The Human Risk Podcast

On this episode, I explore the concept of denial; something we know is bad on an individual level. But what happens when denial takes place on an industrial scale? That's literally what my guest on this episode Barbara Freese, explores in her new book Industrial Strength Denial.Barbara is an environmental attorney who explores some high profile cases of where corporations have done things that are harmful. Yet faced with proof that they are hurting people or the planet, they deny evidence, blame the victims, complain of witch hunts, attack their critics’ motives, and otherwise rationalize their harmful activities. Denial campaigns have let corporations continue dangerous practices that cause widespread suffering, death, and environmental destruction. And, as Barbara goes on to explore, the fact that they undermine social trust in science and government, means that corporate denial has made it harder for our democracy to function.During our discussion we explore some fo the stories Barbara has researched and written about and look at some of the underlying dynamics; what drives these organisations to denial and what can we do to solve the problem?You can find out more about Barbara's book here: https://www.barbarafreese.com/industrialstrength-denial

How can we use creativity to solve complex business problems?That's what Kelly Peters, my guest on this episode does.Kelly is the CEO and co-founder of BEWorks, a purpose-driven company whose goal is to transform society and the economy through scientific thinking. In simple terms, to use behavioral science to get better business outcomes. BEWorks supports Fortune 100 companies and governments to solve strategic challenges, through creative thinking.On the show, we talk about how Kelly came to set up the company, the kinds of problems they help solve and how they go about it. We also explore the impact COVID is having on business and business models. During our discussion, we talk about:Dan Ariely - https://danariely.com/VCRs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videocassette_recorderDVDs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVDFor more on BEWorks visit their website: www.beworks.com. You'll find Kelly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellybeworks

Why do things often not turn out the way we planned them? That's what my guest, Paul Orlando is interested in discovering. In his blog 👉https://unintendedconsequenc.es/ Paul explores Unintended Consequences and what he calls Second-Order Thinking.In other words, a failure to think about the second-order implications of events. Looking at topics as wide-ranging as autonomous vehicles and shoplifting, Paul explores this key aspect of failure in human decision-making. On this episode, we dive into Paul's interest in Unintended Consequences and explore some of the key things he's discovered in his research.As you'll discover, Paul is thoughtful, thought-proking and brings some wonderful insights.

"Why Can't We All Just Get Along?" is a question that we've probably all asked at some point in recent times. And it's one that my guest on this episode, Iain Dale, seeks to answer in his brand new book which has that as its title.Iain is an award-winning radio presenter on the UK station LBC (www.lbc.co.uk). He's had a fascinating career, as a political candidate, a publisher and a host of other things. In our discussion, we talk about Iain's experiences on radio and what that's taught him about people and how they think. He's got some wonderful stories, which he tells with warmth and in an engagingly self-deprecating style. In his book, which is part autobiographical, part explorative, Iain covers a number of topics relating to Human Risk, and we talk about many of them on the show.Listener warning: one of the topics we talk about, is the words that you're not allowed to say on UK radio. But you can say them on a podcast. So we do. If you're easily offended, then be warned.Iain's book is out now published by Harper Collins and is available through all good independent bookshops. You can also order signed copies directly from him at https://bit.ly/3iV5FV6You can find out more about him on his website.https://www.iaindale.com/For Iain's LBC radio show, which is on 7pm - 10pm UK time Monday to Thursday and 10am - 12pm Sunday, visit www.lbc.co.uk

What would you do if someone made false allegations online about your home city? Would you go into battle on social media? You would if you're my guest on this episode. Dan Kaszeta was so annoyed by the suggestions that his adopted city of London had 'no go' zones, that he disproved it and then took on others who, with no basis, suggested he was wrong. Dan isn't just an internet troll hunter, he's also a world expert in nerve agents, which form the subject of his latest book.I like having an eclectic mix of guests on the show and Dan is precisely that. Learn about his background working in the highest level of the US government and his various and varying areas of expertise. The newspaper article that featured Dan's tweet on the (not a) 'No Go Zone' of Tower Hamlets is here: https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/fearless-security-expert-risks-life-venturing-london-sharia-no-go-zone-7288616/You can find him on Twitter @dankaszetaTo read Dan's amazing biography visit: http://strongpointsecurity.co.uk/about/staff-bio/For more on his book Toxic visit his website: http://strongpointsecurity.co.uk/toxic/In the episode, Dan compares himself to Fred Dibnah. For the uninitiated, here's who Fred was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Dibnah

In industries where human error can be the difference between life & death, how can we manage Human Risk?The answer is Human Factors, a specialism that blends Behavioural Science & Psychology into operating processes, to ensure that Human Risk is mitigated by design. My guest on this episode Neil Clark, is the founder of IHF - Integrated Human Factors. He came to my attention because of this project that he was working on in Edinburgh: https://www.insider.co.uk/special-reports/how-fighter-pilot-technology-best-22083132Having invited him on to talk about that, we ended up having a fascinating conversation about Neil’s background and his work in a number of areas.You can find out more about Neil’s company on their website - www.ihf.co.uk which also contains some really interesting case studies.

You’ve heard of Zoom Fatigue. But what about Zoom Trauma? It sounds extreme, but an article by my guest on this episode Hanna Thomas Uose suggests that this is precisely what we’re experiencing. I was so intrigued by what she had to say, that I invited Hanna onto the show to talk about it. In our discussion, we explore why she thinks that and what we can begin to improve things. We discuss why Zoom (and other video channels) are so traumatic and what thoughts Hanna has about how we can begin to solve the problem. She’s got some great ideas about how social media and the creative arts can help.I’m a keen advocate for what Hanna is proposing and I’ll be following it as part of my Human Risk and Compliance Media Toolkit projects.The original article that prompted this discussion is: https://blog.usejournal.com/the-trauma-of-zoom-bb3609aa41b2To find out more about Hanna’s work visit her website here: https://www.wealign.net/about-usShe’s also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hannathomas?lang=enWe also referred to:A video featuring Professor Robert Kelly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4f9AYRCZYThe Meeting Owl https://www.owllabs.com/meeting-owlSarah Cooper https://twitter.com/sarahcprFor more on the Compliance Media Toolkit, a guide to having better virtual experiences which is targeted at Compliance staff, but available for free to anyone and relevant regardless of your role, sign up here: https://bit.ly/31zALKyFor more Human Risk related content, follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/humanriskblog and subscribe to the Human Risk newsletter here: https://bit.ly/2DpUjcF

As the risks of failing to comply with regulations & ethical standards increase, how can we ensure that employees do what we want them to? This question underpins my whole Human Risk mission; if we see it as an exercise in rule-making, we're likely to deliver frameworks that look good on paper, but fail to understand the underlying human components of what makes people do the things we don't want them to in the first place.I'm a proponent of "Bringing Science to Compliance". As is my guest. Todd Haugh is an Assistant Professor at Indiana University, specialising in LEAD: Law, Ethics & Decision-Making". So, in my books, he's an Assistant Professor of Human Risk. In our discussion, we explore Todd's research and what he's learned about managing the risks posed by people.You can find out more about Todd and his research here here:https://kelley.iu.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/profile.cshtml?id=THAUGH

What can we learn about Human Risk from Football? Or Soccer for my US listeners?On this episode, I speak with Raphael Honigstein. Rapha is a sports journalist who covers football (soccer for US listeners) for several media outlets including The Athletic & BT Sport. In our broad-ranging talk, we explore the Human Risk dynamics of a sport where psychology is a prime factor. In our discussion, I firstly ask Rapha about his passion for the game and how he became a sports journalist. Then we explore a range of different aspects of the game that have a Human Risk angle. How some teams have bent the rules to allow external investors (something that German football has fought hard to prevent for reasons we explain) and why some Managers can extract far better performances from their team than others. We also talk about what the introduction of video assistant referees, a video replay system designed to eliminate human error on the part of referees has meant (and why it seems to have worked much better in Germany than England). And we explore why football players command such high transfer fees and the varied implications of Coronavirus on the game. To find Rapha's writing in The Athletic use this link. A free trial is available: https://theathletic.co.uk/author/raphael-honigstein/Rapha's podcast Steilcast, is also produced by The Athletic and is available on all good platforms. Link here: https://theathletic.com/podcast/163-steilcast/You can find his books on Jürgen Klopp, the rebirth of German football & a German view of English football here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/1050718/raphael-honigstein.htmlBelow you'll find links to the stories we discuss so that you can explore them further if you're interested:The re-opening of the Bundesliga: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/sports/soccer/bundesliga-rory-smith.htmlHome advantage without spectators?https://www.espn.co.uk/football/german-bundesliga/story/4107639/bundesliga-suggests-home-advantage-a-thing-of-the-past-in-empty-stadiumsThe measures the Bundesliga clubs have gone to ensure quarantine:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8311531/Wolfsburg-staying-expensive-quarantine-hotel-Bundesliga-side.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/soccer-is-back-in-germany-but-can-the-season-stay-fair/2020/05/23/e7204f04-9ab9-11ea-ad79-eef7cd734641_story.htmlSoloman Kalou incident at Hertha Berlinhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8284991/Former-Chelsea-striker-Salomon-Kalou-seen-making-mockery-coronavirus-hygiene-rules.htmlHeiko Herrlich toothpaste incidenthttps://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/may/14/augsburg-head-coach-to-miss-bundesliga-restart-after-breaking-quarantine-for-toothpasteDynamo Dresden caseshttps://www.dw.com/en/bundesliga-setback-dynamo-dresden-in-covid-19-quarantine/av-53385526Fan Scenes in Paris prior to Lockdownhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/51845054German football fans protest against ownershttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51800444German football ownership ruleshttps://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/german-soccer-rules-50-1-fifty-plus-one-explained-466583.jspThe story of Hoffenheimhttps://bleacherreport.com/articles/49413-hoffenheim-the-fairytale-football-club#Bundesliga Club Financeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/manuelveth/2020/04/06/13-of-36-bundesliga-clubs-face-financial-problems-bayern-munich-resumes-practice/#5e2bb51169a7The Controversy around Video Assistant Refereeshttps://www.besoccer.com/new/fifa-prepares-plan-to-reduce-controversy-with-var-8576342020 Champion's League changeshttps://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025f-0fd4721b794e-bfa28091239f-1000--changes-for-this-season/How Hansi Flick replaced Niko Kovac as FC Bayern Manager https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8432329/Hansi-Flicks-calm-head-simple-approach-turned-Bayern-Municj-superpower.htmlThe story of Jürgen Klinsmann at Hertha Berlinhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/11/jurgen-klinsmann-resigns-as-hertha-berlin-manager-after-10-weeks

What can we learn about Human Risk from industries, like aviation, where the consequences of errors are matters of life & death.That's a question my guest this time, Andrew Blackie, is more than qualified to answer. He's an independent Safety and Human Factors consultant at Abris Consulting Ltd (http://www.abris.co.uk/). Abris takes aviation safety investigation techniques and applies them to help build operational excellence in the wider safety critical community. Andrew was a Senior Inspector (Operations) at the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch conducting almost 50 major field investigations, numerous minor investigations and acting as the United Kingdom state representative on investigations conducted by foreign states.With 20 years of aviation experience, Andrew has commercially operated types as varied as the DC-3, the Lockheed Electra and the Citation II for a Formula 1 racing team. He joined the AAIB from DHL Air where he had been a Captain and CRMi on the Boeing 757.Andrew has a Masters degree in "Safety and Accident Investigation" and is accredited by the European Association for Aviation Psychology as a Human Factors Specialist.So super well qualified! In our discussion, we explore some fo the principles used in Aviation and how they can be applied in other scenarios. Plus, learn why recent incidents like this (https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airport-hangar-foam-covered-discharge-los-angeles-lax-delta-a9427606.html) are far more severe than they might look.During our discussion, Andrew referenced a research paper by Clewley & Nixon which you'll find here: https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1826/14680/Understanding_pilot_response_to_flight_safety-2019.pdf?sequence=4You can follow Andrew on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BlackieAndrew.