Meet Jonathan Armes

Jonathan Armes is the founder of Capital Shift, a corporate psychologist with over two decades of experience helping leaders and organisations unlock clarity, resilience, and performance. His work is centred around a simple but profound understanding of the human mind and how it shapes leadership and business success.

In this conversation, Jonathan shares his journey into psychology, why he chose the corporate world, and the insights that continue to guide his work today.

Q: What first sparked your interest in psychology and led you to choose it as a career?

I was drawn to psychology partly because it wasn’t offered at my grammar school. The curriculum divided students into arts, sciences, or humanities, but I couldn’t choose just one path. At home, my parents encouraged philosophical discussions about the mind and human experience, which sparked my curiosity early on.

Since I didn’t fit neatly into one category, I chose science and studied psychology through an evidence-based lens. My degree covered biology, psychology, and statistics, before I went on to complete a master’s in applied psychology.

Q: Was there a particular moment when you realised the true power of understanding the human mind?

For years I thought I understood the mind through different models and theories, but in 2014–2015 I realised I hadn’t truly grasped it. It wasn’t until I discovered some very simple principles about how the mind operates that everything clicked into place. That shift transformed how I see the human condition, and it has profoundly shaped my work in THOUGHT INTELLIGENCE®.

Q: Why did you decide to work in corporate psychology rather than other areas?

Honestly, part of it was wanting to prove myself to my father by wearing a suit! But beyond that, I saw corporate psychology as a fascinating challenge—bringing insights about the mind into the workplace to help people improve their performance and lives.

Most people don’t come to work to study psychology, but if you can introduce these ideas in a way that helps them do their jobs better, the impact is huge.

Q: How do you measure the success of leadership development programmes?

Before I understood the mind more deeply, I delivered leadership workshops that were well received, but something was missing. Businesses have long struggled with engagement, motivation, wellbeing, and performance, but the root issues weren’t being solved.

The real shift comes when people understand how the mind works. Transformation is the clearest measure of success—it shows up in the way individuals approach work and life differently. That’s what really counts.

Q: What have you learned that makes people more successful in a corporate environment?

When people operate from clarity—free from self-criticism, catastrophising, ego, or power struggles—they perform far better. They do their jobs with more ease, less stress, and more joy.

Q: Can you tell us about the journey to founding Capital Shift?

I started my private company in 1999. In 2014, I teamed up with a colleague to refresh the brand and expand our work. We saw that leadership and organisational development had much more potential than what many organisations were offering, so we created Capital Shift to bring a new approach.

Q: What patterns do you see most often in the corporate world?

Almost everyone wants their business to succeed and is doing their best. But many people are weighed down by unhelpful internal dialogue—self-criticism, impostor syndrome, catastrophising, or overwhelm. It’s so common, but it doesn’t have to be.

When people see that this inner noise isn’t inevitable, they free up energy to focus on their work, lead teams more effectively, and go home in a better state of mind. That ripple effect is powerful.

Q: Do people often have big “lightbulb moments” in your programmes?

For some, yes—it’s like a switch flips and everything becomes clear. For others, it’s more gradual, with small insights building over time. Both are equally valuable.

One client recently shared that he went on holiday and, for the first time ever, didn’t think about work at all. It may sound small, but it was life-changing for him. He returned refreshed, happier, and more effective at work. That’s the kind of transformation that matters.

Q: How do you apply these principles in your own life?

Like everyone, I face challenges. But now I approach them from a place of quiet resilience rather than being consumed by heavy thinking. I still fall into old traps, but I recognise that I’m not my thoughts. That understanding makes me calmer, clearer, and more effective in navigating difficulties.

Q: What’s next for you and Capital Shift?

We’re scaling our impact through an online programme, combining psychological insight with traditional leadership training. Our mission is to make this understanding of the mind accessible to more people so it can transform individuals, teams, and organisations on a larger scale.