The Human Risk Podcast Human Risk

What goes into human decision-making? If you listened to the previous episode of the show with Dr Melina Moleskis on decision-making, then you’ll know what’s coming next.   If you didn’t, then don’t worry; you can listen to that after this.

My guest on this episode is Ben Cattaneo, a friend of the show and the founder of The Decision-Making Studio, a startup that helps clients to make better decisions. 

In our discussion, we pick up some of the themes I discussed with Melina and explore others. Since Ben’s background is in risk — he hosts the All Things Risk podcast — we explore how, in an uncertain world, making good decisions is critical. 

On the episode, you'll hear about: 
Ben's experiences of founding The Decision Making Studio;

the importance of integrating human elements into decision-making processes;

the FOCUS framework for improving decision quality;

the need to blend art and science in making decisions;

the flaws in classic MBA case studies for teaching decision-making and the benefits of looking at less-known examples for deeper insights;

the need to shift towards embracing uncertainty as a natural part of decision-making;

the complexity and importance of decision-making in both personal and organizational contexts.and much more.

Resources
Part One of this series with Dr Melina Moleskis on Decision-Making: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/dr-melina-moleskis-on-decision-making-part-one/

 Blockbuster Netflix story: https://finshots.in/archive/the-incredible-netflix-story-you-didnt-know/

Comedian Des Bishop on Mindfulness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU_wLC0NlgU

James Clear on Tattoos, Haircuts & Hats: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/february-1-2024

You can find Ben via his Decision Making Studio website: https://thedecisionmaking.studio/

Ben’s All Things Risk podcast is available on all platforms and here:  https://www.allthingsrisk.co.uk/

The episode of his show featuring Paula Reid who cycled across Ukraine: https://www.allthingsrisk.co.uk/2024/04/02/ep-215-paula-reid-on-cycling-across-ukraine/ 

The Decision-Making Studio https://thedecisionmaking.studio/

Ben’s Decision Reaction Videos are available via his account on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cattaneo/

The specific episodes he refers to on the show: 
Mark Gilmour’s race in Morocco: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ben-cattaneo_decisionmaking-decisionreactions-activity-7183537246388518912-jBQR?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

The movie ‘Gung Ho’: a...

What is decision science, and how can it help us to make better decisions?

On this episode, I'm joined by decision-making expert Dr Melina Moleskis, who explains how she combines decision science and behavioural science to help her clients make better decisions.

In a wide-ranging discussion, we explore:
how decision-making education is often overlooked in schools and businesses;

why decisions are swayed by various behavioural factors and how we can recognise them;

the power of AI to help provide alternative perspectives and aid decision-making;

the importance of judging decisions by process, not outcome;

why we should celebrate and learn from failure;

the importance of practising decision-making

and much, much more.

Resources
To find out more about Melina, her company Meta Decisions and her wonderful newsletter: https://www.meta-decisions.com/

Melina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinamoleskis/

My post on British Airways' 'Mistake of the Month' policy: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/humanrisk_ethics-compliance-speakup-activity-7151475397551902720-j3OW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

What is it that makes a job enjoyable and fulfilling?  While you’re likely to have your own very individual answers to that question, chances are it’ll be to do with what you’re required to do, how much freedom you have, whether you think it’s worthwhile and how well it plays to your skillsets and interests.
 
Yet, all too often, companies focus more on profit and less on creating environments that truly allow people to flourish. My guest on this episode, Philippa White, thinks things can be done differently.
 
She’s the founder of TIE Leadership and the author of a brand new book, Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the world. In her work and in her book, she argues that it’s possible and desirable to chart a new course—one that recognizes our shared humanity as the ultimate driver of innovation, resilience, and satisfaction in the workplace. If that sounds idealistic, it is, but it’s also realistic.

In our discussion, we explore:
Philippa's career and what led her to do what she does now, including a fascinating story about a member of her own family;How experiential learning can help people to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses;The TIE leadership approach and the benefits this brings;Why leadership that focuses on humans over profits is more sustainable and will yield better results;

And much, much more.Links
To discover more about Phillippa, TIE Leadership, and her book 'Return on Humanity': www.tieleadership.com


To hear her TIE Unearthed podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tie-unearthed/id1521035846  

Ernesto Soroli's TED Talk on the Italians and the Zambian Hippos: https://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen?language=en

Why do we lie and cheat and why might it not always be a bad thing?

On this episode, I’m speaking to a research professor who has studied lying and cheating in the natural world and what we can learn about it in the human world.   

My guest, Dr Lixing Sun is a Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Central Washington University. While his research focuses on biology, his interests are in connecting behaviour, evolution, psychology, and economics. 
 
In his latest book, The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars, Lixing explores how nature is rife with cheating and, perhaps surprisingly, how dishonesty has given rise to diversity.
By exploring how everything from microscopic organisms to highly intelligent birds and mammals engage in lying and deception he explains how cheating in nature relies on basic rules which also apply to humans.
 
In his book and in our discussion, Lixing explains the prevalence of cheating in human society and identifies the kinds of cheating that spur innovation and cultural vitality and lays down a blueprint for combatting malicious cheating such as fake news and disinformation.
 
Resources
Lixing’s faculty page: https://www.cwu.edu/academics/biology/directory/lixing-sun.php
 
Lixing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lixing-sun-7ba5067/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LSun5 

His book ‘The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars’: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691198606/the-liars-of-nature-and-the-nature-of-liars 

The Psychology Today article he referred to on the show:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/lies-and-deception/202311/how-to-outsmart-yourself

What prompted a courageous former employee of Harvey Weinstein to break her Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)?
 
On this episode I'm speaking to a campaigner who came to prominence as the individual who broke the silence surrounding the misconduct of Harvey Weinstein. Formerly an assistant to Weinstein, Zelda Perkins made headlines when she came forward with allegations of sexual harassment against him.
 
In the late 1990s, she signed an NDA, as part of a settlement which for years prevented her from speaking out about her experiences. However, motivated by the emergence of other allegations against Weinstein and the rise of the MeToo campaign, Zelda chose to break her silence and speak publicly about her experiences and the culture of secrecy enabled by NDAs
. 
Her story has been pivotal in the global discussion about sexual harassment in the workplace, the misuse of power, and the legal and ethical implications of non-disclosure agreements. Zelda is the co founder of Can't Buy My Silence, a campaign group that is committed to end the misuse of NDAs to buy victims silence.
 
In our discussion, we discuss Zelda’s experiences, what motivated her to break the NDA, what drives her campaigning, and what it’s like to be at the heart of a new story.
 
You'll hear about the stresses and strains and her experience of something that nothing can really prepare you for. It's one of the most revealing discussions I've ever had on this show, with insights that are relevant to whistleblowing, transparency, campaigning, and the way organizations and society treat those who dare to speak up about injustice or wrongdoing.
 
Links

Zelda on Twitter/X

The Can’t Buy My Silence campaign, including resources for those being asked to sign NDAs or who are already subject to them.

The FT article Zelda mentions in our discussion: https://www.ft.com/content/1dc8a8ae-b7e0-11e7-8c12-5661783e5589
 
The NYTimes article Zelda refers to: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html
 
An interview Zelda gave to The Guardian newspaper: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/zelda-perkins-there-will-always-be-men-like-weinstein-all-i-can-do-is-try-to-change-the-system-that-enables-them

How, in a world of limited resources, can we prioritise risk? Which ones should we focus on more than others?

This isn't just something we need to think about in a work context.  It also applies to our personal lives; where should we spend our money, time and headspace?

My guest is a friend of the show who has appeared four times before (links below).

Professor Magda Osman is a Professor of Basic & Applied Decision-Making at Leeds Business School. She's a psychologist by training, with a specific interest in decision-making under risk and uncertainty, folk beliefs in the unconscious, as well as an interest in examining the effectiveness of methods of behavioural change.

In our discussion, we explore:
why we need to prioritise risk and the challenges of doing so;

the benefits of group wisdom, and the reasons we might not always find it;

the risks posed by a need to drive for consensus;

how social dynamics influence decision-making;the power of cognitive diversity and much, much more.


To find out more about Magda, her research and her work, visit her website.  You can also find her on LinkedIn.

To hear previous episodes of the show featuring Magda (in the order they were recorded):

'On Behavioural Interventions that Fail' 

'On Unconscious Bias - what is it & can we train people to not display it?'

'On Compliance, Coercion & Competence'

'On Misinformation'