Member Spotlight: Lee Crowson

Name
Lee Crowson

Position/Employer
Operations Manager/Booz Allen Hamilton

How long have you been a SIOP member?
About 28 years on and off

What roles have you had within SIOP?
Member of the Military and Veterans Inclusion Committee

Interest area(s)
People operations, process improvement, coaching, organizational culture and development

What sparked your interest in I-O psychology?
The application of psychology to the business and work world (at the time it was described to me as the people side of HR).

What role do you see I-O psychology playing in the future of work?
After being designated a STEM field and with more people being exposed to our field I see a greater awareness of the benefits we can bring to organizations. The need to create inclusive workplaces with a diverse workforce is crucial in a global economy, and there are few who just know how to do that. I-Os are perfectly placed to be a driving force in creating the work culture of the future.

What work trends are you seeing and hearing about and how can I-O psychology practitioners, educators, and students impact these trends?
The future of the information economy is a mixture of office, hybrid, and remote work and workers. I-O practitioners can help calm the waters created by COVID and the RTO trends that have caused upheaval in the workplace by helping design culture shifts, communication strategies, psychological contracts, and leadership training.

What advice would you give to students or those early in their career?
Understand that work in I-O is not about the title, it is all about your niche and the work you do. When I graduated, we were practically unknown outside academia (ironic for a field as old as ours), but now there are more and more positions being advertised listing I-O as a desired degree. I-O touches and is able to be utilized across industries, and there is a dire need for the knowledge and skills we provide, so don't get discouraged if you don't get the job you want right out of the gate. I've been utilizing what I learned in my I-O program for almost 30 years without being in an "I-O job" and never really thought about it (actually would grouse about not using my degree) until an I-O psychologist looked at my LinkedIn profile and started pointing out all the "I-Oee" stuff listed there. You can and will use your degree regardless of your title and you will make a difference. If you apply the same discipline and drive to your career that you did to your education, you will ultimately be successful. It may not be immediate, but you will get there.

What is one of your favorite SIOP Annual Conference memories/highlights?
Meeting so many people in the real world that I'd previously only known virtually. As incredible as the knowledge shared is, the people in our field are what truly makes our community special and sets us apart.

Please share one non-I-O-related bit of information about yourself.
I served in the Navy for 22 years 6 months and 1 day (but who's counting).

Is there anything you would like to add?
As the founder of the virtual I/O Psychology Pop-up Community, I have had the pleasure of directly interacting with hundreds of I-O psychologists, practitioners, and students (and others curious about our field) and can safely say that we share the stage with the best and brightest who are set to make big waves in the work world.

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