The Art of Deciding

Jeremy Vine is one the UK's most popular presenters. Millions of people tune in to hear him – and talk to him - on Channel 5 and BBC Radio 2 every day. He opens up about some of the many decisions he’s made during a nearly 40-year broadcasting career. What should he have done when John Prescott gave him an off-camera scoop at the 1995 Labour Conference (and what did he do)? How do he and his team decide what goes into his shows? Why did he decide that the next thing for him was writing a crime novel? And why did he really decide to do Strictly? Listen in as one of our most versatile and best-loved broadcasters lets us in on some of his innermost thought processes.Murder on Line One comes out 24 April 2025🕰️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction: "TV is squash. Radio is snooker."02:00 – Jeremy's manic morning routine and show preparation04:20 – The power of radio and its fiercely loyal audience07:10 – Relevance as a life force and decision-making in show content10:35 – Values vs. views: Navigating BBC impartiality13:00 – From Africa correspondent to Radio 2 host: Career pivots16:15 – The Prescott tape dilemma: Should it air or not?19:40 – What makes a good producer and working with unpredictable teams22:15 – Real stories that resonate: The hold-all campaign for children in care24:00 – Writing Murder on Air One: A novel rooted in personal experience26:40 – Strictly Come Dancing, punk bands, and letting your real self show28:30 – No retirement, only beginnings: Jeremy’s outlook on the futureReferencesBBC Radio 2 – Jeremy’s flagship show with 7M+ listenersChannel 5 – Current affairs show taking live callsNewsnight / Panorama / The Today Programme – Previous rolesJohn Prescott – A story of journalistic discretionMurder on Line One – Jeremy Vine's novel (Out April 24)Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman’s whodunnit seriesStrictly Come Dancing (2015) – Vine’s dance floor debutFind out more about Bruce here - https://www.brucewhitfield.com/This is a Podcart production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nuala Walsh, a behavioral scientist and author of 'Tune In: How to Make Smarter Decisions in a Noisy World,' dives into the complex world of decision-making. She reveals how even the most successful individuals are prone to over 200 cognitive biases that cloud judgment. The discussion includes her innovative Perimeters Framework to mitigate decision risk and examines real-world examples, from politics to business. Walsh emphasizes the importance of slowing down decisions and combating emotions and fear for better outcomes.

Cass Sunstein, a Harvard Law professor and co-author of the bestseller 'Nudge,' discusses the intricate balance between freedom of choice and behavioral influence. He explains how nudges can guide decisions in public policy and business, but warns of potential manipulation through dark patterns in marketing. Sunstein also highlights the impact of misinformation, detailing the illusory truth effect and emphasizing the importance of ethical decision-making in an era where repetition makes falsehoods believable.

The Booker Prize is the biggest literary award in the world. It can change lives and make careers. But who decides which is the best book? How do you take a collection of subjective opinions and choose a winner? Sara Collins is a prize-winning author, broadcaster, podcaster, former lawyer and, in 2024, was a Booker judge. She takes us inside the process – which starts with reading 156 books! – and reveals her own thoughts on Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, the eventual winner. Chapters:[02:10] Who decides who wins?[06:05] A lawyer’s turn to literature[10:30] The science behind judging art[14:20] The emotional toll of choosing a winner[18:15] Finding the right story[22:05] Advice for writers and decision-makers[25:00] Closing thoughts: the power of a well-made decisionKey Takeaways:There is no scientific process for judging art—subjectivity is inevitable.A fair judging process must create an open space for disagreement and discussion.Making difficult decisions means feeling the regret, but ultimately moving forward with confidence.The best stories are the ones that give you butterflies—you have to love what you write.Life is short—choose the path that truly excites and fulfils you.References & Mentions:Confessions of Franny Langton (Winner of the Costa First Novel Award) https://www.amazon.co.za/Confessions-Frannie-Langton-Novel/dp/0062851802The Booker Prize https://thebookerprizes.com/Orbital – The 2024 Booker Prize winner https://www.amazon.co.za/Orbital-Novel-Booker-Prize-Winner/dp/0802161545How to Write a Book with Elizabeth Day https://podcasts.apple.com/cd/podcast/introducing-how-to-write-a-book-episode-1-the-idea-part-1/id1407451189?i=1000662933815The Art of Deciding has been featured in The Guardian Podcast Newsletter, Podnews, The List, and the Podbible newsletter and more. Series Producer: Jayne Morgan of Podcart - https://www.podcart.co.uk/Bruce Whitfield is an award winning journalist, best-selling author and speaker https://www.brucewhitfield.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Purdy, co-founder of Beacon Thought Leadership and an economist, dives into AI's transformative role in decision-making. He raises thought-provoking questions about our reliance on technology—like whether we should be polite to our AI assistants. Purdy discusses the balance between machine precision and human judgment, stressing that ethical considerations must remain in our hands. He highlights the potential risks of job displacement and biases in AI, urging a mindful approach as we embrace advancements in technology.

In this enlightening discussion, Professor Robin Dunbar, an expert in evolutionary psychology, and Sam Rockey, a consultancy guru, unravel the complexities of group dynamics. They explore the ideal group sizes for effective decision-making and the concept of Dunbar's number, shedding light on the number of meaningful relationships one can maintain. Insights on fostering trust, the importance of connection in workplaces, and lessons from businesses like SAB Miller provide a roadmap to enhance collaboration. Who knew pubs could improve company culture?

“Be brilliant for ten minutes a day.” Is that enough? It’s worked for award-winning West End and Broadway producer, Colin Ingram who spends his life making multi-million-pound decisions about what audiences are going to like. Sometimes he’s right – his Back to the Future: The Musical is a smash hit. But sometimes he’s wrong – his Gone With The Wind crashed and burned. How does he get into people’s heads? What has he learned? What can we learn from him? "The only thing that doesn't lie is the box office." You’ve got to be realistic about whether something is actually working or not and make tough decisions – even if it’s your personal passion or your creative team promise they can save it. He talks us through the lessons he learned with his unsuccessful production of Gone With The Wind."Success is as hard as failure." There are pitfalls involved in big successes – especially if you’re young and inexperienced. It can cloud your vision and so interfere with your decision-making ."Be brilliant for 10 minutes a day." There are those moments that make all the difference. No one can be 100% all the time - so don’t put yourself under that kind of pressure. But if you can be inspired just for a short time each day, it can make the difference between success and failure.Chapters:(00:56) One of life's big pleasures is deciding to go to a show(02:42) Colin Ingram is one of the West End's most successful producers(06:08) Colin’s early days working for Cameron Macintosh(08:06) What decisions would you have made differently today versus the younger version of you(09:35) Colin’s process, considering a theatre production from conception to execution can take a decade(21:43) Making big decisions that are not always popular can be difficult(24:03) Be brilliant for 10 minutes a dayReferencesColin Ingram: https://coliningramltd.comBack to the Future: The Musical https://www.backtothefuturemusical.comGhost the Musical https://www.ghostthemusical.comBilly Elliot the Musical https://billyelliotthemusical.comCameron Mackintosh https://www.cameronmackintosh.com The Art of Deciding has been charting in the top 10, and featured in The Guardian Podcast Newsletter, Podnews, The List, and the Podbible newsletter, amongst others. The Art of Deciding is produced by Podcart - https://www.podcart.co.uk/Series Producer: Jayne Morgan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Year, new decisions to make? Here is a collection of the best pieces of decision-making advice from The Art of Deciding so far - all designed to make 2025 your year of making the right choices. More episodes coming soon.Bruce Whitfield is an award winning journalist, best-selling author and popular speaker. More here: www.brucewhitfield.comYou can also follow him on Linkedin and get links to all his latest projects on LinktreeThe Art of Deciding has been featured in The Guardian Podcast Newsletter, Podnews, The List, and the Podbible newsletter. It's produced by Podcart - https://www.podcart.co.uk/Series Producer: Jayne Morgan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Art of Deciding is just six episodes old and already having an impact. As we wrap up 2024, here are just some of the life-changing lessons we've learned so far. The Art of Deciding is back mid-January with more fascinating decision-makers.Bruce Whitfield is an award winning journalist, best-selling author and popular speaker. More here: www.brucewhitfield.comYou can also follow him on Linkedin and get links to all his latest projects on LinktreeThe Art of Deciding has been featured in The Guardian Podcast Newsletter, Podnews, The List, and the Podbible newsletter. It's produced by Podcart - https://www.podcart.co.uk/Series Producer: Jayne Morgan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 22 July 2011, Anders Behring Breivik blew up Norway’s government buildings. He then travelled 23 miles to the island of Utoya where, posing as a policeman, he shot everyone he saw.  By the end of the day 77 people were dead – 38 of them under the age of 20. Breivik was immediately taken into custody - but was threatening that this was just the beginning of an even bigger killing spree. Police Superintendent Asbjorn Raschlew was appointed to lead the interrogation of one of the deadliest individual mass murderers the world has ever seen.  The science of decision-making was at the heart of his questioning.He explains: - The importance of questioning biases and the revolutionary shift in interrogation techniques that Norway adopted following the attack. The move away from confession-driven methods to a more research-based investigative interviewing technique, which focuses on gathering reliable information rather than forcing confessions. "We don't judge and we don't moralize."How the police had to navigate a complex web of emotions, public pressure, and the need for justice. The decision-making process was not just about determining guilt or innocence but about understanding the deeper motives behind the perpetrator's actions. This is where the concept of confirmation bias becomes crucial.The need to consider alternative explanations and question our initial beliefs.“Our minds are desperately looking for evidence to confirm our beliefs and opinions."We learn that the methodology used was designed to stimulate communication and ensure that suspects felt listened to and respected, regardless of their crimes. A stark contrast to the dramatized interrogations we often see in movies, it focuses on building rapport and gathering accurate information."Information is the lifeblood of the investigation." References:Asbjorn Rachlew’s book, A Guide to the Professional Interview https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Professional-Interview-Research-based-Methodology/dp/1785277987Asbjorn Rachlew TEDx Talk https://youtu.be/1H8Mcku6adA?si=d63cLq5RkGSqQEBAProfessor Gisli Gudjonsson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%ADsli_Gu%C3%B0j%C3%B3nssonThe extract from the court proceedings is taken from here.Bruce Whitfield is an award winning journalist, best-selling author and popular speaker. More here: www.brucewhitfield.comThe Art of Deciding has been featured in The Guardian Podcast Newsletter, Podnews, The List, and the Podbible newsletter. It's produced by Podcart - https://www.podcart.co.uk/Series Producer: Jayne Morgan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.