The B-Word

The AI hype train is moving at full throttle. Breathless headlines predict mass layoffs, the end of work as we know it, and a brave new world of intelligent machines. We've been here before. As far back as 1909, JM Keynes predicted that by 2030, technology would mean no-one worked more than 15 hours a week. In 1987, Robert Solow observed "you can see computers everywhere but in the productivity st...

This episode of The B-Word is all about the c-word... Context. We all like to think that humans are predictable and consistent, but when you look closer, we're often anything but. What can men's underwear teach us about problem solving? What do dating apps tell us about the importance of context? And how does time influence human behaviour? James is joined by Prakash Sharma to learn how context is...

What can Lawrence of Arabia teach us about organisations? Why do organisations persist with so many accepted practices that don't seem to work? What does a more evidence-based approach to organisational change look like? James is joined by Beirem Ben Barrah and Philip Jordanov to talk about practical ways organisations can apply the science of human behaviour. Buy Beirem and Philip's books: The Fu...

Why is everyone so excited about AI? What makes AI so different from any previous technology and what does that mean for adopting it? What does AI mean for jobs? What can the Sorcerer's Apprentice and Frankenstein teach us about AI adoption? And what is that cryptic book cover about? In the first episode of a new series of The B-Word, Paul Gibbons and I discuss our new book, "Adopting AI: The Peop...

What does the pursuit of Artificial Intelligence tell us about human nature? Can we ever understand AI, or the human brain? Can machines become conscious and should we worry about that possibility? In this episode, James talks to AI researcher and author George Zarkadakis about human intelligence, artificial intelligence, and the future of humanity in a world of super intelligent computers.

Do you remember the time Kim Kardashian and Kanye West disagreed over the colour of a dress? What is "flow" and why does it matter? What can London cabbies teach us about our brains? In this episode James talks to Hilary Scarlett about the neuroscience of change and how we make work work better for our brains.

What can monkeys drinking fruit juice teach us about mental health? How does the placebo effect really work? Are magic mushrooms the silver bullet for treating mental illness? In this episode, James talks to Camilla Nord who leads Cambridge Universitys Mental Health Neuroscience Lab.

Have you ever heard that we only use 10% of our brains? That the brain's right hemisphere is creative and the left hemisphere is logical? Or that we all have a lizard brain, a mammal brain, and a human brain? All of these statements have one thing in common....they're #neurobollocks. In this episode, James talks to UCL Neuroscientist Joe Devlin about the uses and misuses of neuroscience.  

Every organisation, including yours, is in the business of behaviour change. But is your organisation willing to try new ideas, test and learn, experiment? In this episode, James talks to author and behavioural science pioneer Matt Wallaert about Don Draper, Steve Jobs, actuaries, toddlers, and the power of humility.  There's even a bit of David Attenborough thrown in for good measure. 

No. Non. Não. Nein. Nej. Nie. La.  It's a simple word. Why do so many of us find it so difficult to say? In this episode, James is joined by Professor Vanessa Patrick to talk about how to say "no" more effectively, whether you've been asked to work on your birthday, to marry someone live on the big screen at a football game, or indeed to shoot a randy elephant in the jungles of Burma. 

More. Faster. Sooner. The modern world of work is all about productivity. What if the secret of increasing productivity was actually the last thing youd think of? In this episode James meets Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 Day Week global to talk about Frederick Winslow Taylor, Josef Stalin, Richard Nixon, Pink Floyd, Sisyphus, and why less really might be more...

How can organisations use experiments to get better outcomes? What role does behavioural science play in the fight against climate change? What can we learn about human nature from the movie  Don't Look Up? Experimental Economist Christina Gravert joins James to discuss the benefits of trial and error and how behavioural interventions can help in the fight against climate change.

Do the 5 Stages of Grief really apply to organisations? Is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator just a work horoscope? How effective is corporate training? And what can Bob Geldof teach us about strategy? James talks all things organisational change with author and management myth-slayer, Paul Gibbons.

How many Facebook friends can you have? Do friends have benefits? What's the point of gossip? What does an increasingly globalised, virtual world mean for human relationships at work and for wellbeing? In this episode James is joined by Evolutionary Psychologist Robin Dunbar to discuss the profound influence of our relationships on human evolution and human wellbeing and what this means for 21st c...

What can HR learn from advertising? What do Jesus and Bob Dylan have in common? Why are AI speed cameras a bad idea? And why are mediocre statisticians so dangerous? James is joined by the legendary Rory Sutherland for an unmissable discussion on a huge range of topics.  

Should we be concerned about our data being used to nudge our behaviour? How can organisations ethically use behavioural data to make work more effective and more enjoyable? What does Jurassic Park tell us about behaviour change? And why are conspiracy theories so compelling? In this episode, Patrick Fagan, formerly Chief Psychologist at Cambridge Analytica, talks about how organisations combine d...

What does hybrid working mean for employee wellbeing? What really makes us happy at work? How do organisations maintain culture in a virtual world? What does inclusive leadership look like? And can Behavioural Science help you ask for a pay rise? As we emerge from a 2 year experiment in virtual working, the world of work looks very different. Grace Lordan, founder of The Inclusion Initiative at th...

How can organisations overcome silos? What impact do group dynamics have on leadership? Do Canadians really prefer maple syrup? In this episode James talks to Dominic Packer about the impact of group identities on behaviour and what that means for organisations and societies.

What makes ordinary people do terrible things? Can social influences really change behaviour?  And what was Katharine Hepburn's profound behavioural insight?   In this episode James talks to Omar McDoom about his fascinating and troubling research into the Rwandan genocide.

How can we make our organisations more human? Is human behaviour really just an elaborate plumbing problem? What can Depeche Mode teach us about human nature? In this episode James is joined by Dilip Soman to talk about behaviourally-informed organisations, what HR can learn from marketing and engineering, the role of psychology in better understanding and managing risk in financial markets and th...

Every organization is fundamentally in the business of behaviour change. Why do they find it so hard? What can organisations learn from an academic discipline usually associated with exotic tribes? How did an expert knowledge of Tajik wedding rituals help predict the Global Financial Crisis? What does WWE wrestling tell us about the 2016 US election? In this episode James is joined by Financial Ti...

How can thinking small help us achieve big things? What can organisations and individuals learn from a decade of applied behavioural science in government? Can a rival team's football shirt really help your gym attendance? In our first episode, James talks to the Behavioural Insights Team's Rory Gallagher about how small changes can lead to really big changes in behaviour, for individuals and for...