The Human Risk Podcast

By: Human Risk
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  • Summary

  • People are often described as the largest asset in most organisations. They are also the biggest single cause of risk. This podcast explores the topic of 'human risk', or "the risk of people doing things they shouldn't or not doing things they should", and examines how behavioural science can help us mitigate it. It also looks at 'human reward', or "how to get the most out of people". When we manage human risk, we often stifle human reward. Equally, when we unleash human reward, we often inadvertently increase human risk.
    Copyright Human Risk
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Science Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Dr Eva Van Den Broek & Tim Den Heijer on The Housefly Effect

    Dr Eva Van Den Broek & Tim Den Heijer on The Housefly Effect
    Nov 14 2024
    How do tiny changes in our surroundings create big impacts on our daily lives? And what does that have to do with house flies?Episode SummaryIn this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Eva Van Den Broek and Tim Den Heijer to discuss their new book, The Housefly Effect, which explores the hidden ways behavioral science influences our daily decisions.We dive into fascinating examples of nudges, from a simple housefly sticker in a urinal to placebo buttons at pedestrian crossings. They reveal how clever behavioural tricks are everywhere, steering our actions without us even realizing it.Eva and Tim share insights from their diverse backgrounds — Eva, a behavioural economist working on policy and research, and Tim, an advertising strategist who brings these ideas to life through real-world campaigns.Together, they’ve written a book that not only explains these influences but invites readers to recognize and leverage them in their own lives. Our conversation also touches on the ethical aspects of behavioural science and why it’s so important to think critically about when and how these techniques are used. From funny to thought-provoking, Tim and Eva bring a fresh perspective on behavioural science that’s both entertaining and deeply insightful.Guest BiographiesDr. Eva Van Den Broek is a behavioural economist and the founder of Behavioral Insights Netherlands. She specializes in using behavioural science to improve public policy and has extensive experience working with government agencies and ministries. Eva’s work spans a variety of real-world applications, from interventions in education to campaigns promoting library use among low-literacy adults. She is also a lecturer and public speaker, known for making complex behavioral insights accessible and practical.Tim Den Heijer is a creative strategist, copywriter, and founder of Brain Creatives, an agency that combines advertising and behavioural science. With over 20 years in advertising, Tim has helped shape campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands.His work focuses on finding creative ways to connect behavioural insights with marketing goals. Tim’s approach blends curiosity with pragmatism, drawing on his love-hate relationship with advertising to question conventional wisdom and explore new ideas in behavioural influence.AI Generated Timestamped Summary of Key Points[00:00:00] Introduction to the concept of behavioural influences in daily decisions.[00:00:40] Examples of nudges used by advertisers and governments.[00:01:01] Introduction of guests Dr. Eva Van Den Broek and Tim Den Heijer.[00:01:20] Eva and Tim's professional backgrounds and collaboration on The Housefly Effect.[00:02:00] Overview of their book’s approach to behavioural science through engaging stories.[00:02:23] Discussion on cognitive diversity and collaboration dynamics.[00:03:05] Eva’s early career shift from AI to practical behavioural science. [00:04:00] Tim’s journey from linguistics to advertising and the influence of behavioural science.[00:05:00] Origins of the collaboration between Eva and Tim, emphasizing cognitive diversity.[00:06:00] Key insights from their book on using simple nudges effectively.[00:09:10] The story behind the “housefly effect” in urinals as a behavioural nudge. [00:13:00] How nudges can be effective even without precise measurements.[00:17:00] Discussing the organization of topics in The Housefly Effect and their selection process.[00:20:00] Examples of “dumb” ideas that actually work in behavioural science. [00:22:00] Placebo buttons and how they influence behaviour.[00:25:00] Differences between public policy and advertising approaches to behaviour change.[00:30:00] Insights on behavioural science’s application across different cultures.[00:34:00] Dutch cultural openness to experimentation in public policy.[00:39:00] Discussion of translating The Housefly Effect for an international audience. [00:42:00] The “Washboard” example illustrates people’s willingness to pay for convenience.[00:45:20] The “behavioral safari” concept and the challenges of switching off the behavioural lens.[00:48:32] Ethical considerations in behavioural influence and the limits of persuasive tactics.Relevant LinksEva (https://www.linkedin.com/in/evdbroek/) and Behavioural Insights Netherlands (https://www.behaviouralinsights.nl/)Tim (https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdenheijer/) and B.R.A.I.N. Creatives (https://braincreatives.nl/The HouseFly Effect: https://bedfordsquarepublishers.co.uk/book/the-housefly-effect/The Dutch original: https://bromvliegeffect.nl/
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Matt Ballantine on Solving Problems with Randomness

    Matt Ballantine on Solving Problems with Randomness
    Nov 4 2024
    What if embracing randomness could unlock better decision-making in your work?In this episode, I welcome back Matt Ballantine, a returning guest known for his insightful and playful take on work and life. This time, Matt dives into the concept of randomness and how it can be a strategic tool in navigating complex problems that defy traditional solutions.From engaging discussions on how randomness applies to decision-making to his creative uses of tarot-like card decks for ideation, Matt demonstrates that randomness is not just chaos—it’s a pathway to innovation.He also shares how randomness has played a role in his projects, like the 100 Coffees initiative, which connected him with people in unexpected ways and reinforced the idea that unstructured, agenda-free time can lead to powerful outcomes.In our discussion, we explore practical applications of randomness in business settings, why organizations may resist these approaches, and how embracing randomness could unlock creative potential and solve cloud-like challenges.To see the cards that Matt and I talked about: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Sf6zrsKoL74VxjZ6Guest BiographyMatt Ballantine describes himself as a curious explorer of ideas with a background in technology, organizational culture, and creative problem-solving. Currently an account manager at Equal Experts, Matt’s work spans various roles that emphasize unconventional approaches to strategy and innovation.He is known for his thought-provoking projects, like the 100 Coffees initiative, which challenged norms of structured networking and led to surprising insights. In addition, Matt has been exploring the intersection of randomness and decision-making, using creative tools such as card decks inspired by tarot to facilitate out-of-the-box thinking.Find Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattballantine/Follow him on Twitter/X: https://x.com/ballantine70AI-Generated Timestamped Summary[00:00:00] - Opening & IntroductionChristian welcomes back Matt Ballantine to discuss randomness, highlighting Matt's previous appearance and his exploration of randomness in work and life.Matt shares how randomness can be a strategic advantage when addressing complex, unpredictable problems.[00:02:00] - 100 Coffees Experiment RecapMatt recounts his "100 Coffees" project from 2023, which involved meeting 138 people for unstructured, hour-long conversations to spark serendipitous insights.He notes the challenge many people face in allocating unplanned conversation time due to hyper-optimized schedules.[00:04:12] - Organizational ImplicationsMatt reflects on how the absence of informal interactions in modern work setups, like back-to-back virtual meetings, has stripped valuable opportunities for unstructured exchanges.[00:07:13] - Current Projects & RandomnessMatt discusses his current work as an account manager at Equal Experts, which operates without traditional hierarchical structures.He introduces his project, the "Business Meerkat" deck, a tool for exploring business problems using randomness, and his ongoing research and writing on the theme of randomness.[00:08:50] - The Clock and Cloud AnalogyDrawing from Karl Popper, Matt contrasts "clock-like" (predictable, analyzable) and "cloud-like" (complex, unpredictable) problems. He suggests randomness as a strategy for navigating cloud-like problems.[00:10:32] - Definitions of RandomnessMatt distinguishes between mathematical randomness (equal probability outcomes, like dice rolls) and perceived randomness (unforeseen events).[00:15:00] - Human Behavioral Dynamics & ComplexityMatt and Christian discuss how perfect information in human systems, like traffic, can create new problems due to human reactions, illustrating the complexity of cloud-like problems.[00:17:36] - The Spectrum of ControlOrganizations often lean towards deterministic approaches, believing in total control. However, randomness introduces new approaches to handle unpredictable outcomes.[00:19:00] - Biological AnalogyT-cells in the immune system exemplify natural, evolved randomness through their adaptive protein shuffling. Netflix's A/B testing process is cited as a parallel in using randomness strategically.[00:22:00] - Risk and Decision-MakingChristian and Matt discuss how decision-making involves inherent risk and unintended consequences. Randomness can offer fresh perspectives when facing uncertain, multi-faceted decisions.[00:24:26] - Business ApplicationsMatt explains how his tarot-inspired "Business Meerkat" cards help teams analyze problems by introducing random prompts, fostering unexpected insights and collaborative thinking.[00:31:50] - Group Dynamics and Random InputRandom input encourages active participation and mitigates power dynamics in meetings, allowing genuine, spontaneous collaboration.[00:37:26] - Comfort with UncertaintyMatt acknowledges that adopting randomness can be intimidating but argues that it's crucial for those tackling complex, cloud-like problems.[...
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Anna Rowe on Romance Scams

    Anna Rowe on Romance Scams
    Oct 25 2024
    What would you do if someone you trusted turned out to be living a double life?Episode SummaryOn this episode, I speak with Anna Rowe, a brave and resilient advocate for victims of romance fraud. Anna shares her deeply personal story of being deceived by someone who led a double life, manipulating her emotions and trust for over a year. Her journey from victim to activist is one of courage and determination to bring awareness to the emotional trauma caused by these scams. During our conversation, Anna explains the stages of manipulation she experienced, from grooming to love bombing to the devastating moment when she discovered the truth. We also discuss the broader issue of romance fraud, the legal challenges victims face, and why the law needs to change to protect people from emotional predators.You'll gain insight into how these scams unfold, the lasting emotional impact they have on victims, and the importance of raising awareness to stop others from falling into the same traps. Anna’s story serves as both a warning and a call to action for change.Guest Biography Anna describes herself as a teacher turned advocate for victims of romance fraud after falling victim to an elaborate emotional scam.In 2015, Anna met a man online who deceived her for over a year, using a fake identity and manipulating her emotions through intense grooming and love-bombing tactics. After discovering the truth, she turned her experience into a campaign to raise awareness of romance fraud and help others avoid similar situations.Anna is the founder of "Catch the Catfish," an organization that supports victims of emotional fraud and advocates for changes in legislation to address non-financial romance scams. She is also a co-founder of "LoveSaid," an umbrella organization that tackles all forms of romance fraud, from emotional to financial exploitation.Through her website, public speaking, and media appearances, Anna continues to fight for the recognition of romance fraud as a serious crime that leaves lasting emotional scars.AI-Generated Timestamped Summary[00:00:00] – Introduction[00:00:24] – Anna’s Background: Anna begins by sharing a brief overview of her story. She explains that in August 2015, she started using dating apps for the second time after having had a successful two-and-a-half-year relationship with someone she met online. She talks about how being a single mom with limited time and resources led her to rely on dating apps.[00:01:35] – Anna's Personality and Approach to Relationships: Anna discusses her attachment style, describing herself as someone who gets attached to people quickly—both in romantic and non-romantic contexts—and becomes fiercely loyal. She shares that although she rarely feels romantic connections when she does, she "falls hard and fast."[00:02:00] – The Start of the Deception: Anna recounts how she was drawn to a particular dating profile not because of the man’s picture but because of his words. His profile described him as humble, grounded, and someone who hated poor communication and mind games, which made Anna feel like he had been hurt before and wouldn’t hurt her. She matched with him and started exchanging messages the next morning.[00:03:00] – The Relationship Begins: Anna describes how their online communication turned into an intense connection over the span of three months, mirroring the way her previous successful online relationship had started. She shares that even before they met in person, she expressed to him that she was scared by how close she already felt to him, signalling the emotional intensity early on.[00:04:00] – The Emotional Rollercoaster Begins: Anna reflects on the emotional intensity of the relationship after meeting in person, describing it as "incredibly intense." She shares that the connection felt like something out of a soulmate story but that she now recognizes it as part of the manipulation.[00:07:08] – The Beginning of Instincts: Anna talks about the early stages of her relationship, explaining how she started to feel something was off after her partner unexpectedly pulled away. She shares how her gut instinct kicked in, even though she initially tried to ignore it. This part highlights the importance of trusting your intuition when something feels wrong, especially in online relationships.[00:25:00] – The Moment of Discovery: Anna recalls the pivotal moment when she inadvertently matched with her partner on a dating app, realizing he was still active and using the same scripted lines as before. She describes the shock of finding out that her partner had not only lied to her but was actively deceiving others. T[00:37:00] – The Investigator Within: Using her research skills, Anna reveals how she tracked her partner’s location and pieced together his real identity. She explains the various techniques she used, including distance tracking and LinkedIn searches, to find out where he worked and his real name. [00:54:24] ...
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    1 hr and 14 mins

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