The Decision-Making Studio Podcast

My guest on this week’s episode doesn’t get awestruck very easily. Neville Johnson is a Hollywood lawyer in California, USA. He has represented a number of celebrities, artists, actors, and writers, particularly against the bullying tactics of large companies over royalties. His clients have included the Beatles, amongst other. However, there is one individual with whom Neville has worked that left a huge impression on him. That person is the late and legendary UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) basketball coach John Wooden. Neville wrote two books about Coach Wooden and spent a considerable amount of time with him, former players, family members and colleagues. Neville’s first book is an authorised biography of John Wooden while the second is a book of some of Wooden’s most profound sayings. John Wooden was one of the most successful coaches in the history of any sport. His teams won 10 national championships in the span of 12 years, included seven in a raw. At one point, his teams did not lose a game in three years. Wooden’s former players include Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Counterintuitively, Wooden never talked about winning. To Wooden, winning was the by-product of the process of hard work and diligent practice he instilled in his teams. In fact, he was more than a basketball coach.  John Wooden was a teacher, psychologist, philosopher, poet and purveyor of timeless wisdom. Neville and I discuss some of that wisdom on this fabulous episode. We cover:  What is was like working with John on the two books; Wooden’s famous Pyramid of Success; How Wooden had an influence on Neville’s own work as a lawyer; Success versus winning; Some of Neville’s areas of legal expertise, particularly privacy law; Neville’s other books; Neville’s music Much more! Show notes:  Neville’s authorised biography of John Wooden The John Wooden Pyramid of Success: The Ultimate Guide to Life, Leadership, Friendship and Love Neville’s book Woodenisms: The Wisdom and Sayings of Coach John Wooden John Wooden’s great Ted Talk The Difference Between Winning and Succeeding Neville’s poetry book What Took You So Long _______ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo

Having meaning and purpose in our lives is vital. This not only makes us happier, but it also makes us more resilient. An organisation with a very strong sense of purpose is better able to withstand headwinds and any crises that may arise.  Similarly, we as individuals become more resilient in the face of uncertainty if we can connect our activities to a deeper sense of purpose. What do we do however, when we don’t know what that purpose is? How do we find meaning when it seems elusive? Meet this week’s guest, Gleb Tsipursky. Gleb is a scholar (he is a professor at Ohio State University in the USA in history and decision sciences). However, he isn’t an academic that has permanently set up shop in the ivory tower. He is also an entrepreneur, author, speaker and activist. He has written a book entitled  Find Your Purpose Using Science. We get into a number of the strategies and practices in the book. These are science-backed ways that can help us develop our sense of purpose. However, there is more to Gleb than this and we also get into some other very interesting areas including: “Socialist Fun” in the Former Soviet Union - Gleb was born in Moldova and did a piece of research around leisure in the USSR; Decision-making – This is another area where Gleb has done research and has some great insights – and it is also a favourite topic on All Things Risk. You can even get a free copy of his decision-making tip sheet (see below); Post-truth politics – Gleb started something called the Rational Politics Project as part of his NGO Intentional Insights. I am hugely appreciative of Gleb joining me for this great episode of All Things Risk! Show Notes: Email Gleb at gleb@intentionalinsights.org and get a free copy of his decision-making tip sheet by mentioning you heard him on All Things Risk; Gleb’s book Find Your Purpose Using Science; Gleb’s website; Gleb on Twitter Intentional Insights; On Twitter On Facebook On YouTube Gleb’s monograph Socialist Fun; The Blue Zones; Big 5 Personality Test; “Post-Truth” ________ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo

Introversion and extroversion are misunderstood.  What is introversion and how does it relate to risk-taking? I offer some thoughts in this latest in-betweenisode. Show notes: Introversion-Extroversion test: https://www.psychologytoday.com/tests/personality/extroversion-introversion-test  Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/  Susan Cain's TED talk "The Power of Introverts": https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts  ________ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo  

This week, we discuss risk in love and relationships. I must admit, it isn’t the type of topic that I feel comfortable discussing and if you were to ask me two years ago what the chances of me hosting a podcast episode on this, I’d tell you the chances would be infinitesimally small. And yet, this being a podcast on risk, here we are. My guest this week is Erik Newton. Erik is a former family law attorney (i.e. divorce lawyer) who describes himself as “someone who has been through a thousand divorces and still believes in love.” He has a unique and real-world understanding of what makes some marriages thrive and others fall apart. He now works with couples to build healthy relationships. He is the co-founder of Together, a site and podcast that provides people with tools for success in relationships. Erik is also a marriage commissioner and has married over 180 couples. We had an awesome, insightful and incredibly fun conversation that covered: Erik’s background – and how he got into practising divorce law in the first place (he doesn’t strike one as the lawyer type!); What he learned about relationships as a divorce lawyer; Common causes of divorce; Conflict in relationships; Being present in relationships; Monogamy and open relationships; Online dating And so much more! Show notes: Erik’s site Together – www.together.guide             On Twitter - https://twitter.com/together_show             On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/togethershow/             On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/together_show/             On Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/7596461?pathWildcard=7596461             On Google+ - https://plus.google.com/114215807768973711486 Erik's podcast conversation with Dr. Helen Fisher Jiddu Krishnamurti - http://www.jkrishnamurti.org/ Sex At Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá The Ethcial Slut by Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Liszt  _________  Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo

What is your brand? If you are into marketing, media or are and entrepreneur or business owner, you are going to love this week’s episode. If you aren’t, I think you will still love it, perhaps even more. You might even think “brand? I don’t think that way, I’m not a brand”. As you will soon find out from my guest, another way of asking the same question might be “what is your purpose?” or “what is your story?”. Meet brand strategist, entrepreneur and author Marc Stoiber.  Marc works with clients to future-proof their brands. His book caught my eye – Didn’t See It Coming explores advertising and brands following the implosion of the Mad Men era and the rise of social media and sustainability. Marc got his start in advertising towards the end of this era when as he puts it, it was about product differentiation through “smoke and mirrors.” The reality now is very different. There is a lot of content and indeed noise about products and brands and it means that authenticity and sustainability are more important than ever. Marc and I have a fabulous conversation that covers: Branding and its origins; The Mad Men era of advertising and its demise; Purpose, meaning and authenticity in brands; Sustainability and green businesses; Patagonia as an example of an authentic brand; Social media and its impact on advertising and branding; Trust (or lack thereof) in major corporates; The Gig Economy; Millennials; loads more! Show notes: Marc’s website – https://www.marcstoiber.com/; Marc on Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcstoiber/ Marc on Twitter – https://twitter.com/marcstoiber Marc on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MarcStoiber/ Marc’s book Didn’t See It Coming Patagonia Backed by Baehr and Loomis And But Therefore: Randy Olson and the Art of Science Storytelling The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell Your Ultimate Speech ______ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: www.allthingsrisk.co.uk – and find all episodes and ways to subscribe

  Have you ever caught yourself thinking that you could solve the vast majority of your problems if you somehow won £$1 million / £$5 million / £$x million in the lottery or playing the slots in Las Vegas? I think we've all been there.  This being a show about risk and randomness, let's talk some probabilities. Here in the UK, the odds of winning the jackpot in the Lotto is about 1 in 14 million. In the USA, the odds of winning the jackpot in the Powerball lottery are 1 in 175 million. The odds of winning millions in the Megaslots in Vegas are 1 in 49.8 million. In other words, you could play the lottery every week, or the slot machines every day, and it would still take you many lifetimes to win the jackpot. Now, what would happen if you did win? What if, instead of solving your problems, winning millions simply magnified them several thousand times? This could precipitate your downfall, but also your recovery, if you survive that is. Indeed, salvation in this form may not be all that it's cracked up to be. That's exactly what happened to my guest the week.  Meet business owner, cross-fitter, runner, power lifter, and co host of Lift Heavy Run Long Wilson Horrell.  In 2002, while passing the time during a visit to Las Vegas, Wilson decided to play the slot machines.  In what many would consider to be a dream scenario, he hit the jackpot for $2.3 million. Wow, right? For many years, Wilson struggled with addiction, and the experience of winning all that money actually served as an accelerator to his downward trajectory, but also his recovery. That is what he is grateful for, and it makes for a fascinating story and conversation about chance, struggle, redemption, endurance and community.  In it, we get into: Winning all that money; Wilson’s struggle with addiction and depression, Recovery and gratitude; Endurance sport and cross fit; The community and podcast Wilson co-hosts Lift Heavy Run Long; Inclusiveness and community; Loads of other great stuff! Show notes: Lift Heavy Run Long: www.liftheavyrunlong.com Lift Heavy Run Long on Twitter: https://twitter.com/liftrunlong Lift Heavy Run Long on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liftheavyrunlong/ Wilson’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/bulldawggy123 Lift Heavy Run Long on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F94BKyCdYH-m1KmA6VdXw  _____________  Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: www.allthingsrisk.co.uk – and find all episodes and ways to subscribe    

This week’s episode not only demonstrates the importance of context and nuance, but also of going beneath the various layers to develop a better understanding of a topic. In this case, we will be exploring a place that is being talked about quite frequently: Russia. I grew up during the Cold War, when Russia was the enemy. It would appear that this is a country on the path to being the enemy once again. While I am no fan of the current US administration, I think there is a problem with the potential vilification of a country. In thinking about all this, the question I arrived at is “what does Russia want?” I am no expert on Russia. However, I am very fortunate that my guest today is, and is very well placed to answer this question. Meet Tim Stanley. Tim is a Brit based in Moscow and is Senior Partner for Russia/CIS at Control Risks, an independent global risk consultancy. Tim has been living and working in Russia for the past ten years helping clients manage the various risks associated with working in the country. However, Tim’s interest in Russia goes beyond this. This is Tim’s second stint in the country. His first started back in 1991 when he arrived as a student shortly after the August putsch. The country was in a state of incredible transition and Tim was similarly present during Gorbachev’s dissolution of the USSR later that year. Tim return in 2007 after living in the USA for several years. To truly understand a country as a foreigner I believe that one needs to live there for an extended period of time, speak the language, and understand the culture. Tim possesses all of these qualifications and is in a position to provide a level of understanding of Russia that you will find very difficult to obtain elsewhere. On the show, Tim shares: What Russia was like in 1991 and the transition it underwent in a short period of time – Tim share some great stories from that time; Differences between Western and Russian culture; What brought him back to Russia in 2007; Comparisons between life in the country in the early 1990s and now; What Russians generally think about: Vladimir Putin The USA and Donald Trump Myths and misconceptions about Russia; The future of Russia-US relations; Russia’s relationship with the EU and China Loads more! Tim is very knowledgeable and is a great guy. I am very grateful for his appearance on All Things Risk and I am sure that after listening, you will too.  Show notes: Control Risks – controlrisks.com Tim on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timstanleycontrolrisk/ Article by Tim “Moscow Then and Now” - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/moscow-now-tim-stanley Sam Harris and Garry Kasparov, “The Putin Question” - https://www.samharris.org/podcast/item/the-putin-question Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, Ep. 59 “The Destroyer of Worlds” - http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-59-the-destroyer-of-worlds/ _______ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: www.allthingsrisk.co.uk – and find all episodes and ways to subscribe

Today, I have the honour of bringing you the youngest guest I have had so far on All Things Risk – but you perhaps wouldn’t know that from speaking to him.  Meet 18-year old Souleyman Bah (remember that name!).  Souleyman is a sprinter on Team GB (Great Britain)’s paralympic team. In 2015, he gold in the 100 metres at the Paralympic School Games in Rio – a junior paralympic games.  He is currently training for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. However, there is more to Souleyman than sprinting. He as born in Guinea (Conakry) in West Africa – one of the poorest counties on earth. At a young age, it was clear that he had a problem with his vision but because of a lack of facilities in the country, no diagnosis was possible. Souleyman’s parents decided to move to Britain so that their son could get proper diagnosis and treatment. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa – a type of severe “tunnel vision” that degenerates over time. Souleyman has this in one eye and is completely blind in the other. Souleyman’s has a very profound, mature and inspiring attitude towards life and it comes through in this conversation.  He has a great You Tube channel, has participated in a BBC 3 show about visual impairment and has inspired many people. We have a wide-ranging conversation that covers: Souleyman’s background, moving to the UK and adjusting to life here; Language and how that affects how one thinks; Visual impairment – and what not to say to a blind person!; Running and elite training; Success, performance and the flow state; Process versus outcome goals; Overcoming injuries; Risk and resilience; Transhumanism and philosophy; Sport and its role in helping young people’s lives; The millennial generation Lots more! Show notes: Souleyman on You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/user/Soulbah1 On Twitter – https://twitter.com/KingSoulGB On Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kingsoulgb/ On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/souleymanb1 Souleyman BBC interview  – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctZhWiJ63_I Souleyman’s gold medal performance at the 2015 Paralympic School Games - http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/partially-blind-london-teen-wins-gold-at-paralympic-school-games-a3131211.html BBC 3 show “Things not to say…” - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL64ScZt2I7wGxZlXAu0r0UPqpvzF23mgc Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10959.Sophie_s_World?ac=1&from_search=true Simon Sinek on millennials - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU _______ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: www.allthingsrisk.co.uk – and find all episodes and ways to subscribe

We now live in a "post-truth" world where objective facts are seemingly less relevant than personal emotions and beliefs.  What does this mean for the concepts of "gut feel" and critical thinking? Are these two concepts at odds with one another?  I explore this question in this in-betweenisode. Show notes: Post-truth: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/word-of-the-year/word-of-the-year-2016  The All Things Risk Podcast Ep. 11 with Anna Glover The All Things Risk Podcast Ep. 28 with Kayt Sukel Critical Thinking "Cheat Sheet" - https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/critical-thinking-skills-cheatsheet-infographic  Article - Can We Think Critically Anymore?  Quote by Nick Hornby on gut feelings Archilochus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archilochus  __________ Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: allthingsrisk.co.uk– and find all episodes and ways to subscribe

What’s the formula or recipe for making a living as a “One Man Variety Show” in which you travel the world and connect with audiences? Well, there isn’t one. The probability of following someone else’s exact journey is infinitesimally small.  However, there is a formula for creating a path that is your own and which leads to fulfilment and success. The first step is to “just go”.   Meet Chris Ruggiero.  Chris is an entertainer, author and podcaster.  He has travelled throughout the USA and internationally doing his “one man variety show” which involved juggling fire, throwing knives, and connecting with all types of audiences. Chris has appeared on the Ellen De Generes Show (a highly popular show in the USA) and has written a book called Just Go: Adventures of a Travelling Entertainer and a Guide to Living Your Dream.  Chris is fun and interesting and he joins me on Episode 39 in which we cover: Chris’ background, getting into entertainment and starting his travelling variety show; Connecting with audiences; Professionalism versus amateurism; Honing your craft; Risk and risk-taking; What he means by “just go”; Entertainment and fame in the digital era; Success and chasing dreams Show notes: Chris’ website - http://www.chrisruggiero.com/ Chris on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chrisruggiero Chris on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/chrisruggiero Chris on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/onemanvariety/ Chris on Twitter - https://twitter.com/onemanvariety Chris’ book Just Go: Adventures Of A Traveling Entertainer And A Guide To Living Your Dream Chris’ podcast “Between Dreams” - http://www.chrisruggiero.com/podcast You Tube Channel – “It’s Alex Clark” - https://www.youtube.com/user/itsalexclark Larry Benet - http://www.larrybenet.com/ Chase Jarvis - http://www.chasejarvis.com/ Gary Vaynerchuk - https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/ The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13588394-the-signal-and-the-noise?from_search=true The Long Tail by Chris Anderson - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2467566.The_Long_Tail?from_search=true Did you like what you heard? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media: Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on: iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast Subscribe on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ben-cattaneo Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com Visit: www.allthingsrisk.co.uk – and find all episodes and ways to subscribe