The Human Loop Podcast

Ben Stocken
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Management

The Human Loop explores what happens at the intersection of human performance and emerging technology. Each episode unpacks how modern leaders can operate at their best while AI transforms the way we work. Powered by Atherio | Lead with Clarity

  1. 5d ago

    Leadership Under Pressure: Saeed Bor Decision Sprint Breakdown

    What happens when a leader who topped the leaderboard breaks down their decision in real time? Saeed Bor, founder of Embedded Ops and 15 year recruitment veteran, scored 56% on his Decision Sprint, the highest score on the leaderboard at the time. This episode breaks down exactly why. Ben unpacks Saeed's approach to the Trust Card scenario, where someone respected and visible is crossing a line and about to be publicly recognized in five days. The breakdown reveals why his pause before answering mattered, how his values led conviction drove an 85% conviction score, and where he dropped points on operator density. Plus, the episode gets into what separates a strong decision from a complete one, why clarity of values translates to decision speed, and what it means to lead with authenticity even when it damages your standing. If you're working on your own decision making, leading through tough calls, or trying to understand what high performing leadership actually looks like under pressure, this breakdown is packed with insights you can apply immediately. Powered by Atherio, real time leadership wisdom for every manager — https://www.getatherio.com Connect with your host Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Leadership Under Pressure: Saeed Bor Decision Sprint Breakdown

  2. Jul 15

    Emotional Regulation in Leadership: Finding Calm in the Chaos: Scarlett Chorley

    What happens when a high-performing sales leader who thrives on clarity gets put under pressure with zero direction? Scarlett, an AI-powered influence marketing leader with over a decade of experience across estate agency, recruitment, and tech sales, takes on a live Decision Sprint and draws the Strategy Card. She gets into why psychological safety isn't about freedom, it's about clarity. Why emotional regulation matters more than experience when competitors make noise. And what she learned about leadership from going from hitting numbers to building partnerships with no playbook. Plus, the conversation unpacks why ambiguity creates distrust, how to lead when your board is forwarding you articles and your team is asking questions, and what it means to stay grounded when everyone around you is reacting. If you're leading through change, managing a team in a noisy market, or trying to stay calm when competitors are making moves, this one's packed with honest reflections you can apply immediately. Powered by Atherio, real-time leadership wisdom for every manager — https://www.getatherio.com Connect with your host Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Emotional Regulation in Leadership: Finding Calm in the Chaos: Scarlett Chorley

  3. Jul 8

    Making Tough Decisions Fast: Decision Sprint Breaking Down

    What happens when a leader who topped the leaderboard unpacks their decision-making process in real time? Ollie Whiting, Group CEO of La Fosse, a £200 million staffing and consulting business, scored 57% on his Decision Sprint, the highest score on the leaderboard at the time. This episode breaks down exactly why. More from Oli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverwhiting/ Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Making Tough Decisions Fast: Decision Sprint Breaking Down

  4. Jul 1

    Uncovering Leadership in the Manosphere: John Reynolds

    John Reynolds, founder of Titan Property Developments and host of Extraordinary Life Stories podcast, sits down for a conversation that goes deep on what it actually means to lead yourself before you lead anyone else. He gets into why leadership is less about experience and more about relationships, what he learned from scaling a £250 million property business before walking away, and how conducting an orchestra is a better metaphor for leadership than leading from the front. Plus, the conversation unpacks cold showers as resilience training, the cost of being present across business and family, why vulnerability is now a competitive advantage, and the non-negotiable everyone breaks: sleep. If you're leading a team, building a business, or just trying to stay human in a world moving faster than ever, this one's for you. More from John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnreynolds1/ Check out Extraordinary Life Stories: https://www.youtube.com/@johnreynoldsofficial/ Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Uncovering Leadership in the Manosphere: John Reynolds

  5. Jun 24

    How to Lead When You Don't Have All the Answers: Natalie Arendale

    Natalie Arendale, MBA, Enterprise Payments & Commercial Leader with 10+ years scaling fintech businesses across APAC and London, takes on a live Decision Sprint and draws the Strategy Card. She gets into what leading a team she'd never met through a global pandemic taught her about intentional leadership, why silence is the worst move when a competitor makes a move in market, and how to keep high-performance sales teams steady when they've already read the threat before you have. Plus, we break down her Decision Sprint score, strengths, watch outs, and leadership archetype in real time — and she tops the leaderboard at 68%. More from Natalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliearendale/ Powered by Atherio, real-time leadership wisdom for every manager — https://www.getatherio.com Connect with your host Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    How to Lead When You Don't Have All the Answers: Natalie Arendale

  6. Jun 17

    Unmanaged Complexity Kills Businesses Faster Than Lack of Ambition: Ollie Whiting

    Ollie Whiting, Group CEO of La Fosse , a £200 million staffing and consulting business, takes on a live Decision Sprint and draws the People Card. He also gets into what he's learned about leadership over the last five years, why employee ownership changes everything, the role of a meeting chair in surfacing real opinions, and why indecision is more dangerous than a wrong call. Plus, we break down his Decision Sprint score, strengths, watch outs, and leadership archetype in real time. More from Oli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverwhiting/ Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Unmanaged Complexity Kills Businesses Faster Than Lack of Ambition: Ollie Whiting

  7. Jun 10

    Why Great Culture Always Starts at the Top: Phil Hobden

    What Would You Do If You Knew Someone Was Crossing a Line? Phil Hobden, Head of Advocacy at Sage, takes on a live AI-powered leadership challenge — and draws the Trust Card. The scenario: a respected, visible colleague is crossing a line. A public recognition event is five days away. Do you say something? When? How? His answer unpacks difficult conversations, when to escalate, and why staying silent is always a choice. Phil also gets into what he looks for before joining any business, why culture beats product every time, and why a room full of yes-people is one of the biggest red flags in any organisation. More from Phil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philhobden/?originalSubdomain=uk Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Why Great Culture Always Starts at the Top: Phil Hobden

  8. Jun 3

    Indecision Is Worse Than Being Wrong: Saeed Bor

    What happens when a leader discovers someone is crossing a line and has five days before they're publicly recognized for their work? In this episode of The Human Loop Podcast, Saeed Bor, founder of Embedded Ops and 15-year recruitment veteran, takes on a live Decision Sprint that tests his values, speed, and leadership instincts under pressure. Plus, Saeed shares a real-world example of a leader handling a line-crossing moment with speed and conviction, and we unpack what it means to lead as a Catalyst. If you're building teams, managing change, or navigating tough calls as a founder or operator, this episode is packed with honest insights you can apply today. Chapters 00:00 Meet Saeed — Embedded Ops & 15 Years in Recruitment 03:37 The Lonely Founder Myth 05:00 Building Your Network as a Business Strategy 06:27 Why Human Connection Still Wins in an AI World 09:12 Getting Buy-In: Understanding What People Actually Want 11:30 Everyone's Selfish — And That's Okay 14:10 The Decision Sprint Begins 18:23 The Trust Card: Someone's Crossing a Line 19:16 Saeed's Answer — Values, Speed & Accountability 23:00 Can a Line Ever Be Un-Crossed? 25:27 A Real-World Example of Leaders Acting Fast 27:44 What If You're the Outside Consultant? 29:59 Indecision Is Worse Than a Wrong Decision 31:33 The Score Reveal & Leaderboard 32:00 Breaking Down the Scorecard 34:37 The Catalyst Archetype — What It Means to Lead This Way Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken

    Indecision Is Worse Than Being Wrong: Saeed Bor
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About

The Human Loop explores what happens at the intersection of human performance and emerging technology. Each episode unpacks how modern leaders can operate at their best while AI transforms the way we work. Powered by Atherio | Lead with Clarity

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Stocken
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ben Stocken
  • Show Website
    The Human Loop Podcast

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