeThis is the second episode about rituals - the first one is next to it in the podcast feed, it's an intervi…
Presence: our rituals show what matters to us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:45
This episode is part of the Presence project: Presence: Fixing culture starts with your calendar, not your officeKursat Ozenc is a product designer who he teaches at Stanford university, He teaches on the subject that we…
Presence: Presence starts with positive leadership [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:30
Flow is the state of being in which people become so immersed in the joy of their work or activity “that nothing else seems to matter.”Presence is to be in a flow state of connection with others.Here’s the last discussio…