How can lying earn you millions? If you’re an actor and good at impersonating people, then the answer is that you become a corporate spy. That’s the unexpected career path followed by my guest Robert Kerbeck, whose memoir ‘Ruse: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street!’ tells the story of how it happened. And on this episode, he joins me to talk about some of the behavioural dynamics behind his fascinating life.Robert didn’t grow up wanting to become a spy. He just wanted out of the family car business. An Ivy League education in his back pocket, he had a more noble profession in mind—to be an actor. But to support himself, he needed a survival job. And before he knew it, while his acting peers were waiting tables, he was beginning his apprenticeship as a corporate spy. In our discussion, we explore:The world of corporate espionage and the common nature of the activity is;The techniques used by Robert to gain access to privileged information, including 'ruse calls’ and social engineering;How the growth of compliance functions played a role in Robert’s infiltration strategies;The methods Robert used to gain trust and information as a researcher;The very human reason that drove Robert to give up his role as a spy;The challenges posed by AI and deep-fake technology;What organisations and individuals can do to protect themsevels from ruse callsand much, much more.To find out more about Robert and 'Ruse: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street!’ visit www.robertkerbeck.com

Why can senior leaders — usually in post as a result of experience and expertise — often make mistakes? The answer might seem counterintuitive; it’s precisely because of their experience and expertise that this can happen. How that happens and what we can do to mitigate it, the subject of this epsiode. My guest is Dr Constance Dierickx, who is also known as the Decision Doctor. She’s also the authr of a new book called ‘Meta Leadership: How To See What Others Don’t And Make Great Decisions’. In her book and her work, Constance explores how congitive biases can impact sneior leader decision-making and what they can do to mitigate this.What applies to senior leaders also applies to the trest of us.. Discussion topics In our discussion, we explore:Constance’s career and interest in the field of decision-making, including how she became known as The Decision Doctor and the work that she does with Senior Leaders;How meta-analysis and metacognition and how they can be used to help leaders make better decisions;The role of our default thinking patterns and instincts in making decisions and how our past experience shapes how we perceive the importance of new information;The significance of empathy in shaping decision-making skills; andHow tensions and differences in perspective between senior management and boards can impact decision-makingResources For more information on Constance, her work and books, visit https://constancedierickx.com/. There you’ll also find a free meta-leadership self-assessment.To read her HBR article entitled ‘What-senior-executives-can-do-when-the-board-meddles’: https://hbr.org/2019/07/what-senior-executives-can-do-when-the-board-meddles

Sebastian Lees, an experienced software developer, talks about humanizing technology in software development. Topics include the concept of 'human OS,' balancing innovation and user comfort in software interfaces, affordance in software design, the impact of minor tweaks on efficiency, the influence of Nassim Taleb's ideas, hidden risks in software systems, and the importance of challenging orthodox ways of thinking.

What is trickle-down safety? On this episode, I’m finding out with two safety specialists who help me to explroe what it means and why it’s relevant to other fields. By safety, I mean the kind that saves people’s lives on building sites,not the cyber kind.My guests are James MacPherson and Elisa Lynch.James is a safety professional who works across multiple industries, including manufacturing and construction. He operates his own consultancy called Risk Fluent and also runs an app called Risk Assessor. Additionally, he manages a community for safety people and hosts a podcast named Rebranding Safety His work revolves around safety and risk management, and he is passionate about discussing and challenging the current safety standards and practices in businesses.Find James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmacpherson1/Elisa is also a safety professional with about a decade's experience, predominantly in construction safety. She is based in West Cork, Ireland. She co-hosts a podcast called Speak! , where she and her co-host Crystal Danbury discuss various safety-related topics. As you'll hear on the show, Elisa is credited with coining the term 'trickle down safety', a concept that compares how safety standards and regulations from larger companies can impose burdensome requirements on small businesses. She is an advocate for creating safety standards that are more fitting and less stressful for small businesses.Find Elisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisalynch/The podcast on which I first heard James talk about 'Trickle Down Safety' was the Slice podcast which you'll find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRwjFV3YhCwShow contentsOn the show, we explore topics that include:'Trickle down safety' concept and its impact on small businessesThe pressure and stress imposed by larger companies on smaller businesses through burdensome safety standards and regulationsThe disproportionate effects of health and safety regulations on different businessesThe ineffectiveness of one-size-fits-all approaches in safety regulationsThe concept of 'productive procrastination' and its impact on problem-solving in small businessesBarriers in academic research accessibility due to paywalls nad how social media can help break these downRisk and safety challenges faced by businesses due to bureaucratic issuesRisk management and societal acceptance of risk levels in various industriesChallenges and frustrations encountered in safety training within businesses.

What we can learn about customer service and being more human from the fire service?On this episode, I’m speaking with David Wales, who used to work in the fire and rescue service and has now switched to focus on product design and customer service.In his role in the fire and rescue service, David wanted to understand why people didn’t always do the things that they were told. For example, rushing into dangerous situations to rescue pets or laptops. What this reinforced is something that we all intuitively know; there’s a gap between the theory of what people should do and the realities of what they actually do. That means the advice people receive is often not helpful for the realities they’re facing. What makes sense to the fire service, in theory, might not match the realities of people’s personal experiences. That led him to a career in looking at customer experience, where the human touch is equally important.On the episode, we explore:David’s career from being a firefighter to understanding the human touch in product design and customer service;how human behaviour plays a vital role in crisis situations and the importance of tailoring safety messages to individual circumstances;risk communication and the importance of personalisation in organisations;how emotions significantly influence customer experiences and the challenges in achieving customer-centricity;the difficulties faced by organisations in achieving customer-centricity;how companies often choose solutions for us, not with us, creating an impersonal system, and how a change of focus could lead to a more pleasant customer experience.Links to topics we discussed:The Edelmann Trust Barometer: https://www.edelman.com/trust/trust-barometer Elton John’s donation of a piano to St Pancras Station in London: https://stpancras.com/news-events/sir-elton-john-s-piano John Legend playing the piano at St Pancras: https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/john-legend-surprises-londoners-with-impromptu-performance-at-st-pancras-a3501956.html Find David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidatsharedaim/Shared Aim, David’s company: https://www.sharedaim.co.uk/

BBC News presenter and Analysis Editor, Ros Atkins, discusses the art of explanation and his new book. They explore the importance of explanation, techniques for engaging videos, generating ideas, and lessons on better communication.

What is livescribing? On this episode, I speak to an artist with a unique creative talent. Hannah Williams is the founder of Scribble Inc. and her talent is that she can summarise presentations and discussions in beautiful pieces of art that fuse words and images. You'll find links to examples below.I met Hannah at a conference called Speak to the Human, an annual event, organised by Acteon Communication. You can read more about it here.Hannah livescribed all the presentations and sessions that day, including mine. You can see a video of her in action here and the live scribe of my presentation here:The reason I wanted to get Hannah onto the show is because she has some fascinating perspectives from having spent hours observing humans and summarising their thoughts and ideas. Her lens on people can teach us a lot about human risk. In our discussion, we explore:how Hannah came to become a livescribe after realising she had a talent for it;the role of live scribing in facilitating personal expression, fostering inclusion, and promoting understanding;how restrictions can enhance creativity, and how, counterintuitively, controlling the environment can stimulate creative flow;Hannah’s transitioned from being an artist to entrepreneur and how she balances her business decisions with personal values;the power of visual representation in communicating energy facilitating self-reflection and impriving our memory;and much, much more.You can find out more about Hannah and Scribble Inc and see examples of her work on the Scribble Inc website.

Why are we so reliant on models, how can they lead us astray, and what can we do about it?On this episode, I’m exploring models. Of the mathematical kind, not the fashion or toy kind. Models interest me because so much of our world is run by them. Many of the things we take for granted in the 21st century have models either running or helping to run them. When they work well, they enable things to happen that wouldn’t otherwise. But when they go wrong – as we’ve seen in the banking industry — there are serious consequences. The Human Risk angle on models is that models are designed, commissioned and used by people. As we know from people who blindly follow their GPS unit and drive into a river, we can often assume the models must be right. But what’s right in theory might not be in practice. The real world is often complex, and models don’t always capture nuances.My guest is Dr. Erica Thompson. She’s the author of a fascinating book called ‘Escape from Model land: How mathematical models can lead us astray and what we can do about it’. Erica is an Associate Professor of Modelling for Decision Making at University College Londons ’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy. She’s also a Fellow of the London Mathematical Laboratory, where she leads the research programme on Inference from Models, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the LSE Data Science Institute. So, she’s very highly qualified to help us explore what models are, why they can go wrong and what we can do about it.On the show, we talk about:the use of models in decision-making across various contexts such as climate, insurance, finance, and economic risk assessment';the limitations and complexities of models, particularly when predicting the physical impacts of climate change over the 21st century;the importance of understanding and acknowledging the uncertainties and potential risks in manipulating models;the significance of diversity in models and the concept of maximizing model diversity for robust and accurate inference;the challenges of shifting to new models that can effectively represent different values and judgments and the difficulty in changing the system when vested interests and incentives are not aligned;the importance of trust and the need for experts to be deeply embedded within society and responsive to its values; andthe role of science in shaping our optimism and understanding of challenges and the need for a more nuanced viewpoint about science and society.To learn more about Erica, visit her personal website: https://www.ericathompson.co.uk/For more on her book 'Escape from Model Land', visit https://www.ericathompson.co.uk/books/To see episodes of the show you might have missed, visit www.humanriskpodcast.com

What can music teach us about human behaviour? What impact is remote and hybrid working having on employee conduct? How might we misjudge the risks posed by AI?If these seem like a broad range of topics that have little in common, then you’re right and wrong. You’re right that they’re broad, but you’re wrong that they have little in common. My guest, Dr. Roger Miles, is a friend of the show — he’s been on it before (links to those episodes below) — and they’re all relevant to his work and interests.Since I was recording at the world-famous Abbey Road studios in London, I thought having music fan and musician Roger in the studio would be a good idea. Not just to hear from him about music but also to catch up on what he’s been doing and hear his insights on current affairs and recent trends.For more about Roger, visit his website: https://www.drrmiles.com/aboutHis books: https://www.koganpage.com/authors/roger-milesTo hear the previous times Roger has been on the show: Roger on Conduct Risk: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/dr-roger-miles-on-conduct/Roger on Conduct Risk under COVID: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/human-risk-webinar-recording-conduct/During the show, we talk about:The Barclays Bank ‘OccupEye’ tracking software: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-18/barclays-puts-in-sensors-to-see-which-bankers-are-at-their-desksHannah Arendt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Arendt Professor Barry Rider: https://www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/people/barry-rider-obe-phd-lld The Center for Human Technology: https://www.humanetech.com/ The famous train accident in Paris where the train literally left the station; https://www.midnight-trains.com/post/the-railway-disaster-at-the-gare-montparnasse The VIP killed by the train he was there to launch: https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/from-the-archive-blog/2011/may/06/newspapers-national-newspapers2? The FInancial Markets Standards Board Behavioural Cluster Analysis: https://fmsb.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/BCA_v32_1.pdf ‘Metaphors We Live By’ by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphors_We_Live_By Diane Vaughan’s book on the Challenger disaster ‘The Challenger Launch Decision’ - https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo22781921.html The review of conduct in London’s Metropolitan Police Force: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cw9d1pgzlyvt The corporate violation tracker: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cw9d1pgzlyvt The British Post Office Scandal: https://www.postofficescandal.uk/ You can hear Nick Wallis talk about his book on the scandal on this show: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/nick-wallis-on-the-great-post-office-scandal/ ‘The Blunders of Our Governments’ by Anthony King and Ivor Crewe: https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/The-Blunders-of-Our-Governments/Anthony-King/9781780746180

How well do we really know those who are closest to us? That’s the question that is behind ‘The Wolf Hunt’, a new novel by Israeli author Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. She's my guest on this very special episode.In a first for the show, I’m interviewing the author of a piece of fiction. Ayelet isn’t just a writer. She’s also a clinical psychologist, which informs both her content and the way in which she writes her narratives.The Wolf Hunt is the story of a mother who begins to suspect her teenage son of committing a terrible crime. Lilach, the main protagonist, seems to have it all: a beautiful home in the heart of Silicon Valley, a community of other Israeli immigrants, a happy marriage and a close relationship with her teenage son, Adam. But when a local synagogue is brutally attacked, her shy, reclusive son is compelled to join a self-defence class taught by a former Israeli Special Forces officer. Then, a Black teenager dies at a house party, and rumours begin to circulate that Adam and his new friends might have been involved. As scrutiny begins to invade Lilach's peaceful home and her family’s stability is threatened, will her own fears be the greatest danger of all? It’s a fascinating and engaging storyline. And, as you’ll hear, it was inspired by a simple question Ayelet asked herself when she was dropping her daughter off at school. In our discussion, we explore: Ayelet's journey as a writer and what inspires her to write;the psychological themes that underpin her work and how her personal experiences, both as a psychologist but also as a mother and individual, shape her narratives;The particular experiences and stories she’s been told that led to The Wolf Hunt;How literature serves as a universal mirror reflecting our experiences and biasesAnd so much more.For more on The Wolf Hunt, visit https://pushkinpress.com/books/the-wolf-hunt/.It's available in all major bookstores.To read articles she's written for Time magazine: https://time.com/author/ayelet-gundar-goshen-2/Since this is the first fiction writer I've had on the show, let me know what you think about the idea of doing more of this type of interview. If you like it, should it be part of the main show or a separate one? If you don't, why not!