A LOAD OF BS ON SPORT

Alex is Head of Behavioural Risk at NatWest Group where she and her team develop innovative data-led ways to reduce the risk of poor outcomes for the bank, and customers, resulting from behavioural root causes.She has also just regained her student card; as of September she started a part-time PhD at The London School of Economics!She is also the author of the highly acclaimed ‘Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together’, clearly a book for our times.Show notesAlex’s interest in tribalism, partisanship and a polarised, divided societyPre-empting poor outcomes – prevention is better than cureSocial identity in the bank: what is driving behaviours and mindsets?How are targets and goals designed?How information is presented to customers (e.g. payment journeys) influences how they make decisionsNegative outcomes, fundamental attribution errors, complex systems and unintended harmCustomer behaviour online vs bricks and mortarPerceptions of Alex’s team in the bankPromoting shared goals and identity to get buy-inHow do we use behavioural science to create better customer experiences?Designing better workplaces and customer journey environments so that behavioural change happens naturally Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Name one thing that we all think about or discuss every single day… money. We carry so many unconscious biases when it comes to looking after our finances. You probably think you’re the exception…Michelle Hilscher leads the financial services practice at BEworks and, armed with a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Toronto, is particularly interested in applying behavioural science to bring about improvements in financial decision-making and financial well-being.Show notesConnecting the dots between cognitive psychology and financial servicesBelief biasWhy is there so much interest in the BS of our finances?Is the sector ahead of the game?Pros and cons of mental accounting biasesWindfall spending patterns post-COVID‘Save More Tomorrow’: keeping people’s savings on track for the long-termResolving fraud: putting customers in controlEnforced boundaries and self-regulationFAFSA: psychological barriers to filling out the US college financial aid application form; neat solutions to improving educational outcomes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Preeti KS set up and leads the BS team at Grab in Singapore. Grab is the super app which provides users with transportation, food delivery and digital payments. Think the Uber of SE Asia, approximately! It is Southeast Asia's first decacorn and the biggest technology startup in the region.Show notesGrab’s motivation for getting into behavioural scienceHow Preeti set up a BS practice from scratch and what were the objectivesHow Preeti built credibility and convinced colleagues to take behavioural science seriously?Early experiments: understanding why customers hate surge pricing. Not as obvious as you might imagineHow Grab thinks about pricing by country, city and district – different cultures, norms and economiesExperiments in making drivers feel respectedWhy companies are typically sceptical about behavioural scienceHow cultural context influences how we think. Different driver motivations within SE Asia region Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re diving into healthcare; what could be more critical? To help me understand how behavioural science is impacting this field, I’m joined by Dr. Ada Le, healthcare expert at BEworks and Dr. Mousumi Sannigrahi, newly installed as Head of Commercial for Innovative Medicines at Fosun Pharma US, having spent the last 8 years at Novartis Pharma.Show notesWhat’s happening at the intersection of behavioural science and the pharma industry?How behavioural science plays out at Fosun vs. NovartisThe next frontier for healthcare and behavioural scienceWhat needs to happen to move to a more human-centric approach to healthcare?The goal of the 1% Steps for Health Care Reform ProjectWhat are easy wins that the pharma industry can enact now?Psychological barriers for patients with autoimmune disease Rosy retrospection bias and failure to prescribe the right treatmentDavid Robson and expectation effects: how mindset can alter our livesDan Ariely’s end of life theories and researchThe scientific method of problem solving vs. more subtle placebo effectsHopes for healthcare in the next year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Zeina Afif, Renos Vakis and Ana Maria Muñoz BoudetI’m privileged to welcome to A Load of BS the core team at eMBeD, the Mind, Development and Behaviour Unit at the World Bank. Zeina, Ana Maria and Renos are working on the front lines, alongside governments and policy makers, challenging standard policy design and trying to change behaviour in complex, unpredictable environments and solving the thorniest of problems in gender, inequality and poverty among other.They have worked in over 70 countries, supporting the World Bank by diagnosing, designing, and evaluating behaviourally informed interventions. Show notesHow music and magic contribute to behavioural scienceeMBeD’s role and purposeManaging policy makers in complex environmentsUsing local, cultural and political context to construct behavioural science interventionsCan the skillsets doing BS at eMBeD take you anywhere?Being grittyDisaster risk management in Haiti identifying barriers to act on hurricane early response systems encouraging people to go to their sheltersFocusing on solutions that work vs. the best solution Sustainability: projects are not a one-night standWork on vaccine hesitancyEnsuring diversity in the World BankWhat excites and scares the eMBeD team for the future? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clémence is Director and co-founder at Magenta Consulting where she and her team use behavioural insights to make sustainable and scalable change in some of the poorest, war torn and least developed parts of the world, seeking to to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of communications interventions in support of social impact; in places like Nigeria, Tunisia, Afghanistan and Lebanon.The focus of their projects so far has been civic education, governance and stabilisation, preventing violent extremism, counter-narcotics and women’s empowerment.Show notesHow Clémence got into behavioural science and the founding of Magenta ConsultingA self-proclaimed feminist - how Clémence is changing behaviours in the gender diversity debateHow we engage men in the conversationGender based violence in Mali: managing men without being patronising, confrontational, without framing them as the aggressorsThe Behaviour Driver Model (developed by UNICEF in the Middle East)Fear of judgement, of being a bad parent, norms around hitting women as means to protect their familyThe Role Model program to change gender norms and child behaviour managementGetting comfortable seeking imperfect solutionsManaging unintended consequences of implementing behavioural science interventions in unfamiliar environmentsWomen empowerment programmes can increase risks for womenEnsuring women suffering from GBH get care and attentionNote: Qudwa is a SBC strategy developed by UNICEF Lebanon in 2020, with the contribution of MAGENTA ConsultingPodcast music: Tamsin Waley-Cohen's Mendelssohn's violin concertoCheck out my partner BEworksSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on TwitterMaster Your Mindset With Coach MarcDevelop the leadership mindset, skills + confidence to make a bigger impact in less time!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a cracker this week on A Load of BS as I welcome my partner BEworks' co-founder, behavioural science leading light, writer, practitioner and speaker, Dan Ariely.Beyond his numerous entrepreneurial ventures, Dan is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics at Duke University and has written seminal books like Predictably Irrational and Irrationally Yours. He's a multi time TED speaker and recognised globally as one of behavioural science's most foremost, original thinkers.Show notesThe story of Dan’s half beard, how he accepts and understands himselfPersecution by the COVID deniers (joining the Bill Gates club)Translating BS stories into the real world: tinkering and rethinking techniquesWhat if we don’t know how to eat, exercise, sleep, have a good relationship? What would you do differently? Gaps of understanding, pools for improvementEnd of life: how do we make that chapter the best of the lives?When spouses have a joint checking account, they spend and fight lessThe anticipation of getting a kiss from your favourite movie starInsurance and misaligned incentives: a cycle of distrust and abuseRemoving conflicts of interestLoss of value in truth telling in societyROI in cash handouts in international development: trust is the lubricant of the worldCrypto currency concerns: takes trust out of the equationPodcast music: Tamsin Waley-Cohen's Mendelssohn's violin concertoCheck out my partner BEworksSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In partnership with BEworks, one of the very best behavioural science consultancies globally.Cerita Bethea is Director of behavioural science at The Coca-Cola Company, and a practitioner of over 30 years standing, having also worked at Kimberley-Clark, Toyota and Ford.Listen in for a lovely case study about washing hands; a nostalgic trip down Covid memory lane. We also project towards the next frontier; behavioural science in the metaverse. Your guess is as good as mine.Show notesCerita’s academic path into behavioural science – from law to engineering psychologyFrom Ford to Kimberly-Clark to Coca-ColaHow the profession has changed over 30 years, and what still excites Cerita about itKimberly-Clark case study: tackling personal hygiene on the factory floorThe next frontier for behavioural science: data science, behaviour and decision making in the metaverseGetting out of your comfort zone: how does one become a practitioner and what are the pathways to get into the field?What would Cerita ask back from the industry?Subscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m thrilled to be launching my partnership with BEworks today. Co-founded by Dan Ariely and Nina Mazar (previous guest on the show alongside Dilip Soman), BEworks is a multidisciplinary team of behavioural scientists and psychologists working on complex challenges across financial services to healthcare to sustainability, helping businesses reimagine a future in which individuals flourish and prosper.And so today starts a 10-part series of short, sharp and very digestible conversations with practitioners at the heart of the action; from Coca-Cola to Novartis to Natwest Bank to the World Bank.But today, I’m delighted to be kicking off by talking to BEwork’s new CEO Wardah Malik.Show notesHow does BEworks approach client challengesWork Wardah is most proud ofCreating, sustainable behavioural change at scaleBEworks’s Reimagining strategyDiversity of talent in behavioural scienceWhat skills are needed to be a successful behavioural scientist?The different languages of behavioural scienceThe next frontier: what does better access to data and AI mean for behavioural scienceThe intersection of behavioural science and cognitive technologyBehavioural science is like the Wild WestSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is sports nut, almost pro golfer but primarily Professor at the University of Chicago and Chief Economist at Walmart John List.Just when you thought we were about to dive into the politics of diverging golf tours, instead we're going to turn our attention to ride hailing companies Uber and Lyft, where John was also Chief Economist. What was Travis Kalanick really like to work for?John also recently published ‘The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale’ and so we're also discussing how to scale a business and we bring it to life with the story of the failed Jamie's Italian restaurant chain.John's passion is using field experiments to explore economic questions and so our conversation is filled with great stories from John's time in the White House, to rideshare to groceries and even collaboration with DARPA. Show notesWhen fieldwork is needed in scientific discovery to describe the real worldJohn’s journey from the White House, Uber, Lyft and now Walmart Chief EconomistBreaking out of silos to make deep cultural impactWorking with DARPA, moonshots and hiring the right teamHow John didn’t become a truckerWhat interests John about the subject of scale?What is a voltage effect?The story of Jamie’s Italian and a failure to scale: negotiables and non-negotiablesThinking on the margin vs. by the average: applying it in the real world beyond the university campusWhy Logan Green, CEO Lyft, a trained econ major, was leaving dollars on the floorWhy quitting is for winnersScaling culture: Uber vs LyftJohn’s hopes for the book: add science to scalingSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Martin is a behaviorial science practitioner and a leading member of Dr Robert Cialdini's consultancy Influence at Work, where he heads up the UK practice. Steve is a Royal Society nominated author and a co-author with Bob Cialdini on a number of books, including their most recent tome, alongside Dr Noah Goldstein, Messengers, Who We Listen to, Who We Don’t and Why. This is a timely exploration of why some people in society are listened to and why others are ignored regardless of the truth or wisdom of their message; a subject we address today. In all, Steve's books have sold in excess of 1.5 million copies.Show notesThe work and influence of Bob Cialdini over nearly 50 yearsWhat leads us to say “Yes” to a requestWhat came before Bob, codifying social psychology for everyone and making it accessibleImmunisation of influence techniquesHow a waiter/waitress can increase their tips through reciprocitySmall Bigs: creating big impacts with small changesWhat makes some people better communicators than others?Why are self-confident ignoramuses so often believed and why are thoughtful experts ignored?In an increasingly information overloaded world, the messenger has become the messageHard (perceived status and dominance) and soft (making connection with others) messengersHow truth and trust work together. How can you trust someone who lies to you?How do we use influence techniques for good in a world of disinformation?Influence and sports management: history is important, but recency keeps the scoreWhat Steve has learnt from co-authorshipSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Returning from the Summer, this week I'm talking to Sir Michael Barber, the man who Tony Blair appointed to create and then run his Delivery Unit at No. 10.While not overt, there's lots of behavioural science going on here: creating repeatable routines, fear of and resistance to change, influencing and persuading intransigent individuals. A great part of Michael's work after all is understanding people, with all their biases and preconceptions, and then reorganising them.Show notesWhat Scafell Pike walk teaches you about problem solvingWhy did Tony Blair ask Michael to set up his Delivery Unit?What was the civil service doing before the introduction of the Delivery Unit?Changing real people’s lives in a very visible, meaningful wayHow boring and radical government must hang togetherWhy delivery is like a soap opera as well as a documentaryThe importance of a guiding coalition in government to make policy happenGovernment by routine vs. by spasmBuy-in is overrated, or why you don’t need it at the beginningReaching irreversibilityHow intrusive press blurs the line between transparency and privacyExcuses that ministers throw up to resist changeWhat Michael advised Boris Johnson in 2019The next frontier in Delivery – using real-time dataSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bri Williams is one of the foremost behavioural scientists in Australia. She’s obsessed with application rather than theory, and I buy that approach 100%. She majored in accounting and psychology (a rare but actually quite sensible combination), built a corporate career in product design and marketing, the BS switch was flicked in 2008 when she read Dan Ariely’s ‘Predictably Irrational’; a book that would change her life.It crystallised why she had been experiencing a nagging irritation throughout her 15 year corporate career. And it started to address questions like why people get frustrated with their colleagues, why campaigns fail and why products flop.She realised ‘we've been doing it wrong’. Our assumptions about why and how to influence behaviour had been wrong. That book inspired Bri to start People Patterns, one of Australia's first consultancies to apply behavioural economics to everyday business and personal effectiveness, to write books on the topic and work with businesses to make their lives easier.Show notesBri’s funny hats, visual devices and other beh sci propsHow do I use beh sci in my podcast to get the most out of my guests?The story of my podcast theme tune and the tone it setsBri’s background: precision and creativityInfluence of Dan Ariely’s writingThe 3 barriers to action: Bri’s BS modelMarginal gains and the problems Bri loves solvingWhat the best communicators do? Feelings rather than facts, audience vs. egoThe simplicity paradoxEscaping an elephant in BotswanaSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientist and writer David Robson has written the definitive book on expectation effects. We're going to talk about his fascinating book The Expectation Effect and how our brain plays clever games with us.David graduated with a degree in maths from Cambridge University then worked as a features editor at New Scientist before moving to the BBC. His writing has also appeared in the Guardian, the Atlantic, Men’s Health amongst other. Show notesThe brain as prediction machine: how the brain uses experiences to predict our future outcomes and adapt our physiologySeeing Jesus in a slice of toastWhy does the brain play games with us?Expectation effects vs mindfulness and positive thinkingThe consequences of the brain’s inner pharmacyNew research on ‘open label’ placebosNocebo effect: the evil twin of placeboHow emotions and mindsets affect our healthEthical dilemmas of using placebosHysterical strength: releasing the brakes on our physical resourcesGender bias and entrenched expectations How food labelling affects eating experiences Subscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenny Kleeman is a broadcaster, journalist and author of the book Sex Robots & Vegan Meat: Adventures at the frontier of Birth, Sex and Death.She is an award winning narrator of true stories across print, audio and TV and writes regularly in the Guardian, the Times, the New Statesman and Tortoise. She's reported for BBC One's Panorama, HBO's Vice News Tonight and Channel 4's Dispatches, as well as making films for Channel 4’s Unreported World. On radio, she launched Weekend Breakfast on Times Radio.Jenny has some amazing insights and experiences to share on the human condition, how we relate to one another and what the frontier of technology means for our futures. My converstaion with her is hilarious, spooky, jaw-dropping and crazy in equal measure.Show notes4 new inventions that are about to challenge what it means to be humanSexUnintended consequences of sex robots – can they really solve happiness?Robots, lack of human contact, echo chambers and the future of human relationshipsBBC News website vs online porn consumptionSex dolls, male control and female disempowermentBirthManmade amniotic sacks – experiments in lamb foetusesImproving premature birth outcomesGrowing a baby outside of the human bodyFetishizing pregnancy vs reproductive equalityDefinitions of abortion – redefining the journey and viability of birthWho will natural pregnancy be for in future? A 2nd class endeavourMeatHow to grow real meat in a lab?Eating meat forever without caring about animal welfare: kosher bacon, ethical foie grasHow does a manmade chicken nugget taste?Cowschwitz and the implications for the future of agricultureDeathMotivations of death capsule inventorsGiving people the right to die, but shielding vulnerable peopleControl, dignity and insurance policiesBaby Boomers who are used to getting what they wantMasculine desire to dominate and controlWomen will feel the effects of these four technologies more than menSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm talking with Paul Dolan, Head of BS at the LSE. Paul knows what makes us feel good. It's all about what we pay attention to. He wants us to choose to spend our time doing things that bring us pleasure or give us purpose… and ideally both. He will tell us how we can redesign our lives to be happier. He will also explain why we care so much about what other people do, and how we can learn to listen more to those that disagree with us. Show notesBalance between happiness and misery in a world of polarised opinionDoes division make us happier?Flaws in the happiness/self-help literary genreThe pleasure/purpose principle & the definition of happinessSocial narratives: how you feel rather than how you think you should feelThe relative importance of memories, the present moment and future projection in designing happinessHow we think about holidays: the anticipation, the experience and the memoriesThe opportunity cost of attentionWhy do we continue to make mistakes: self-sabotage and happiness?Salience and getting lost in the experience and the flowTrade-offs and moral licensing (credits and debts)The Reaching, Responsible and Related social narrativesThe dangerous social narrative about having kidsSelfishness and greed about wanting to live foreverHaving perspective is cheap talkOur productivity obsessionSubscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on TwitterAt the LSE, Paul's main research interests are human behaviour and happiness, and the relationships between them, particularly as they apply to policy. He is author of the bestselling books Happiness by Design and Happy Ever After. He is also host of the Duck / Rabbit podcast about the polarisation problem in our society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm talking with another titan, the inspiring Bill Browder. If all Bill had achieved was hedge fund success, he would be regarded, as the most significant foreign private investor in Russia, as standout.But it's Bill work as a human rights activist over the last decade that marks him out as a man of great courage and conviction; for he has fought Russian corruption, and by proxy Vladimir Putin, in the name of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who was brutally tortured and murdered for standing up against the regime. Now, the international Magnitsky Act stands in Sergei's name.Show notesCommunists, academics and family rebellionThe story of the Magnitsky Act & Putin’s Achilles HealPutin and the Trump familyHow we behave under duress: moral valour vs. physical painStanding up to Russian corruption and the consequencesPutin the skilled psychologist and psychopathUnder threat of Russian arrest and coping strategiesTrump, Robert Mueller, Putin and the fateful press conferenceTime to stop dealing with countries committing human rights abusesBefore you go, please leave me a review. I love hearing from you and your support makes all the difference to A Load of BS. Thank you!Subscribe for more hereClick here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I like to take the odd risk with my guests. I like to stretch beyond the realms of the beh sci academics and veer into business, sport, perhaps politics.This pod is a little different in its genre is that it is striving to get to the heart of human motivation. Why do we do the things that we do?Martin Sorrell is one of the titan's of global capitalism over the last 40 years and that's Sir Martin Sorrell, who made his name building the WPP advertising empire before departing acrimoniously 5 years ago, only to start his next venture S4 Capital barely having slid off the treadmill. Now 77, he shows no signs of slowing down.We talk about what he loves about his work, power and relevance, self-doubt and ending his news day diet by going to bed with Emily Maitlis. Well, if only. Martin is a polished, tough nut to crack but stick around and you'll get some very personal family anecdotes which go some way to explain the man.Show notesWhat Martin loves about what he doesKeeping physically and mentally fitNews day concluding by going to bed with Emily Maitlis Choose your Chairmen carefullyLove of power and need for relevanceSelf-doubtPutting money where your mouth isGetting people to do what you want them to doManaging incentives: Group vs. local levelArt vs science in advertisingCampaign magazine biasWhat makes Martin happy?Meaning of Judaism to MartinBefore you go, please leave me a review. I love hearing from you and your support makes all the difference to A Load of BS. Thank you!Subscribe for more here.Click here to access rewards to power your brainFollow me on Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're revisiting what creativity is, how to express it and find it, with a legend of the advertising industry Dave Trott. Just as John Cleese wrote brilliant sitcom and sketches, Dave created brilliant advertising over a career in which he founded five agencies including Gold Greenlees Trott, Bainsfair Sharkey Trott and Chick Smith Trott.What I think you're going to love about this conversation is Dave's to the point, sharp witted, no BS worldview. David Ogilvy’s greatest creation is David Ogilvy he says while his real heroes are Bill Bernbach, John Webster and Edward de Bono.We talk about the conditions for creative outcomes, serendipity and mistakes, the nonsense of ad awards, getting upstream of problems and selling tampons to lorry drivers. I think you're going to enjoy this one.Subscribe for more here.Follow me on Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm excited to welcome Dilip Soman and Nina Mažar to the podcast to talk about their new book 'Behavioural Science in the Wild' which is hitting the virtual and physical shelves on May 15th.Dilip Soman is a Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science and Economics, and serves as a Director of the Behavioural Economics in Action Research Centre at Rotman [BEAR]. As well as his imminent release, he is also the author of 'The Last Mile' and 'The Behaviourally Informed Organisation'. He teaches the MOOC (massive open online course) Behavioural Economics in Action and, as I was delighted to learn, Dilip is a big cricket nut.Nina is a behaviorial scientist focusing on topics ranging from ethics to social & environmental impact with multiple strings to her bow. She sits on the board of Irrational Labs, which is dedicated to designing products that make people happier, healthier and wealthier. She's also part of a team of scientists of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at Wharton. She helped establish the World Bank’s Behavioral Insights Initiative (eMBeD) to use behavioral science to make development interventions more effective and, with Dilip, co-directed BEAR at Rotman.She also co-founded BEworks, one of the first commercial consulting companies dedicated to the application of Behaviorial Economics to real-world challenges. There she remains Chief Scientific Advisor.In my conversation with the pair, we talk about BS in the wild - translating behavioural science from the academic laboratory to messy, real world environments; and all the challenges and benefits that this work brings.SUBSCRIBE to all my podcasts and articles here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I talk with Chris Rawlinson about his online education company 42 Courses and how behavioural science has influenced its formation and growth. Show notesWhat is 42 Courses and the BS principles behind itChris’s unusual background: vineyard owner, commercial pilot, then at Ogilvy revamping digital training programmesWeaknesses of most e-learning platformsChris’s dyslexia & love of learningMatt Mullenweg and other random connectionsInfluence of Sir Ken Robinson, his TED talk – need for an education revolution & the benefit of not being an academicCreating the feel of an internship at 42 CoursesSupport of Rory Sutherland and Dan Bennett at OgilvyBS principles informing 42 Courses: storytelling, make learning more accessible (regular praise), chunking lessons, gamification, social norms, curating without overloading Why is traditional education behind the BS curve? Measuring engagement and success at 42 Courses Course personalisation, choice architecture around new coursesWhat online learning looks like today: from Coursera to MasterclassNon-education inspirations for 42 CoursesGradeless teaching and the value of conventional certificationsVirtual Reality in educationChris is massively dyslexic, runs an education company and is a qualified pilot. He is also a cancer survivor, former vineyard owner and (to his wife’s chagrin) a massive LEGO enthusiast having reached the rarefied air of completing the 1m long Saturn 5 rocket, a space shuttle, a mini Yoda and the Porsche 911. He is a joy to listen to.If you enjoyed this conversation, do give me a review and subscribe here to read all my articles and win lots of great rewards for being part of the community! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since launching this podcast, it's been my ambition to interview John Cleese, in part because he has plenty of no BS clear thinking on what it means to be creative and in part because he is my comedy hero.But instead of just interviewing John, I thought I'd add an extra shot of brandy to the conversation and invite behavioural science's very own flame throwing alchemist Rory Sutherland, who also knows a thing or two about creativity. Show notes5.45 mins: understanding creativity and its conditions6.45: money people vs. creative people7.45: being childlike and playful8.50: embracing confusion9.30: why business decisions become boring11.00: be prepared to make mistakes 11.15: how John found his own creative style12.15: influence of Fawlty Towers on me14.20: the power of the unconscious17.00: how do you access the unconscious?18.40: dilettante bees and random exploration23.50: creativity in teams or solo24.15: origin of the Dead Parrot sketch26.10: Graham Chapman’s funeral27:00: Dave Trott and the love of the obvious28.05: John’s view on woke people34.45: Rudolf Hess and Rory’s Mum36.05: Iain McGilchrist & right/left brain hemisphere thinking38.00: making fun of Hitler39.45: commonalities between advertising and films43.05: Life of Brian backlash44.40: Brexit & Remainer certainty obsessionIf you enjoyed this conversation, do give me a review and subscribe here to read all my articles and win lots of great rewards for being part of the community!Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide, by John CleeseAlchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense, by Rory Sutherland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A personal story in which Christian Hunt, host of the excellent Human Risk podcast, interviews me about:- My interest in and understanding of BS- Why I started A Load of BS- My goals and ambitions- Where next?I hope you enjoy it! Do check out Christian's other pods as well. Human Risk brings behavioural science to ethics and compliance and there are some fascinating conversations in the archive.You can find all my articles and pods here, so do subscribe if you haven't done so already. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm talking football and psychology with Guillem Balague, someone whose work I admire and whose commentary on the game of football is eloquent, thoughtful and profound. Like me, Guillem is endlessly curious about what makes people tick, the psychology of sport, how players and coaches become successful, and also why they go wrong. Guillem has written superb biographies of some of the most iconic players in history: Pep Guardiola, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi; and Mauricio Pochettino.Here we focus on Pep Guardiola and Diego Maradona, two icons of sport whose characters and trajectories couldn't be more different; and all the more fascinating for that as I try to understand with Guillem what made them the men they are, or indeed were, their successes, failures and idiosyncrasies.Show notesWhat got Guillem into football writing?What characters fascinate Guillem?What’s Guillem’s writing process to get under the skin of his protagonists?Who is Pep and what drives him?How Pep creates belonging in his teamsSacrifice and service to the causeHow do Diego’s origins explain the man?Diego’s self-destructionDiego: myth vs. realityLove affair with NapoliConflict in team environmentsPep and MourinhoPep and FergusonPlease leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts; it's hugely appreciated!Subscribe to all my BS articles here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re wondering why you constantly make flawed, emotional decisions and what’s going on in that jelly in your head, please subscribe or follow A Load of BS wherever you listen to podcasts, and leave me a 5 star review. Your support is always appreciated!Introducing Jeff KreislerWhen it comes to money, we make absurd decisions about how to spend it all the time. Whether this is buying a £3.50 latte at Starbucks while we price compare groceries to save 10 pence on apples, bolting on a ‘special’ car cleaning kit for £250 after spending £15,000 on a new vehicle, or hopelessly overbidding on eBay auctions because we already feel attached to the item in question, we are irrational, emotional and flawed creatures. How on earth are we supposed to value things?Jeff wrote the book Small Change: Money Mishaps and How to Avoid Them with Dan Ariely. Jeff is a qualified lawyer, stand-up comedian and now Head of BS at J.P. Morgan Chase bank.Today with Jeff, we discuss what money means to us and how we treat it.Show notesRole of BS in shaping organisations (5 mins)What does money mean to Jeff? (8 mins)Jeff’s discovery of BS (9 mins)Relationship between comedy and BS (10.30 mins)Life at JP Morgan (12.30 mins)Financial literacy, irrational decision making & the goal of BS (13 mins)Mental accounting & the pain of paying (16 mins)Connecting to our future selves (18.25 mins)Sweat the big stuff, don’t obsess on the little things (19.30 mins)Satisficing vs. maximising: expectation, anticipation and context (23.10 mins)Rituals in money (26.25 mins)Wealth management’s sartorial rituals (28 mins)Mental accounting: Thaler vs. Taleb, casino money (30 mins)Future of money (33.30 mins)What Jeff learnt writing with Dan Ariely (34.50 mins)If you'd like access to all my articles, please click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a conversation with anthropologist and cognitive scientist Dr Dimitris Xygalatas, who is an expert in rituals, whether religious, sporting, tribal, individual, collective or otherwise.Rituals are part of all our lives, unconsciously so sometimes. Whether it's birthdays, pre-match warmup exercises or religious ceremonies, we're familiar mainly with low intensity, repetitive ones. It's the more intense, extreme rituals, in particular, which fascinate me for their arousing nature, their extravagance, their social breadth, and their emotional and physiological consequences; like that Thaipusam Kavadi body piercing festival in Mauritius or the fire walking celebrations in San Pedro Manrique, Spain. On top of these highly prosocial rituals, we also address how synchrony affects gatherings and the collective effervescence, goose steps and goose bumps of very antisocial Nazi parades.Dimitris is going to walk us through all these ideas and more. I think you'll enjoy it!Next time with Jeff KreislerNext time, I'll be talking money with Jeff Kreisler. Jeff wrote the book Small Change: Money Mishaps and How to Avoid Them with Dan Ariely. Jeff is a qualified lawyer, stand-up comedian and now Head of BS at J.P. Morgan Chase bank.Leave a review!If you haven't done so already, please leave me a 5 star review. And if you like A Load of BS, please share with friends. Your support is always, always appreciated!If you'd also like to read my BS articles, please do subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to A Load of BS for the 2nd instalment of my conversation with Melissa Hogenboom, BBC science journalist and author of The Motherhood Complex.Today's showToday, we're talking about the good mother stereotype, the lean in movement, the prohibitive cost of child care, maternal gatekeeping, the motherhood penalty, the lean in movement, the secrecy of miscarriage, women's cognitive labour load, pre and post natal depression, the positive and negative effects of technology on family life and the impact of writing the book on Melissa's life.You can find my own personal account on fatherhood here so I'd love you to read it in accompaniment to these conversations. And of course share with me your own experiences.Last weekFor those of you who didn't catch Part 1 last week, I highly recommend that you tune in. Melissa's book is the inspiration for this interview and it is a raw and personal exposé of motherhood, womanhood and all its associated challenges, biases and prejudices. In these conversations, I want to give these issues oxygen and lay a small platform for change. So there is both historical context here, but also we're raising questions and proposing solutions towards a more equal future in which women are better supported by society at large; which is a diplomatic way of saying men.Last week we addressed motherhood and sacrifice, gender biases, matrescence, the mum brain and expectations of perfection. Subscribe & leave a review!If you haven't done so already, please leave me a 5 star review here. And if you want to read my articles, and those of my guest partners, do go to aloadofbs.substack.com and subscribe there. Your support is always appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I'm talking to Melissa Hogenboom, BBC science journalist and writer of The Motherhood Complex, an exposé of motherhood warts and all. It's a very personal and thoroughly researched discussion examining behaviours related to pregnancy and motherhood and presents the deep and unresolved challenges as far as how society views the different roles parents play in raising children. It exposes the stigma and biases that women still experience, suffer from when pregnant, as carers and as mothers, for example, trying to reintegrate into the workplace and re-establish identity.In this show, we cover:Motherhood and sacrifice, matrescence, the mum brain, cultural differences in child rearing, expectations of perfection and gender biases.You can find my own personal account on fatherhood here so I'd love you to read it in accompaniment to this podcast. And of course share with me your own experiences.If you enjoy these shows, please go to Apple or Spotify and leave me a 5 star review. Come on, what's stopping you! Your support means so much to me!Finally, you can subscribe to all my articles, and the pod archive, here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm sharing the second part of my conversation with experimental psychologist Dr Jesse Bering, an American but Director of the Centre for Science Communication at the University of Otago in New Zealand.Last week, we discussed the science of the afterlife, out of body experiences and Jesse's experience of his own mother's death.This time we venture into the no less complicated and controversial subjects of suicide, sexuality and fetishes; not your normal weekly grocery bag, but all topics which demand significant airtime in their own rights, as I repeat in the podcast itself.But by presenting the big questions and challenges, I hope at a minimum this pricks your interest.My fetish is A Load of BS so do me a small favour and leave me a 5 star review on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. Share this with a friend, share it on Twitter and make my day.And if you haven’t signed up yet for all my writings on Monday BS and the pod archives, you can do that right here, right now.Ask Guillem Balague anything about Pep or MaradonaRemember that you can put your questions forward for upcoming shows and if I include it I shall credit you in the show. Next in line is football writer and broadcaster Guillem Balague with whom I'll be talking about two footballing icons who Guillem knows intimately, Pep Guardiola and Diego Maradona. And the characteristics and traits that made them both great and terribly fragile. If you have a question for Guillem, email me at [email protected] or DM me on Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For those of you overwhelmed by the load of BS consuming British politics at the moment, turn the news off, crack open some supermarket rosé, unpeel the sausage rolls and get stuck in and enjoy this half hour event. Please stay to the end and I make no apology for that invitation.By the way, if you want to put questions forward to any of my guests, you're very welcome. Email me at [email protected] or send me a tweet @danielsjross and I'll credit you on the show.Upcoming guests are advertising legend Dave Trott, football writer Guillem Balague, mindfulness writer Ruby Wax and Head of BS and former comedian at JP Morgan Jeff Kreisler.Last week you may remember we addressed conspiracy theories with David Aaronovitch. Today's subject is no less spicy and polarising. We're talking the afterlife with Dr Jesse Bering - experimental psychologist and a leading scholar in the cognitive science of religion. Jesse is also an essayist and science writer specializing in evolution and human behaviour. To which end, he has become an expert in evolutionary taboos and that is the subject of our conversations of which today is part 1 of 2.Jesse is a prolific writer. His first book, The Belief Instinct, was included in the American Library Association’s Top 25 Books of the Year and voted one of the “11 Best Psychology Books of 2011” by The Atlantic. This was followed by a collection of his Webby-award nominated essays, Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That?, and Perv, a taboo-breaking work that received widespread critical acclaim and was named as a New York Times Editor’s Choice. His most recent book was A Very Human Ending, all about suicide and his current work in progress is Dead Minds about the science of the afterlife which is the subject of today's conversation.As I hope is the case with many of my BS chinwags, this one is personal, poignant and dazzlingly mind opening (if that's the right turn of phrase, I ask you all afterlife aficionados out there).Please go to Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts, subscribe, follow me and leave me a 5 star review. It does me the world of good in this cold Winter weather.And if you haven’t signed up yet for all my writings on Monday BS and the pod archives, now is the time to do that right here, right now.Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friends,There is no dry January on A Load of BS. It’s time for much needed refreshment.Vodkast & Soda In my 2021: My Year of Total BS essay, I shared with you some personal ruminations on BS and this publication’s motivation. Put simply, the raison d’être of A Load of BS is to try to explain why we do the things we do. Furthermore, I’d like to include your questions in my podcasts. My next two conversations are with Melissa Hogenboom and Dave Trott.Melissa is a BBC science journalist who wrote ‘The Motherhood Complex’, an exposé of the challenges women endure in motherhood - from fighting a system which, despite progress, is still skewed in favour of men’s needs, to the creation of a new identity in the face of physical & psychological change.Dave is an advertising legend having founded 3 extraordinarily successful agencies, written 5 books on creative thinking and been voted Most Creative Agency In the World by Advertising Age.If you have a question you’d like me to share with Dave or Melissa, please email me at [email protected] and I’ll credit you in the show.The Cosmopolitan David AaronovitchTalking of explaining why we do the things we do, this week’s podcast is with journalist, author & broadcaster David Aaronovitch. While David’s frames of reference are broad, here we focus on conspiracy theories, the subject of David’s book Voodoo Histories. Talking of conspiracy theories, mine’s a Virgin Mary.Today we explore:Why we choose to believe what we believeWhat's so attractive about conspiracy theoriesJews in conspiracy theoriesThe elitist, moral high ground that believers typically takeCombatting conspiracy theoriesQAnon and departures from realityThe importance of truthThe real agency we have over social media algorithms And what David is truly optimistic about for the futureOne for the roadCan I ask you a small favour before I close up? Go to Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave me a 5 star review. It does me the world of good in this cold Winter weather ❤️. And if you haven’t signed up here yet for all my writings and pod archives, now is the time to do so at aloadofbs.substack.comNext week, I’m talking to experimental psychologist and leading scholar in evolution and human behaviour Dr Jesse Bering about fetishes, afterlife and other taboos.Daniel 🍾 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode on my reflections and motivations on 2021 talking A Load of BS, where I want to take it in 2022, and, importantly, why I want to hear more from you!In this end of year episode, I'm also sharing how I got started, what I've learned and what are the core messages at the heart of A Load of BS.In essence, my goal is to shine light on the peculiarity, uncertainty and complexity of our existence, and give context and comfort to our associated anxieties and fears. We tend to view confusion as a bad thing, but confusion is often at the heart of learning.And finally a thank you to my 2021 guests and a big shout out to some of the amazing people joining me in 2022 (e.g. Ruby Wax, David Aaronovitch, Dr Jess Bering, Guillem Balague, Patrick Fagan, Jeff Kreisler, Ted Slingerland, Melissa Hogenboom, Dr Dimitris Xygalatas and Chris Rawlinson).Subscribe and follow A Load of BSPlease subscribe and follow me on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to and download your podcasts and leave me a review. You can also find me @danielsjross on Twitter, where your feedback and ideas are very encouraged.Final thanks go to my editor Nathan Meirinho who I highly recommend for post-production work, and my sponsor CrankWheel for their belief in A Load of BS.Happy New Year!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to the Christmas holiday episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast'. This will be the last of 2021 and we are going out with a bang by welcoming back Rory Sutherland and co-author Pete Dyson to discuss their new book 'Transport for Humans: Are we nearly there yet?'CrankWheel sponsors A Load of BSFirstly, I am excited to introduce you to my new sponsor, and that is CrankWheel.Some people have the ability to paint a picture in a few words. CrankWheel is for the rest of us. CrankWheel gives you zero friction screen sharing during voice calls. You send a link to the other person and they enter that seamlessly on any browser, any device. No log ins, no registering, no what's my bloody password! CrankWheel is particularly great for those first sales calls or for onboarding new customers. It's really for any business looking to engage with customers more efficiently. A Load of BS subscribers can use CrankWheel unlimited for 2 months by signing up at get.crankwheel.com/loadofbs.And we’re offComfort break over, we're back on the road. Now you may have read my Monday BS piece a few weeks ago previewing today's conversation with a little riff on the wonders of the London Underground. Well today you get the full fat version and I can assure you that the cream has risen to the top; in fact it's spilling over and clogging the arteries like the M25 on Boxing Day. What fun! This anniversary appetizer is bursting with flavour, celebratory abandon and indulgence; and since so many of us will be battling the motorways and trains to reach loved ones in the coming days, what more appropriate treat for today than transport design to keep you toasty.I should introduce my guests. Rory is well-known to many of you as Global Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy, behavioural scientist, founder of Nudgestock festival, writer and the man responsible for making the Sevenoaks to London Blackfriars line fashionable again.Pete Dyson is the Principal Behavioural Scientist at the Department for Transport. Pete established a new BS Team at DfT in 2020 to tackle the COVID response and recovery, and the impact of future transport technologies on behaviour. Today is about the potential of behavioural science to design our transport systems for human, rather than engineers', consumption.Today Rory and Pete tell us about:The fetishization of speed and punctualitySolving the conundrum (waste?) of HS2Who Homo Transporticus isHow we actually understand what customers wantGetting to Exeter when you're not in a rushSeat backed train tablesProducts which nobody wants until they own themThe Brummie obsession with driving and roadsIntelligent rationing of trips into London and other BS experimentsSee you in 2022 with some amazing guestsAnd do subscribe on your favourite platform (Apple, Spotify), share with friends for Christmas, leave a review and we'll be back together in the New Year. Happy holidays and be well to all of you. 🧑‍🎄Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to another episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast'. This week, I welcome back psychologist, technologist and businessman Nir Eyal to talk more about habits and distractions; what forms them and how we overcome the worst of them.This episode is no different from part 1 for its tempo, energy and richness of content. Today however, we're zooming in on distractions rather than the subject of habits.These 25 minutes are packed with practical and simple tips on how to value and manage your time better. Get rid of those to do lists, cancel all pointless meetings immediately and drop into the mind of Nir Eyal.Today, we're talking about:Why we get distractedThe internal and external triggers of distractionThe 4 steps to becoming IndistractableThe terror of to-do listsWhy we love meetings, and how to run them betterAnd of course Nir's quick fire round including his favourite book recommendation:‘Alchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind-Numbing Conformity’ by Rory SutherlandThese podcasts are my greatest project and they are only worthwhile with your support!You can find my podcasts on all the usual platforms, Apple, Spotify or wherever you might listen. Do subscribe and follow A Load of BS there, and give me a 5 star review if you enjoy it! And you can let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.You can also find all my podcasts and articles here, where I encourage you to sign up.Now prepare to be distracted, again.Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to another episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast' with me Daniel Ross. This week, I welcome Henry Winter, Chief Football Writer at The Times newspaper. Henry is without doubt one of the very best practitioners of his art and I hope you sense his thoughtfulness and erudition in this conversation.Before The Times, Henry was a football correspondent at The Telegraph for 21 years and prior to that he wrote at The Independent in its very earliest days.Henry was named Specialist Correspondent of the Year at the British Sports Journalism Awards in 2004, 2009, 2010 and 2013, and Football Writer of the Year in 2016. In 2010, he was named among the top 10 most influential sportswriters in Britain by the trade publication Press Gazette.He also makes regular appearances as a pundit on Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement and BBC Radio 5 Live.Outside of journalism, he has ghost written books with former FA Chief Executive David Davies and with ex-Liverpool players John Barnes, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard. He also wrote his own tome in 2017 'Fifty Years of Hurt: The Story of England Football' which I suspect would have sold even more copies had it been released a year later after England's ride at the 2018 World Cup in Russia!Today, I talk with Henry about:His love for his craftWhat he wants his readership to feelTurgenev, Tolstoy and the Russian World CupAn enlightened England generationGroupthink in football narrativesFootball ritualWhy Gareth is good, Bobby was brilliant and Fabio a flopWhy football is the only sport with hooligans andEnglish entitlementDo share 'A Load of BS' with others. These podcasts are my greatest project and they are only worthwhile with your support! You can find my podcasts on all the usual platforms, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. Do give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.ShareNext week, I'm going to bring you Part 2 of my interview with psychologist, writer and tech provocateur Nir Eyal where we'll discuss how to overcome the urge to check your mobile every 2 minutes!Now game on! Daniel ⚽ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can find my podcasts on all the usual platforms, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. Do give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.These podcasts are my greatest project and they are only worthwhile with your support!If you’re new to A Load of BS, do subscribe or follow me so new pods land automatically in your favourites!Fellow BSers,Welcome to another episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast'. This week, I welcome psychologist, technologist and businessman Nir Eyal. Nir is the Habits and Distractions man having written two best selling books on the subjects - Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.AccoladesIndistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon and one of the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. The Globe and Mail called Indistractable, “the best business book of 2019.”In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine and Psychology Today.Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Today, he writes, consults and teaches the methodologies that he espouses in his books.InvestmentsYou might not be surprised to hear that Nir also invests in habit forming products. His portfolio includes Eventbrite, Kahoot!, Product Hunt and Canva.Nir's styleDespite recording this in Nir's evening time in Singapore, what will stand out to you in this conversation is Nir's insatiable enthusiasm for and clarity on his subject. He is a superlative wordsmith whose messages are conveyed with punch but are always backed by thought and research. He is not afraid to challenge much of today's conventional wisdom in how we consume technology.In Part 1 of our conversation, I talk to Nir about:How to build healthy habits in people's livesHabits vs. addictionsWhether technology is hijacking our brainsNir's unfair investing advantageHow products influence our decisionsThe purpose of brand advertisingBreaking customers' habitsNegativity bias: why we remember the bad stuff first andThe wonder of TikTok, the lunacy of Clubhouse and, of course, the magic of podcastsNow prepare to be distracted.Daniel 😀 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to another episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast' with me Daniel Ross.From Lineker last week down the middle to Finkelstein centre right, I'm ringing the changes for this midweek game to welcome writer, Times newspaper commentator and Conservative Party moderniser, moderate, maven and former advisor to William Hague, George Osborne and David Cameron - the Baron of Pinner, Danny Finkelstein.Prior to his work helping to transition the Conservatives between Major key, very minor key and then David Cameron, Danny was Director of the think tank the Social Market Foundation. He was also the Chairman of the Policy Exchange, an independent charity seeking free market and ‘localist’ solutions to public policy questions. And to give you a titbit away from the LinkedIn theocracy, Danny is an obsessive Beatles fan. Indeed, his study desk and bookshelf are split between Holocaust tomes, reflecting, in part, research for a book on his family which he's currently in the process of writing, and Paul McCartney lyric sheets.Danny was named political commentator of the year at the Editorial Intelligence Comment Awards in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Last year, he published 'Everything in Moderation', a compilation of his Times essays over the last 20 years which reflect, indeed, his sense for moderation, proportion and social psychology.You can find all my podcasts on all the usual platforms: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others, and give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.If you’re new to A Load of BS, subscribe here to get the pods and newsletter straight into your inbox.Today, Danny and I discuss:Perspective and empathyWhy a sense of proportion mattersWhy politics mattersBourgeois stability and big ideasRobert Cialdini's 'click, click, run'COVID, Brexit and self-interestEconomic growth as the driver of polarisation vs. congenialityJournalism's role in policing our systemsBooks referenced by Danny:'Everything in Moderation: The must-read collection of Daniel Finkelstein’s greatest columns in The Times''The Best and the Brightest', by David Halberstam'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion', by Robert Cialdini'How to be an Alien', by George Mikes'Mindwise: How We Understan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast. Today, as we take a turn in the road towards other areas of BS, I am thrilled to welcome none other than Gary Lineker to the show to discuss the psychology of sport with me.For many, Gary needs little introduction, but I'm going to give you one anyway because that's how these things work. We need a little build up, some anticipation. Gary was one of the great footballers of his generation, joining his boyhood club Leicester City in 1978 where he played for 7 years before a move to the great Everton side of the mid-1980s where he dazzled sufficiently to attract the attention of Barcelona where he played under Terry Venables. Then came the big move (I say with definite bias) to Tottenham Hotspur in 1989 where he won the FA Cup in 1991 (I game I attended I may add) before finishing his career with a brief stint in Japan.Gary also played 80 times for England scoring 48 times. Since his glittering athletic career, he has moved seamlessly into media in which his mainstay has been hosting Match of the Day for over 20 years. And so much more, including his famous Walkers Crisps TV commercials and his just launched TV gameshow 'Sitting on a Fortune', or as Gary remarked on Twitter, not 'Shitting on a Fortune.'In this episode, we talk about:What self-confidence means to GaryWhat Gazza was doing before the 1990 World Cup semi-finalWhat it feels like taking a World Cup penaltyThe characteristics that make up a successful dressing roomGeneralisation vs. specialisation andGary's superstitionsGary’s book recommendation and desert island tunesRod: The Autobiography, by Rod StewartSoul Limbo, by Booker T. & The MG’sGary’s Desert Island Discs, 1990 (which he’s not very proud of)More big names are talking BSIt's a testament to the interest, breadth and appeal of behavioural science, and this podcast, that people like Gary Lineker are keen to join me and share stories and insights so openly and warmly. Talking of which, in my next episode I'm switching back to politics and social psychology in conversation with writer, Times commentator and Conservative Party moderniser, moderate, maven and former advisor to William Hague, George Osborne and David Cameron - Danny Finkelstein. It's a brilliant conversation which I'm excited to share with you all.Give Gary and me a Twitter reviewIf you like this episode, please go to Twitter right now and give Gary (@garylineker) and me (@danielsjross) a nice review. We'd both love that. And if you haven't subscribed to all my pods and articles on Substack yet, please join us.Subscribe nowAnd do follow the pods on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen.No more fuss, it's time for kick-off! (Sorry)Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast and to Part 2 of my conversation with Washington based political strategist Marc A. Ross.For those of you who tuned in to Part 1, you'll remember Marc's exuberant, ebullient and entertaining style; his infectious enthusiasm for his subject. And you'll also remember that we covered a lot of ground. Marc shared his great anecdote about Clinton's candy shop in regard to exerting power and influence, we discussed the delusions required to make it as a politician and we talked a lot about the reality of the Hill (and indeed political affairs in general) beyond the media hysteria.Today, we pick up the baton to discuss a wild array of topics which will enlighten you:Sanders, Corbyn and political self-sabotageThe illusion of similarityFloundering Kamala HarrisRory Sutherland's 'make it pink' boardroom strategyProblems with the polling industryCampaign school: the mathematics behind the US electionDiversity in politicsTrump disinfectant and the pirate ship of rejectsWill Trump run again? Hopefully off the treadmillBooks we reference:The Clustering of America, by Michael J. WeissAmerican Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America, by Colin WoodardAlchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind-Numbing Conformity, by Rory SutherlandThe Win Without Pitching Manifesto, by Blair EnnsConfessions of an Advertising Man, by David Ogilvy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,If you liked House of Cards (UK version wins every time) or The West Wing, you’re in for a treat. This week, I welcome political strategist, namesake and keeper of our eponymous tartan and ice shelf, Marc A. Ross to A Load of BS. Marc’s storytelling, his exuberance and his experience at the forefront of global politics glitters through both Part 1 and Part 2 of our conversation. Marc is a political nut; he fell in love with Reagan’s campaign in 1984 as a young teenager and has been immersed ever since. You’ll hear in the pod that Marc’s knowledge and interests fly way beyond home affairs; he is no partisan, his outlook is utterly global and he is a keen student of our British system amongst other, believing firmly that a broad lens gives perspective.He is the founder of Caracal, a communications and political intelligence firm specializing in international trade, commercial relations, economic diplomacy and global business. He is also the founder of Brigadoon, a global membership network helping leaders make better connections and helping them better understand the emerging issues shaping commerce and culture.This only scratches the surface of Marc’s affiliations. Best is to see here for the fullest picture.If that quality of build up hasn’t attracted you to subscribe to A Load of BS (if indeed you aren’t already!), then here is your moment. I won’t reveal names just now, but trust me, we have some quite phenomenal individuals joining me over the coming weeks.Subscribe nowToday, we're talking about:Power and influence, vs. controlClinton’s Candy Shop & reciprocityPolitical attractiveness & M&M’s ad strategyDelusions of grandeur: what it takes to be a successful politicianConfirmation bias & The West WingHow politics really works beyond the sport of media reportingNotable figures referenced by MarcThomas Sowell: American economist, social theorist, and senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover InstitutionTom “The Hammer” DeLay: Texan, former Republican Party Majority Leader who Marc worked for as his first job in WashingtonRoger Ailes: former chairman and CEO of Fox News, media consultant for various American PresidentsHenry Kissinger: American politician, diplomat and geopolitical consultantShare and win absolutely nothingIf you like my shows and weekly writings, do share on Twitter and with friends. There’s no giveaway apart from my eternal appreciation and love; and the enormous dopamine hit you’ll get buy doing it. Trust me, it works.ShareListen on your favourite platform You can also find all my podcasts on your favourite platform: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others, and give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all, here or on Twitter @danielsjross.Now enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast with me Daniel Ross. Today, my guest once again is Gerald Ashley, a re-formed financial markets man and now BS expert with strong interests in change, risk and decision making.Indeed, Gerald has written books on the subject, is a regular media contributor and happily is hitting the live speaking circuit again after too long a gap. That story we know.Today, we're talking about:Our over connected world and the pressures this bringsPandemic costsThe BS replication crisis and its party tricksUnsettling scienceAnd, of course, we end with Gerald's quick fire roundIf you haven't already, please subscribe to my writings and pods on Substack and hit the subscribe button on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen.We pick up today's conversation with another though on the subject of connectivity.Book recommendations:Little Book of Banana Skins, by Donough O'BrienReckoning with Risk: Learning to Live with Uncertainty, by Gerd GigerenzerThe Diaries of Samuel Pepys, by Samuel PepysGerald's own books:Two Speed World: The impact of explosive and gradual change - its effect on you and everything elseThe Tangled World: Understanding human connections, networks and complexityAnd finally…If you like A Load of BS, do leave me a 5 star review on Apple, Spotify or whichever platform you listen on. Share it on Twitter and tell a friend you love me.ShareEnjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,If you're in the mood for listening to the sharpest minds talking absolute BS, you're in the right place.Which naturally brings me to my guest Gerald Ashley, and as we've done in the past, today is part 1 of 2. I think bitesize is more digestible and there's no harm in a gentle pause between this week's very savoury smack in the face of beef wellington before indulging next time in the palette cleansing ice cream finale.Gerald has years of experience in financial markets, from Baring Brothers to Dow Jones to the Bank for International Settlements. So he's been exposed to a fair share of BS in his time. He is now a speaker, advisor, broadcaster and writer on change, risk and decision making. Indeed, Gerald is one of the doyens on these subjects.He is insightful, warm and entertaining with a keen ear and eye for our delusions and dogma; both of which he is quick to quash in this conversation. Why not take a second and share the interview on social media. This is the best decision you’ll make all week; and there’s no risk, only upside.ShareToday, we're talking about:Birds foraging for food and what that teaches us about dramatic change and decision making cyclesWe talk about our model mania - we want to model everything and assign it a risk probability. Quick spoiler folks, you can't do itWe discuss the difference between risk and uncertainty and Gerald explains Knightian uncertainty and how credit card data is so very different from terrorist attack dataAnd as always, there's a book recommendation or twoBooks referenced in the conversation:The Origin Of Wealth: Evolution, Complexity, and the Radical Remaking of Economics, by Eric D. BeinhockerShare and win absolutely nothingIf you like my shows and weekly writings, do share on Twitter and with friends. There’s no giveaway apart from my eternal appreciation and love; and the enormous dopamine hit you’ll get buy doing it. Trust me, it works.Share A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast Listen on your favourite appYou can also find all my podcasts on your favourite platform: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others, and give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all, here or on Twitter @danielsjross.Now enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Part 1 of my interview with Joe was so well received that I’m sharing Part 2 already with a tinge of melancholy; for now at least, there is no more. So like the gourmands that you are, savour this and chew well. Then get on Twitter and start the campaign for an urgent Part 3.Enough drama! In this episode, we discuss:Why we drink so much ChampagneInnovation in wine productionEnvironmental challengesJoe’s new venture Pix.com and Lots of novel wine ideasReferenced (and mainly recommended!) winesNerello Cappuccio (Sicilian red)Frappato (Sicilian red)Western Australian Grenache (a future star)Beaujolais by Vicky MonrozierRomanee-Conti La Tache (please invite me)Dark Horse Wine Barefoot MerlotSaint-Aubin winesThe Bib Wine CompanyWhen In Rome: Phillip Schofield CollectionJoe’s book referencesThe 24-Hour Wine Expert, by Jancis RobinsonOutnumbered: From Facebook and Google to Fake News and Filter-bubbles – The Algorithms That Control Our Lives, by David SumpterMimesis and Theory: Essays on Literature and Criticism, 1953-2005, by René GirardSituationist International Anthology, by Ken KnabbShare and win absolutely nothingIf you like my shows and weekly writings, do share on Twitter and with friends. There’s no giveaway apart from my eternal appreciation and love; and the enormous dopamine hit you’ll get buy doing it. Trust me, it works. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Welcome to Part 1 of my interview with Joe Fattorini. These next episodes combine two of my loves; wine and BS, and there’s plenty of each in the other! Joe is a brilliant guest - warm, insightful and hugely knowledgeable. If you like wine, if you like BS, you'll love this show.If you think about it for a moment, we can all reflect on wine moments in our lives when deciding what to choose was riddled with anxiety; be it a romantic occasion, gifting to one’s in-laws or lubricating clients at a business dinner.Am I sending the right signals? I don’t want to appear cheap, but certainly not extravagant. I want to be original but not pick a stinker. This is a world full of symbolism and ritual.Now there may be more critical adjudications in life than sifting between your Grüner Veltliner and Gewurztraminer; but few are as much fun! See, I’m BSing already, referencing the lesser known sommelier’s favourite, Grüner Veltliner. I couldn’t help myself.Not your regular JoeKnown around the world as Obi Wine Kenobi, Joe Fattorini is co-host of the wildly successful The Wine Show which has 250m viewers across 107 countries.Joe actually started his career as an academic. Between researching his MPhil on Food & Religion and teaching Structuralist Food Theory and Hotel Valuation Models, Joe wrote the world’s first textbook on selling and marketing wine in restaurants, Managing Wine and Wine Sales, a book still used in universities over 20 years later.Joe has written extensively and broadly on wine. He wrote for The Herald newspaper for 14 years, he's written for all the UK’s wine magazines and a range of American lifestyle publications. Never shy of controversy, he once wrote the 'most complained about article' ever published in Decanter Magazine.Joe was the wine consultant to the US PGA golf tour and has won numerous accolades, including IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year Award and IWC Personality of the Year. In 2018 Joe was named 22nd in the 100 Most Influential People in Wine by Drinks Retailing News, the highest placed media figure on the list.In this episode, we discuss:How Joe got into wine (sparked by school expulsion!)Veblen’s concept of conspicuous consumptionWine as GodCelebrity endorsement and what makes a successful wineSymbols and rituals andWhy cleaning ladies make great whiskey tastersSharing is caringIf you like my shows and Sunday writing, do share with friends. Your support makes it all worthwhile!Share A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast Listening on your favourite appYou can find all my podcasts on your favourite platform: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others. And let me know what you think of it all, here or on Twitter @danielsjross.Now enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fellow BSers,Many of you have listened to Parts 1 and 2 of my interview with Rory Sutherland; ad man, author and BS aficionado. Links above for those of you careless enough to miss them.This bonus is a perfect digestif cum coda, the Thursday eau de vie that you’ve been looking for, a 15 minute morsel to electrify your 574th consecutive tracksuit bottomed home lunch. This is a final treat from Rory, the BONUS episode in which Rory shares his story of airport arrest and a spine tingling 24 hours in jail in Qatar. The Last SupperHanging on rather desperately to gastronomic descriptors (and since Rory was behind bars overnight, I’ll let the fateful metaphor extend), this podcast is a final treat from Rory, in which he shares his story of airport arrest and a spine tingling 24 hours in jail in Qatar.I think Rory should take his story on tour. If thesps like Sir Ian McKellen and David Baddiel can do it, why on earth not SuperTED Rory? In this episode, find out why Rory was arrested, why his cravat was confiscated, alongside riffs on solving defects in Amazon Prime delivery and Rory's self-invented and Beatles inspired SI unit for regret.Win a signed copy of Rory’s bookAs a final treat, we are giving away a limited number of signed copies of Rory's book Alchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind Numbing Conformity. To win one, simply go to Twitter, post a review of this show, include the show link from aloadofbs.substack.com and tag me @danielsjross so I know who you are!Enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with behavioural economics expert Paul Craven. After almost 30 years in asset management working for the city’s biggest names, Paul’s passion is understanding “how real people make real decisions in the real world.” Paul gives over 50 talks a year around the world to audiences from investors to doctors to lawyers to entrepreneurs explaining the tricks our minds play. Check out Paul’s website logo for one of them.If you missed Part 1 of this interview, you can find it here. There, we left off on the question of generalisation vs. specialization; and that’s where we pick up Part 2.If you’re not already a subscriber to A Load of BS, get involved! Next week, I’m sharing the outlandish story of Rory Sutherland’s capture and incarceration in a Qatari jail.I want A Load of BS in my lifeIn this episode, we discuss:The benefits of a polymathic approach to lifeTransactions vs. relationshipsAristotle’s rhetorical triangle Skill vs. luck andMinimising errors vs. maximising winnersBooks referenced in the podcastInfluence, The Psychology of Persuasion (new and expanded), by Robert CialdiniRange: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David EpsteinAlchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind-Numbing Conformity, by Rory SutherlandThinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel KahnemanSubscribe to my Sunday newsletter tooFor those here who aren’t already subscribed to Sunday BS: Behavioural Science Curious, here I share 3 ideas, thoughts or provocations from my readings of the last week. Some will be expansions from my podcasts, others will reflect my wider BS reading and thinking.It’s short, sharp and fun. And will make you sound clever in meetings on Mondays! Give it a go. 😀Sign up for Sunday BSPlease give me a 5 star review if you like the podcasts and let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.Enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with the inimitable Rory Sutherland. Rory is the Global Vice-Chairman of renowned ad agency Ogilvy, has a brain the size of a football and talks BS like the best of them.For those of you who listened to Part 1 of my interview with Rory, you'll remember that we paused with my question about Rory's own susceptibility to decision making biases. We pick up immediately with his answer to that question.In this episode, we discuss:Kahneman and susceptibility to decision making biases Solving cryptic puzzlesThe difference between music that's listenable to and endlessly re-listenable to andDeciding how to move houseBooks referenced in the podcastSeeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed, by James C. ScottThe Choice Factory, by Richard ShottonThe Silo Effect: The Peril of Expertise and the Promise of Breaking Down Barriers, by Gillian TettThe Social Instinct: How Cooperation Shaped the World, by Nicola RaihaniComing next weekPart 2 of my interview with Rory’s great friend, my new friend, the charming and eloquent Paul Craven. If you missed the teachings of Paul last week, pick it up here.Subscribe to my Sunday newsletterFor those here who aren’t already subscribed to Sunday BS: Behavioural Science Curios, here I share 3 ideas, thoughts or provocations from my readings of the last week. Some will be expansions from my podcasts, others will reflect my wider BS reading and thinking.It’s short, sharp and fun. And will make you sound clever in meetings on Mondays! Give it a go. 😀Sign up for Sunday BSAnd let me know what you think, here or on Twitter @danielsjross.Enjoy the show!Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'How real people make real decisions in the real world'My guest today is Paul Craven. Paul is a BS expert with close to 30 years experience in financial markets where he worked for Schroders, PIMCO and little known boutique Goldman Sachs. Under the umbrella now of Craven Partners, he is a keynote conference and after dinner speaker, covering topics such as decision making, investment and sales, all from a behavioural and psychological perspective. Paul is also a magician, a member of the Magic Circle and a hickory golf enthusiast.Paul’s favourite definition of Behavioural Economics is “how real people make real decisions in the real world.” And this is at the heart of what Paul and I try to disentangle in our conversation. Today’s podcast is in two parts. In Part 1 here, we discuss:Magic in business relationshipsThe bandwagon effect and confirmation biases in investingThe evolutionary value of decision making biasesHindsight bias & why Paul is too cool to do drugsChallenging pension fund investorsThe media's bias for bad newsAnd superforecastingBooks referenced in the podcastRange: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David EpsteinSuperforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction, by Philip Tetlock and Dan GardnerFactfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World - And Why Things Are Better Than You Think, by Hans Rosling and Ola RoslingPlease subscribe and leave a review; your feedback and support is much appreciated!Enjoy the show,Daniel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm delighted that my guest in this episode of Paths Less Trodden is the inimitable Rory Sutherland. Rory is vice chairman of advertising agency Ogilvy Group and is an expert on consumer behaviour, trends and the influence of the internet. He analyses what branding means, what creativity is, and the value of persuasion over compulsion. He is a speaker around the world from TED to his own behavioural science festival Nudgestock. He is also an accomplished author (he published 'Alchemy: The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind Numbing Conformity' in 2018 and he writes regularly for The Spectator magazine). Rory is one of the most respected creative thinkers in the ad industry. He once suggested to Microsoft that they enable people to share office documents on the internet. Hmmm. The idea was dismissed but Rory has nevertheless gone on to build a career out of the counter-intuitive and the original. With a razor sharp wit and intellect, he examines what influences our choices and why irrational thinking tends to win out.This podcast is in two parts. In Part 1 here, we discuss:The wonder of Red BullWhether our human biases are too deeply embedded for humans to change their decision makingWhy the advertising industry is insufficiently creativeWhy traditional economic theory still holds swayAnd we conclude by dangling the question whether Rory himself is as susceptible as the next person to decision making biasesP.s. apologies in advance for a little background noise in the early part of the show. Home working disruptions! The storyline is nevertheless absolutely clear.Beyond Part 2, there will also be a short bonus edition for subscribers in which Rory shares his story of an unusual and unexpected 24 hours in a Qatari jail. Be sure to subscribe here on Paths Less Trodden to get these upcoming episodes. You can also sign up to my newsletter with all my writings and podcasts right here.Enjoy the show, it's a cracker... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The quality of my guests is amazing. I am thrilled to share my conversation with Jack Butcher with you in this episode. Jack is at the forefront of the online creator economy with his business Visualize Value, a design and consulting company based in New York. He is a graphic designer by trade, having spent a decade working in Fortune 100 advertising in NYC as a creative director for multi-billion dollar brands like Mercedes-Benz, McDonald's and Unilever. In his words, ‘fun, but the opposite of freedom.'In search of freedom, he started his own advertising agency. No fun, and even less freedom. So Jack transitioned his traditional agency model into a product business that scales infinitely. That is Visualize Value, a business which now turns over $100K a month with 99% profit margin. Not too bad.In this episode, we discuss:How far the creator economy can go and its impact on traditional business modelsJack's journey from Swindon to buzzing Manhattan His design principlesScaling a business in 2 yearsHis love of racing carsThe crypto opportunity, and lots besidesI really hope you enjoy it! If you do, please subscribe on Apple or follow on Spotify for more thought provoking interviews. There is so much to learn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.