How to Be a Better Human How to make social risks pay off (w/ Ben Swire)
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Jan 26, 2026 Ben Swire, designer, founder of Make Believe Works and author of Safe Danger, leads workshops on creative risk and team connection. He explains the idea of safe danger and why shallow icebreakers fail. He shares practical activities to build trust, design culture rituals, use humor and curiosity, and practice vulnerability to make social risk useful.
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Safety And Risk Can Dance
- Safe danger is the emotional sweet spot where safety gives footing and danger gives movement.
- It stretches people enough to grow without burning them out.
Use Iconic Stories To Cut Small Talk
- Ask people to name the person who shaped who they are and represent that story with one phrase and one picture.
- Use the artifact to spark conversations that reveal values and purpose quickly.
Comfort Isn’t The Same As Safety
- Comfort is not true safety; it preserves sameness while real safety lets people stand out and still belong.
- Productive friction powered by trust uncovers missed possibilities.
