Episodios

  • Freewheeling on Human Risk with Thomas Ableman

    Freewheeling on Human Risk with Thomas Ableman
    Jun 11 2026
    Why is it so hard to stop people playing vides, music or phone calls out loud on public transport — and what does that tell us about changing human behaviour?

    Show Summary
    This episode of The Human Risk Podcast is a little different. It is a cross-cast from The Freewheeling Podcast, hosted by Thomas Ableman, in which I join Thomas to tackle a problem raised by the show's most important listener: his mum.

    The issue? People using phones, videos, music and speaker calls out loud on trains and buses. What begins as a seemingly small transport etiquette problem quickly becomes a much bigger conversation about social norms, antisocial behaviour, customer experience, incentives, enforcement and the limits of signage. In our discussion, we explore why simply telling people to stop may not work, how reactance can make things worse, and why transport operators need to think more creatively about behaviour change.

    Along the way, we consider quiet carriages, “electronic entertainment carriages”, cheap headphones, better-targeted messaging, staff intervention, social media campaigns and the wider question of whether public transport operators are responsible for the behaviour of the humans they carry.

    The Freewheeling Podcast
    The Freewheeling Podcast is a show for transport change-makers. It explores how we can move forwards faster, bringing listeners fresh voices, new ideas and unconventional thinking.
    While it has a strong focus on transport and mobility, the show also ranges into entrepreneurship, politics, public policy, cities and how systems can be designed to work better for the people who use them.

    Links
    The Freewheeling Podcast - https://www.freewheeling.info/the-freewheeling-podcast
    Thomas on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasableman/
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    45 m
  • Jill Wick on The Human Side of Cybersecurity

    Jill Wick on The Human Side of Cybersecurity
    May 30 2026
    What if the best way to improve cybersecurity — or any other form of human risk — wasn't another policy, training course, or piece of technology, but a board game? That's the kind of question my guest, Jill Wick, loves asking.Episode Summary Jill is a cybersecurity awareness consultant, business psychologist, podcaster, and author. Her work sits at the intersection of psychology, marketing, behavioural science, and cybersecurity, and she is passionate about helping organisations understand that security is fundamentally a human challenge, not simply a technical one. Drawing on her experience in fraud prevention and her academic background in business psychology, Jill explains why traditional approaches to awareness often fail, why experimentation matters, and how a simple Snakes and Ladders-inspired game can create meaningful conversations about risk and decision-making. The discussion ranges far beyond cybersecurity. We explore creativity, curiosity, communication, organisational culture, social media, learning, and the challenge of measuring success when the outcome you're seeking is something that doesn't happen. Key TopicsIn this episode, we discuss:Why cybersecurity is ultimately a human problem rather than a technology problemThe psychology behind phishing, scams, and social engineeringWhy more policies and more training often fail to change behaviourHow unclear policies can create confusion instead of complianceThe role of curiosity, creativity, and experimentation in risk managementHow games can create psychologically safe environments for learningThe importance of conversation and peer learning in awareness programmesWhat compliance, safety, conduct, and operational risk professionals can learn from cybersecurity awarenessWhy awareness professionals should think more like marketersThe value of experimentation, iteration, and A/B testingHow social media can help build communities around important ideasWhy measuring engagement may be just as important as measuring failuresGuest BiographyJill Wick is a cybersecurity awareness consultant, business psychologist, author, and podcast host who specialises in the human side of cybersecurity. Drawing on a background in fraud prevention and behavioural science, she helps organisations build stronger security cultures through creative, engaging approaches that go beyond traditional training and compliance. Known for her innovative use of games, psychology, and marketing techniques, Jill is a passionate advocate for making cybersecurity awareness more human, effective, and enjoyableLinksJill's LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-wick/Jill's website - https://www.jillwick.com/Cyber & Psych, Jill's podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5uteiqHvCTGCVtCsKCzGJ6?si=322ef51fd6a3423c&nd=1&dlsi=c6d8309550784df9Security-Awareness-Tools, Jill's book - https://www.isbn.de/buch/9783658511111/security-awareness-toolsAI-Generated Timestamped Outline00:00 – Introduction02:15 – Jill's background: From fraud prevention and business psychology to cybersecurity awareness.05:30 – Understanding why people fall for scams, phishing attacks, and social engineering.06:00 – Why cybersecurity is fundamentally a human problem, not just a technical one.08:00 – The limitations of rules, policies, and traditional awareness training.12:00 – The origin of Jill's cybersecurity board game and why simplicity matters.14:00 – How games create psychologically safe conversations and improve learning.19:30 – The game as a conversation tool: building culture, peer learning, and engagement.22:00 – Creativity, curiosity, and the courage to experiment with new approaches.26:00 – What cybersecurity awareness can learn from marketing, advertising, and A/B testing.35:30 – Why awareness and technology must work together rather than compete.41:30 – New projects: workshops, events, games, and Jill's forthcoming book Security Awareness Tools.44:00 – Lessons for compliance and risk professionals: attention is a limited resource.51:00 – Measuring success: engagement, participation, reporting, and positive signals.
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    1 h y 3 m
  • Tobias Sturesson: from cult to corporate culture

    Tobias Sturesson: from cult to corporate culture
    May 23 2026
    What can businesses learn from cults?
    It might sound like an uncomfortable comparison: one involves strategy meetings, values statements and quarterly targets; the other manipulation, charismatic leaders and extreme behaviour. But perhaps the distinction isn't as clear as we'd like to think. Both create identities and shared beliefs. Both shape how people think and behave. And both can evolve gradually in ways that are hard to recognise from the inside.

    Unhealthy cultures rarely appear overnight. Small compromises become normal, difficult questions become harder to ask, and behaviours that once felt uncomfortable slowly become accepted.

    Episode Overview
    On this episode, I'm joined by Tobias Sturesson, culture advisor and author of You Can Culture, whose understanding of organisational culture comes not from business school, but from a deeply personal experience growing up inside a religious community that gradually evolved into a cult.

    Drawing on his own story — and his work helping organisations create healthier cultures — Tobias explains why good people can become part of unhealthy systems, why speaking up is often far harder than leaders realise, and why culture is shaped far less by mission statements than by the everyday behaviours people learn to accept.

    We also explore:
    • How communities and organisations can slowly drift into unhealthy patterns
    • Why leaving damaging environments is often much harder than outsiders imagine
    • The role of sunk costs, identity and belonging in keeping people trapped
    • Why organisations often mistake symptoms for root causes
    • The difference between “tone from the top” and “example from the top”
    • Why humility may be one of the most underrated leadership traits
    • The dangers of leaders creating the appearance of listening without genuinely hearing people
    • Why culture initiatives often fail to create lasting behavioural change
    • How everyday leadership habits shape organisational culture
    • Why discomfort is often necessary for growth
    Guest Profile - Tobias Sturesson
    Tobias is a culture advisor, speaker and author focused on helping organisations build healthier cultures and develop more responsible leadership practices. His work combines personal experience with research and practical interventions designed to help organisations identify and address the root causes that undermine cultural health. He is the author of You Can Culture: Transformative Leadership Habits for a Thriving Workplace, Positive Impact and Lasting Success.

    Links
    Tobias on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiassturesson/
    Heart Management - https://www.heartmanagement.org/
    Tobias' Book: You Can Culture – https://youcanculture.com/

    AI-Generated Timestamped Summary
    00:00 — Introduction: What can cults teach us about culture?
    03:00 — Tobias's story of growing up inside a community that became a cult
    08:30 — How unhealthy environments evolve gradually
    11:00 — Why leaving can be harder than joining
    13:00 — The importance of people who help without judging
    16:00 — Turning personal experience into professional purpose
    19:00 — Why organisations often misunderstand their own problems
    23:00 — Humility as a leadership strength
    26:00 — The tension between expertise and curiosity
    29:00 — Why business systems often reward the wrong behaviours
    33:00 — The importance of listening and asking better questions
    38:00 — Why reflection matters in fast-moving environments
    42:00 — Culture as everyday conversations and habits
    45:00 — Leadership signals and behavioural norms
    49:00 — Building healthier cultures through leadership habits
    53:00 — Why changing culture is difficult but necessary
    56:00 — Creating a movement for healthier leadership
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    1 h y 8 m
  • Will Tarrant on Service: Closing the gap between brand promise and reality

    Will Tarrant on Service: Closing the gap between brand promise and reality
    May 8 2026
    What makes great service? It’s one of those things we instantly recognise when we experience it, but struggle to define. And while organisations spend huge amounts of time trying to design seamless customer experiences, the reality is that service doesn’t happen in strategy documents or training manuals. It happens in real time, between real people, in messy and unpredictable situations where eventually the playbook runs out.

    Episode Overview
    In this episode, Christian is joined by Will Tarrant, CEO of Freeman Group, who focus on helping organisations close the gap between what they promise customers and what actually gets delivered in reality.

    Drawing on decades of experience across hospitality, aviation, healthcare and destinations, Will explains why compliance-based training can sometimes increase hidden risk, why empowerment without judgment can quickly become chaos, and why the real differentiator in service is rarely the process itself — it’s the human response when something unexpected happens.

    Along the way, the conversation explores:
    • Why “making people feel a certain way” is the real job in hospitality
    • The hidden risks created by over-reliance on scripts and SOPs
    • Why organisations often confuse solving problems with compensating customers
    • The psychology of customer perception and expectation
    • How hotels, airports and even destinations manage emotional experiences
    • Why breakfast might be the best indicator of a hotel’s quality
    • The tension between automation and human interaction
    • Why good service recovery is about judgment, not generosity
    As Will puts it: “Compliance-based training reduces visible risk, but it increases hidden risk.”

    Although framed around hospitality and customer service, this episode is really about something much broader: how humans make decisions when the script no longer applies.

    Guest Profile - Will Tarrant
    Will Tarrant is the CEO of Freeman Group, a consultancy that helps organisations design and deliver service cultures that align operational reality with brand promise. The company works globally across hospitality, aviation, healthcare, retail and tourism destinations.

    LinksWill on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willtarrant/
    Freeman Group website - https://freemangroupsolutions.com/

    AI-Generated Timestamped Summary
    • 00:00 — Introduction: Why service failures create risk
    • 02:30 — Closing the gap between promise and reality
    • 07:00 — Hospitality is about making people feel something
    • 11:30 — The hidden risk of compliance-based training
    • 13:00 — What happens when the playbook runs out
    • 15:00 — Scripts, authenticity and service style
    • 16:00 — Measuring service quality
    • 19:00 — Perception is reality
    • 20:00 — Why empowerment needs structure
    • 22:00 — Seeing service everywhere
    • 24:00 — The timeless mechanics of good service
    • 26:00 — Automation versus human interaction
    • 29:00 — “The customer is always your customer”
    • 30:00 — Solving problems versus compensating customers
    • 33:00 — Inheriting other people’s problems
    • 36:00 — Hiring for judgment, not just experience
    • 39:00 — The changing status of hospitality careers
    • 43:00 — Humans as the source of unpredictability
    • 47:00 — Why hotel breakfast matters
    • 50:00 — Choice overload and decision fatigue
    • 53:00 — Applying service thinking beyond hospitality
    • 55:00 — The gap between marketing and operational reality
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    1 h y 1 m
  • Dr Carissa Véliz on Prophecy

    Dr Carissa Véliz on Prophecy
    Apr 25 2026
    What if prediction isn’t about knowing the future, but controlling it? On this episode, I'm joined by a leading thinker on digital ethics, privacy and technology to explore the idea of prophecy.Episode SummaryMy guest is Dr Carissa Véliz and in our discussion, we talk about humanity’s long-standing obsession with predicting what comes next, and why today’s algorithms may be the most powerful (and dangerous) prophets we’ve ever created. From ancient oracles and court astrologers to modern AI systems and tech executives, we explore how prediction has always been less about knowledge and more about power. What becomes clear is that while the tools have changed, the underlying dynamics haven’t. We still crave certainty, we still look for authority, and we’re still willing to trust those who claim to see the future. The difference now is scale: predictive technologies don’t just forecast behaviour; they shape it. And the more accurate they appear, the less likely we are to question them. We then explore responsibility. If prediction influences reality, then our willingness to accept it matters. This episode is a reminder that the future isn’t something that simply happens to us, but something we’re actively participating in, whether we realise it or not.Guest BioDr Carissa Véliz is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI and a Fellow at Hertford College at the University of Oxford. She is a leading thinker on digital ethics, privacy, and technology. She is the author of several books including her latest release 'Prophecy: Prediction, Power and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI' and 'Privacy Is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data 'Her work explores how data, AI, and predictive systems reshape society—often in ways that are invisible but deeply consequential. Drawing on philosophy, history, and real-world systems, she examines how power operates through technology and what individuals and institutions can do to resist it.AI-Generated TImestamped Summary[00:00:00] Opening: prediction as something that shapes—not reveals—the future[00:01:00] Why prophecy is a lens for understanding modern AI[00:04:00] Kings, prophets, and the risks of getting predictions wrong[00:06:00] Survival strategies of ancient astrologers[00:08:00] Why humans crave certainty—and who exploits it[00:10:00] The danger of mistaking wealth for wisdom[00:12:00] Prediction as a tool of power throughout history[00:14:00] Surveillance as the foundation of modern prediction[00:16:00] How predictions shape behaviour (self-fulfilling dynamics)[00:17:00] Publishing as a case study in manufactured success[00:21:00] The strange economics of pre-orders and attention[00:23:00] Insurance: from solidarity to individualised risk[00:26:00] The hidden systemic risks of personalised prediction[00:30:00] Why citizens need to reclaim agency[00:31:00] Laziness vs values: why we default to algorithms[00:33:00] Tech creating problems it then claims to solve[00:34:00] The role of humour as truth-telling[00:35:00] Why algorithms would have killed Seinfeld[00:40:00] Practical alternatives: preparation over prediction[00:42:00] The importance of serendipity[00:43:00] Rediscovering the analogue world[00:46:00] Algorithms shaping culture and environments[00:48:00] Optimism vs doom in thinking about technology[00:50:00] Writing as exploration, not predictionLinksCarissa's website - https://www.carissaveliz.com/Her new book, Prophecy - https://www.carissaveliz.com/prophecyHer previous book Privacy Is Power - https://www.carissaveliz.com/booksCarissa's faculty page - https://www.oxford-aiethics.ox.ac.uk/dr-carissa-velizCarissa on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carissa-v%C3%A9liz-a5781555/
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    1 h y 3 m
  • Dr C Thi Nguyen on How to stop playing someone else's game

    Dr C Thi Nguyen on How to stop playing someone else's game
    Apr 12 2026
    We like to think we choose what matters. But what if the goals we’re chasing… aren’t actually ours?

    Episode Summary
    My guest on this episode is Dr. C. Thi Nguyen, philosopher and author of The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game, a book about how metrics, scoring systems, and “games” shape our behaviour—often without us realising it. Thi explains how his work on games led him to a deeper question: why do scoring systems make games feel meaningful, but make real life feel distorted? The answer lies in how metrics redefine success—quietly shifting us from what we care about to what we can measure.

    In a wide-ranging discussion, we explore the idea of “value capture”, why institutions rely on simplified proxies, and how the very features that make metrics useful also make them dangerous. We also discuss expertise, transparency, gamification, and why removing metrics altogether doesn’t solve the problem. This is a conversation about control: who sets the rules, who keeps score, and what happens when we stop questioning the game we’re playing.

    Guest Bio
    Dr. C. Thi Nguyen is a philosopher whose work explores how games, metrics, and social systems shape human behaviour and values. A professor of philosophy at the University of Utah, his research sits at the intersection of ethics, decision-making, and the philosophy of agency, with a particular focus on how the structures around us influence what we care about and how we act.

    Alongside his academic work, Thi is also a keen gamer, rock climber, and cook; interests that inform his thinking about play, challenge, and the richness of human experience beyond what can be easily measured.

    AI-Generated Timestamped Summary
    00:00 – Introduction: games, metrics, and meaning
    03:00 – How Thi came to study games and philosophy
    07:00 – What games are (and why they matter)
    10:00 – Achievement vs striving play
    13:00 – Cheating and misunderstanding the point of games
    16:00 – Games, struggle, and meaningful activity
    18:00 – Cooking, recipes, and rules
    22:00 – Metrics as simplified rule systems
    25:00 – Value capture and how metrics reshape goals
    29:00 – Why institutions rely on measurement
    32:00 – Quantification and loss of context
    36:00 – Rules, algorithms, and expertise
    40:00 – Standardisation and the cost of consistency
    43:00 – Transparency, trust, and unintended consequences
    47:00 – Metrics and the loss of expert judgment
    50:00 – Ungrading and the limits of removing metrics
    54:00 – Designing better scoring systems
    58:00 – Gamification and why it misses the point
    01:02:00 – Choosing your own game
    01:06:00 – Final reflections and closing

    Relevant Links

    Thi’s personal website – https://objectionable.net/
    His faculty page - https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u6021584
    The Score: How to Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457380/the-score-by-nguyen-c-thi/9780241653975
    Thi on Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/add-hawk.bsky.social
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    1 h y 9 m
  • Phil Dobson on Cognitive Leadership

    Phil Dobson on Cognitive Leadership
    Apr 4 2026
    We tend to assume that if we’re working hard, we’re working well. But what if that isn’t true?

    Episode Summary
    My guest on this episode is Phil Dobson, author of The Brain Book and founder of Brain Workshops, about what he calls 'cognitive leadership': using neuroscience and psychology to help people sustain performance, think more clearly, and navigate uncertainty. Phil explains how a broken ankle led him from music and sales into hypnotherapy, neuroscience, and leadership development, and why he believes most of us are never properly taught how our brains actually work.

    In a wide-ranging discussion, we explore the difference between productivity and effectiveness, why attention may be our most valuable asset, and how modern working life often undermines flow, creativity, and good decision-making. We also discuss stress, workload, digital distraction, the limits of measurement, and what organisations get wrong when they try to manage people as if more time always equals more value.

    Discover how leaders can create better conditions for thinking, resilience, creativity, and change; and why understanding the human brain matters far beyond the workplace.

    Episode Summaruy
    • why most of us are taught far too little about how our brains work
    • Phil’s unusual route from musician to hypnotherapist to neuroscience-based leadership adviser
    • the difference between being productive and being effective
    • why self-employment sharpened Phil’s focus on impact rather than activity
    • how experimentation, iteration, and reflection shape better ways of working
    • the distinction between fun and fulfilment
    • flow states and why modern life makes them harder to access
    • the growing importance of attention in a world of distraction
    • why stress management has to include workload management, not just breathing techniques
    • how rest, breaks, and so-called “unproductive” time often drive insight and creativity
    • why measuring people too narrowly can damage performance
    • how understanding the brain helps leaders navigate change and uncertainty
    • why improving human decision-making matters not just for performance, but for reducing costly mistakes
    AI-Generated Timestamped Summary
    00:00 — Introduction: busyness vs effectiveness
    02:00 — Phil’s journey into cognitive leadership
    07:00 — Productivity vs effectiveness (and the 80/20 shift)
    12:00 — Experimentation, habits, and fulfilment
    17:00 — Flow, focus, and attention under pressure
    22:00 — Attention as a critical (and under threat) asset
    27:00 — Why knowing isn’t the same as doing
    31:00 — Rethinking productivity: energy, creativity, and insight
    36:00 — The neuroscience of better thinking (default mode network)
    40:00 — Measurement, management, and leadership challenges
    45:00 — Human performance beyond the workplace
    50:00 — Human error, decision-making, and risk
    55:00 — Evolving work: shorter weeks and smarter working
    58:00 — Leading change with a brain-based approach
    01:03:00 — Final reflections and closing

    Relevant Links
    Phil's website - https://phildobson.com/

    Brain Workshops - https://brainworkshops.co.uk/

    Phil on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brainworkshops/

    The Brain Book - https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Book-Smarter-Concise-Advice/dp/1910649732
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    1 h y 10 m
  • Professor Mark Stoyle on The Western Rising of 1549

    Professor Mark Stoyle on The Western Rising of 1549
    Mar 22 2026
    What lessons does a religious protest that led to an uprising in 1549 have to do with human risk?

    At first glance, not very much. It’s easy to see it as a distant historical event — something about religion, kings, and a very different world. But as my guest, Professor Mark Stoyle explains, the Western Rising of 1549 is far more than that. It’s a powerful example of what happens when authority imposes change without understanding how people will react.

    Episode Summary
    This episode started on a train journey to Exeter, where I was due to give a talk. Looking for a local story to make my presentation more relevant, I stumbled across a battle that had taken place just outside the venue in 1549. The more I read, the clearer it became that this wasn’t just history, it was a case study in compliance, behaviour, and unintended consequences.

    Guest Profile
    Mark is a historian and leading expert on what he calls the Western Rising of 1549. In this conversation, we explore how sweeping religious changes imposed by those in power triggered resistance, how small incidents escalated into a major rebellion, and why identity, belief, and emotion played such a critical role. Along the way, we discuss how history is written (and biased), why changing language can provoke outrage rather than acceptance, and what this story reveals about leadership, risk, and human behaviour today.

    AI-Generated Timestamped Summary
    00:00 – Introduction: a compliance failure in 1549
    01:00 – The train journey to Exeter
    02:00 – Discovering the rebellion
    04:00 – Why this is a human risk story
    05:15 – Introducing Professor Mark Stoyle
    07:30 – Setting the historical context
    10:00 – Power, authority, and instability
    13:30 – What triggered the rising
    17:00 – Why language change caused outrage
    22:00 – Early resistance and local incidents
    25:00 – The tipping point: violence begins
    29:00 – How the rebellion spreads
    33:00 – The siege of Exeter
    37:00 – How history is written by the victors
    41:00 – Crushing the rebellion
    45:00 – Cultural consequences and language loss
    48:00 – Lessons for today
    52:00 – Polarisation and modern parallels
    57:00 – Final reflections In this episode we discuss

    Key Topics
    • Why imposed change can trigger resistance
    • How small incidents escalate into major crises
    • The role of identity, belief, and emotion in decision-making
    • Why language and culture matter in compliance
    • How authority can misjudge human behaviour
    • The dangers of polarisation and “us vs them” thinking
    • Why compromise becomes impossible in extreme positions
    • How history is shaped by those who win
    • The unintended consequences of leadership decisions
    • What a 16th-century rebellion teaches us about modern risk
    Guest Profile
    Mark Stoyle is Professor of History at the University of Southampton. He specialises in Tudor rebellions, the English Civil War, and the history of witchcraft. Originally from Devon, his work on the Western Rising of 1549 draws on decades of research and a deep personal connection to the region where these events took place.

    Links
    The Western Rising of 1549, Mark's book - https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300276886/the-western-rising-of-1549/

    Mark's University of Southampton profile page - https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5wyxqy/professor-mark-stoyle

    Mark's publisher profile: - https://www.worldturnedupsidedown.co.uk/team/mark-stoyle/
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    1 h y 5 m