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The Decision-Making Studio Podcast

The Decision-Making Studio Podcast (formerly known as the All Things Risk podcast) uses the lenses of decision-making, uncertainty and risk to better understand ourselves and our world. We feature fascinating guests across many fields from sport, the arts, current affairs and others. We have long-form conversations and our guests share insights, stories, tools and tips.
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Now displaying: 2016
Jun 15, 2016

This is a short in-betweenisode in which I discuss grit and motivation.  I offer four tips and steps around how to push through when a lack of motivation is a factor.

 

Show notes:

Article on negative thoughts: http://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/three-techniques-to-manage-40000-negative-thoughts

Article on how action creates emotion: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-therapy/201010/action-creates-emotion

Article on habits: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-happiness-project/200910/stop-expecting-change-your-habit-in-21-days

Tim Ferriss on habits: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2009/01/07/the-power-of-less-leo-babauta-zen-habits

Rich Roll: www.richroll.com 

_________________________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh

Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast

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Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Jun 7, 2016

Does leading counter-insurgency operations against the Taliban have any application to a purely civilian realm?  Yes, and more than you can probably imagine.  I explore this question in this episode and there is so much wrapped into the answers, that it makes for an enthralling discussion about leadership, war, discipline, decision-making in the midst of uncertainty and so much more.  I think you’ll love it!

My guest is Nick Copperwaite.  Nick currently works in the finance sector here in London.  However, prior to this he spent 17 years in the Parachute Regiment of the British Army, rising to the rank of Major.  He led operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. 

I know many of you have a wide range of views on war, foreign policy and military intervention.  However, regardless of your perspective, I am certain that you will get a lot out of this conversation.

Nick is a great guy, with a huge amount of knowledge and insights and a very interesting journey from the battle fields of Afghanistan to the his current role working in the office complexes of Canary Wharf.  I have a great amount of admiration and respect for him.

In this episode, we discuss:

•Nick’s background and what led him to joining the military – and to be clear, it is not an interest in fighting or conflict!;
•The benefits of military training;
•His time doing counter-insurgency operations, particularly in Afghanistan against the Taliban.  I found this to be a fascinating discussion on Nick’s efforts in winning hearts and minds, armed conflict in the 21st Century, working with local Mullahs and local communities, and the broader limitations of counter-insurgency. 
•Leading men and women into war and how he prepared for the prospect of losing lives
•Transitioning to a civilian life;
•Things he learned in the military that are highly applicable to civilian organisations, particularly:
•Leadership and how to motivate and treat others;
•Planning in the midst of uncertainty
•Decision-making
•Whether or not we (as in Western governments) do enough to help service leavers transitions to a civilian life
•And much more!

This is an amazing conversation and I am sure you will enjoy and get a lot out of it!

Show notes:

Nick on Linkedin: http://bit.ly/1TSqCwe 

The book “The Utility of Force” by Rupert Smith: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211972.The_Utility_of_Force?ac=1&from_search=true

 _________________________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

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May 31, 2016

Today we talk history, international diplomacy, and the life of a foreign correspondent in the USA.  My guest is Stéphane Bussard.  Stéphane is the US correspondent at Le Temps (www.letemps.ch), the leading French-language newspaper in Switzerland and a world-class publication. 

Stéphane has a very interesting background which has included being an exchange student in Leipzig, in late 1989 when it was still known as East Germany or the German Democratic Republic, and being an eye witness to the fall of the Berlin Wall, one of the most monumental events in the history of the 20th Century.  This event greatly influenced Stéphane’s decision to become a journalist and a foreign correspondent in particular.

We talk about this in the episode, as well as loads of other interesting topics:

•Geneva, and its place in world diplomacy;
•Uncovering secret talks between the United States, the EU and Iran;
•Being a foreign correspondent in the USA;
•Stéphane’s work tracing Barack Obama’s youth and how it shaped him as a President;
•Stéphane’s take on Obama’s legacy, including thoughts on Iran and Cuba;
•His coverage of the civil rights movement;
•The Ferguson riots;
•The upcoming US elections;
•The role of the media and journalism
•And more!

Show notes:

Stéphane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BussardS

Stéphane on Linkedin: http://bit.ly/1UbXQpP

Some of Stéphane’s work:

http://www.letemps.ch/societe/2013/08/06/traces-barack-obama  

http://www.letemps.ch/societe/2013/08/06/traces-barack-obama  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/07/30/amerique-noire-barack-obama   

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/07/29/lyndon-johnson-guide-revolution-droits-civiques  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/07/28/selma-montgomery-marche-une-citoyennete-part-entiere  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/07/27/route-droits-civiques  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/07/27/james-meredith-cet-anti-heros  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/11/21/reportage-ferguson-menacee-un-verdict-explosif  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2009/04/07/discussions-secretes-geneve   

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/12/14/cuba-etats-unis-un-obstacle-ouverture 

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/12/17/pari-ouverture  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2014/12/14/cubains-ont-un-mode-pensee-beaucoup-plus-independant  

http://www.letemps.ch/no-section/2015/05/18/cuba-un-peuple-entre-espoir-crainte-veille-grand-basculement  

http://www.letemps.ch/no-section/2015/05/18/el-paquete-internet-pauvre-fureur-cuba  

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2015/07/01/cuba-etats-unis-percee-diplomatique-historique    

http://www.letemps.ch/monde/2016/03/11/negociations-secretes-brisent-un-mythe   

http://www.letemps.ch/suisse/2010/10/23/negociations-secretes-ombre-geneve

Track Andre Goeritz, one of my listeners, as he attempts a world record cycling: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0HovQyalscNazqL9rXbQunbbqhUot4PlK 

____________________ 

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

May 24, 2016

This is a short "inbetweenisode" in which I discuss how to take risks intelligently through knowing the difference between the "zone of regret" and the "zone of disappointment".  I also leverage a quote from Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai, as read by Forest Whitaker in the 1999 movie "Ghost Dog".

__________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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May 17, 2016

How did everything come to be the way it is? My guest in Episode 12 of the podcast (I very deliberately decided to post this conversation in Episode 12 – listen to the episode to find out why), runs a blog and is working on a forthcoming book that attempts to answer this very question. 

Kevin Knabe is a User Experience Designer. He has worked at Apple (although not when Steve Jobs was there as Kevin points out!), Rodale and other leading organisations . He designs and improves the way we work with products. His blog (and book by the same name) is called “The Making of Sense” (www.themakingofsense.com).  It’s awesome.  

In it, Kevin applies his design background to all kinds of things and asks the simple question, “why did they design it like that?”  When you read his posts, you come to understand that many of the things that we take for granted and our quite common in our everyday experience were actually designed on the basis of randomness, quirks of history, the needs or other factors present whenever the thing was invented, and many other interesting phenomena.  I find the whole concept behind his blog and book to be strangely empowering.

In this episode, Kevin share many of the excerpts from his blog and forthcoming book and it makes for a very interesting and fun conversation.  We talk about:

•The origin of language and writing;
•Numbers
•The origin of the calendar – and how it could be improved (including a proposal to celebrate Festivus);
•The concept of time – where Kevin discusses Einstein and the theory of relativity, a very trippy part of the conversation;
•Music
•Art
•Randomness and risk in design
•And more

I am sure that you will enjoy it!

Show notes:

•Kevin’s site – “The Making of Sense” - http://www.themakingofsense.com/
•Find Kevin professionally - http://www.knabedesign.com/
•Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/makingofsense
•The backwards brain bicycle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0
•Track Andre Goeritz, one of my listeners, as he attempts a world record cycling: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0HovQyalscNazqL9rXbQunbbqhUot4PlK 

__________________

 Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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Subscribe on Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-things-risk/the-all-things-risk-podcast

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Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

May 10, 2016

Have you been to the theatre lately?  Perhaps you’ve attended a performance at the National Theatre in London, or watched a broadcast of one at your local cinema.  If so, you’ll know that they do some amazing things at these live productions - performers float or even ”fly”, shows have live birds flying, and they even set things on fire.  How do these productions do these things within the confines of a theatre or arts centre, and how do they balance risk while maintaining the artistic integrity of the production?

Enter, stage right, my guest on today’s episode, Ms. Anna Glover.  Anna leads the Safety Risk and Fire Management team at the world renowned National Theatre here in London.  As you will soon find out, Anna does NOT do Health and Safety risk.  Rather, she and her team are a core part of these internationally acclaimed shows – full stop. The work she does embodies what great risk management is all about – taking risk with intelligence and confidence – and achieving great things in the process. We obviously cover this fascinating line of work in the episode – including her work with top directors, choreographers, designers, and actors, and on some amazing shows. 

But, there is much more to Anna than this.  We have a great conversation around how Anna got into this line of work.  This is a wonderful example of how to find your path – or more precisely, how to let it find you. We move on to have a great discussion about Anna’s philosophy on risk, fear, and many other things.  We also cover:

•What she learned from working with Juliette Binoche
•Her time in North Wales from studying to running an outdoor pursuits on a military base
•Her “run in” with Sir Ranulph Fiennes
•Martial arts – Anna is a second dan in the Korean art of hapkido
•Finding your path
•And much, much more

This is an amazing episode and I am sure you will enjoy it!

 

Show notes:

Anna Glover's website - http://annagloverconsulting.com/ 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/annajglover 

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annagloverconsulting/ 

Some people Anna has worked with:

•Phyllida Lloyd, CBE is a British director, best known for her work in theatre and as the director of Mamma Mia! and The Iron Lady - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllida_Lloyd
•Paule Constable is a British lighting designer who won the 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2013 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design. She was also a nominee for four further productions and for a 2007 Tony Award on Broadway - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paule_Constable
•Catherine Mallyon - Executive Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company - https://www.rsc.org.uk/about-us/whos-who/catherine-mallyon-executive-director
•Mark Dakin Technical -Director of the Royal Opera House - http://www.theatrecraft.org/leaders/mark-dakin/
•”War Horse” – http://www.warhorseonstage.com/

“The Light Princess” – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Princess-Original-Cast-Recording/dp/B0131W0S4Q

Book recommendation – Creativity, Inc.by Ed Catmull - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18077903-creativity-inc?from_search=true&search_version=service

Book recommendation – The Organised Mind by Daniel Levitin - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693669-the-organized-mind?ac=1&from_search=true

Joint Service Mountain Training Centre - http://www.nuffieldanglesey.org.uk/

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll

Chang’s Hapkido Academy - http://www.changshapkido.net/

Poem – “The Bright Field” by RS Thomas: http://emilyspoetryblog.com/2013/10/23/the-bright-field-by-r-s-thomas/

I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the
pearl of great price, the one field that had
treasure in it. I realise now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.

__________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

May 3, 2016

Today we talk geopolitics, career paths, and much more with my guest Daniel Wagner.  Daniel is the founder and CEO of Country Risk Solutions and a veteran of country and political risk management.  He has been a practitioner in this fascinating area of risk for many years – he has written a couple of books on the topic and several articles.  He frequently appears on CNN, RT, the Huffington Post, and other media outlets to offer his views on international affairs.

What is country and political risk?  If you are new to this field, or don’t know much about it, it is basically the management of risks created by political actors or political conditions. So, it might be things like the prospect of war or political violence in a country in which your organisation is working, policy uncertainty, or things of that nature.  I have worked in this area, and it is certainly fascinating.

Like many great conversations however, this one starts with Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin.  Daniel interviewed Robert Plant in the early 1980s on MTV - an interesting story. From there, we move into how Daniel got into country risk and his career path to date.  We also riff about a number of interesting topics such as the role of China, multilateral institutions, and the upcoming US elections (Bernie Sanders, Hilary Clinton, Donald Trump). Daniel also offers his thoughts and philosophies on risk management generally and we discuss his upcoming book Global Risk Agility and Decision-Making.  We will have Daniel and his co-author Dante Disparte on a future episode to get more into the nuts and bolts of the book.

Show notes:

Country Risk Solutions: www.countryrisksolutions.com

Daniel’s book, Country Risk, A Practitioner’s Guide: http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Country-Risk-Practitioners-Cross-Border/dp/1466500476/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462225124&sr=1-3

Daniel’s forthcoming book: Global Risk Agility and Decision Making (Macmillan, July 2016): http://www.amazon.com/Global-Risk-Agility-Decision-Making/dp/1349948594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456840522&sr=8-1&keywords=global+risk+agility+and+decision+making

Articles written by Daniel: http://countryrisksolutions.com/publications.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Country-Risk-Solutions/206650596087696?sk=wall

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/danielwagnercrs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/countryriskmgmt

Daniel on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CountryRiskSolutions

Daniel’s interview with Robert Plant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIvEBNf5TfA

__________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the All Things Risk Podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it on social media:

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Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Apr 26, 2016

My guest on today’s show is endurance adventurer Luke Tyburski.  I first came across Luke in a couple of podcasts Ilisten to, saw that he also based in London, and connected with himto do this show.  Luke’s story is amazing and inspiring. Last year, Luke devised, designed, and completed “The Ultimate Triathlon” – a 2000 km adventure from Morocco to Monaco thatinvolved: 1) swimming the Strait of Gibraltar (equal to 400 laps ofa 50m pool), 2) cycling 1,300 kms across the Spanish coast intoFrance (equivalent to the entire length of Britain), and 3) running 14 marathons to Monaco – all done in just 12 days!  

However, this is not just a story of someone who did something epic.  Luke’s approach is a beautiful example of how to take risks, even when things don’t fully work out – as is the case inhis efforts to turn from struggling journeyman footballer tofull-blown professional.

We also discuss his battle with depression.  This is a very real, authentic conversation about this illness. If you or anyoneyou know is struggling with depression, I urge you to have a listento the first 30-40 minutes of this show, as Luke provides a number of wonderful insights. 

From there, we go on to discuss Luke’s training and completion of the Marathon des Sables (MDS) – a great part of the conversation when we tackle the nature of motivation, authenticity, and living life. 

We then get into a number of Luke’s further adventures, leading to the Ultimate Triathlon. 

I thought the conversation was pure gold.  We cover, among many other things:

•Taking risks in life
•Battling depression
•Making sacrifices
•Training for, and running the Marathon des Sables (http://www.marathondessables.co.uk/)
•The Brutal Extreme Triathlon (http://www.britishtriathlon.org/take-part/events/detail/the-brutal-extreme-triathlon-_1495)
•The Mount Everest Ultra Marathon
•The Ultimate Triathlon, including:
•The resilience of the body and mind;
•Logistical challenges;
•Dealing with injuries;
•Superfoods
•And much more!

Show notes:

Luke on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luke.tyburski.1?fref=ts

The Ultimate Triathlon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theultimatetriathlon/?fref=ts

Luke on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luketyburski

Luke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LukeTyburski

www.LukeTyburski.com

www.TheUltimateTriathlon.com

Connect with Luke on email: LukeTyburski@gmail.com 

Nominate Luke  to give a TED Talk: https://speaker-nominations.ted.com/

__________________

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the ATR podcast, leave arating or review, and share it on social media:

Subscribe and/or leave a rating and review on iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh

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Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Apr 13, 2016

How much should we, as individual citizens worry about dying from a terrorist attack?  I explore this question with reference to some probabilities in this short episode.

Show notes:

Sam Harris / Dan Carlin "crosscast" "Shouldering the Burden of History" - https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/shouldering-the-burden-of-history-podcast-transcript 

"10 Things More Likely to Kill You Than Islamic Terror" - http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-12/10-things-more-likely-kill-you-islamic-terror

"What's many more times deadly than terrorism? Britain's roads" - http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/25/deadly-terrorism-britain-roads-security-risk 

 

"UK Terror Hysteria Exposed" - http://www.countercurrents.org/polya160914.htm 

Apr 5, 2016

My guest on today’s show is writer, poet, book-seller, “newpaperist,” and runner Robert Earl Stewart.  Robert and I,or Bob as I have always known him, go way back. We both grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In the mid-1980s when we were 13 and 14 years old, he and I created the Role Playing Wrestling Alliance, an amazing, all-consuming game that was at once part Dungeons andDragons, WWE/WWF, and repository of our own intense brand of imaginary violence. The game consumed us for two to three years and in some way, had an influence on each of our professionalpaths. 

This week, Robert has a wonderfully-written article coming outabout our monstrous and fantastic creation in the upcoming issue of Canadian Notes and Queries (www.notesandqueries.ca ). In this conversation, we get into that (I think the article hasseveral belly laughs), and we end discussing a range interesting topics, including:

•The RPWA - the game we created and a great example of one of life's "dots" (as made famous by Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement speech) for the both of us;
•The art of story-telling – how to tell a great story
•What makes good writing;
•The media, particularly the newspaper industry – Robert spent several years in newspapers, including a long stint as the editor of a local paper at a time of profound change as the industry moved from print to digital media;
•The dying craft of the “newpaperist"
•Poetry – Robert has had two poetry books published;
•Running – Robert went from needing to see a cardiologist to losing 160 pounds (73 kgs) and running half marathons in the spaceof 1.5 years.  Robert is currently working on a book about running.

It is a fun conversation that I am certain you will enjoy!

Show notes:

Robert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/earlofbob

Robert on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertearlstewart/

Robert on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3102353.Robert_Earl_Stewart

Canadian Notes and Queries: www.notesandqueries.ca

Biblioasis: http://biblioasis.com/

Robert’s first poetry book Something Burned Alongthe Southern Border: http://mansfieldpress.net/2011/09/somethung-burned-along-the-southern-border/

Robert’s second poetry book Campfire RadioRhapsody: http://mansfieldpress.net/2011/09/campfire-radio-rhapsody/

Book recommendation Y.T.: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25937717-y-t?from_new_nav=true&ac=1&from_search=true

Book recommendation Exemplary Departures: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27416805-exemplary-departures

Portrait of Robert by Melanie Janisse Barlow (https://twitter.com/mingot  andhttps://www.instagram.com/melaniejanissepaint/

__________________

 

Did you like this episode? Subscribe to the ATR podcast, leave a review and share it on social media

Subscribe on iTunes: http://apple.co/1PjLmKh

Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiskThings  

Drop us a note: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Mar 30, 2016

I would normally have put up an "in-betweenisode" this week but instead offer you a taster of next week's full episode.  Next week, I converse with writer, poet, book-seller, father, husband and runner, Robert Earl Stewart.  We talk about his article in the upcoming issue of Canadian Notes and Queries (http://notesandqueries.ca/), story-telling, the media, poetry, running and lots more.  The episode will be up on April 5th.  

Mar 23, 2016

Whether it’s Volkswagen, Siemens, FIFA, or many otherorganisations, we seem to be hearing more and more aboutcorruption. Are all organisations, particularly businesses, corrupt -  and what can we do about it?  My guest today has interesting answers to these questions, and we get into this fascinating area of risk.

Alison Taylor is, amongst many other things, an expert in anti-corruption.  Alison is a Director at an organisation called Business for Social Responsibility (www.bsr.org) and has several years of experience doing consulting work and investigations in this area.  She has a unique perspective to corruption by bringing both analytical and practical lenses to it – and emphasises the important role that organisational culture (i.e.“how things are done around here”) plays. She not only knows her stuff, but explains things clearly and with plenty of interesting stories and examples. I thought it was an excellent conversation and I’m certain you’ll enjoy it. 

We covered many areas including:

  • What corruption is;
  • How and why organisations become “corrupted”;
  • Why many currently popular “compliance-led” approaches to corruption are falling short;
  • Whistleblowers and why there are so few of them out there;
  • Tell-tale signs of corruption (i.e. how to tell if you might beworking for, or with, a corrupt organisation);
  • Cross-cultural (i.e. non-Western) attitudes towardscorruption

Show notes:

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Mar 18, 2016

This is another short “in-betweenisode” in which I offer some thoughts on the relationship between resilience and self-awareness and authenticity, drawing upon one of Bruce Lee’s most famous quotes.

 

Show notes:

Bruce Lee’s water quote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJMwBwFj5nQ

Article in www.brainpickings.org on Bruce Lee and the water principle: https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/05/29/like-water-bruce-lee-artist-of-life/

Article in www.brainpickings.org on Bruce and self-actualisation: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/12/18/bruce-lee-artist-of-life-self-esteem/

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Mar 9, 2016

In this episode, I chat with Adventurer-Athlete Tarran Kent-Hume.  Tarran is a veteran of a litany of epic adventures – chasing his dream of becoming a professional footballer in England from his native Australia, completing an Ironman triathlon, organising and competing in the world’s longest 5-a-side football match, climbing Mont Blanc, training and competing in Muay Thai in Thailand, and becoming a fitness model.  However, we spend a lot of the show talking how Tarran and his friend Olie Hunter kayaked the length of the Amazon river last year(!) – from its source in the Peruvian Andes to its mouth in Brazil – a total distance of 6,500kms.  Wrap your brain around that!

 

Beyond (or perhaps because of all this), Tarran has a beautiful approach to life that involves tackling his greatest fears.  While I don’t get inspired easily or cheaply (neither should you!), it is hard not only to be inspired by Tarran, but to take away some things from his adventures that you can apply to your own.  While his core is clearly tough-as-nails, he is very humble, introspective and funny.  We have a wide-ranging conversation, heavily anchored in his Amazonian adventure:

 

•His background from footballer to working in the City of London as a financial services headhunter (and how and why he decided to make a lifestyle change and eventually move on from that);
•Ironman triathlon and endurance events, his record-breaking 5-a-side football match, Muay Thai and fitness modelling;
•Kayaking the Amazon - and to borrow the definition of Risk provided by John Morrison in Episode 4, a number of  interesting “sh*t happens moments”:
•A Man United supporting, rifle carrying rondero in Peru;
•Being shot at
•Losing his guide;
•Being taken in countless times by families in Peru and Brazil (including the selfless provision of countless bowls of açaí);
•His reflections on what he took away from the experience
•Thoughts on fear, honest and of course, risk
 

The first I had met Tarran was to do this podcast - and I came away having felt that I had known him for a long time.  It is a great and engaging conversation.  Enjoy!

Show notes:

 You can find Tarran on social media here:

Website: http://www.tarrankenthume.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarran.kent.hume1/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tarran008

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarran008/

  

What is this drink masato, that Tarran mentions?  This is it: http://bit.ly/1Fbjw0k

Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants: http://www.exploringbytheseat.com/

I butcher Timothy Leary’s famous maxim “Turn on, tune in, drop out”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_on,_tune_in,_drop_out

The book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki: http://amzn.to/1W9AbJs

Once again, Nassim Taleb’s The Black Swan: http://amzn.to/1UfpIwI

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Mar 1, 2016

In this episode, I sit down with John Morrison.  John is an economist and risk manager and currently a Director at Credit Suisse.  John is not only one of the smartest people I know, but he is also a great story teller.  He possesses the ability to explain complex phenomena in ways that make them easy to understand. 

 

We talk about:

 

-The 2007-08 Global Financial Crisis, its causes, and John’s front-line perspective;
-Whether or not the global financial system has gotten any safer;
-Where the next financial crisis may emanate;
-Whether or not it is possible to predict a financial crisis;
-”Shadow banking”
-Innovations and trends like virtual currencies, bitcoin and the blockchain technology;
-Moving to a cashless society;
-Some film recommendations – John is a film buff
 

Show notes:

We reference Michael Lewis’ books a lot:

-Flash Boys - http://amzn.to/1RgTa0C
-The Big Short - http://amzn.to/1OJQXc3
-Moneyball - http://amzn.to/1RgThcB
-Liar’s Poker - http://amzn.to/1TNsL09
 

We discuss Nassim Taleb’s book The Black Swan - http://amzn.to/1TNsU3L 

I mention the book The Hour Between Dog and Wolf - http://amzn.to/24xK0GR

John even drops a couple of film references:

•The Brand New Testament - http://bit.ly/1pmncth
•Children of Men - http://bit.ly/1QhSOcf

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Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Feb 24, 2016

This is an “in-betweenisode” of the All Things Risk Podcast.  Today, I discuss the power of “negative visualisation”.

 

Show notes:

Commander Chris Hadfield’s cover of the late David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” from the International Space Station - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo

Commander Hadfield’s book, “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth”: http://amzn.to/1LGh2sw

Great article by Ryan Holiday – “The Stoic Art of Negative Visualisation”

Check out Holiday’s book “The Obstacle is the Way” a very easy-to-grasp guide to stoic principles: http://amzn.to/1T7pwkx

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Visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

Feb 16, 2016

In this episode, I speak with Laura Dal Farra.  Laura is an entrepreneur, writer, blogger, traveller/adventurer and Muay Thai practitioner.  Based in Toronto, Canada, Laura runs a site called Milk Blitz Street Bomb which focuses on “where travel and martial arts meet.”  Laura was recently featured in the travel section of  The Toronto Star

 

In 2006, Laura spent six months in Chiang Mai, Thailand studying the art of Muay Thai.  She got enamoured with how the art was practiced in the country, particularly the purity of the discipline and the humility of many of the practitioners.  She also got a taste for a certain kind of life.

 

After returning to Canada, Laura decided to make a bold move.  She re-designed her life and moved back to Thailand where she ended up training for over three and a half years.  She first spent a year in Bangkok and then in Buriram in NE Thailand, near the border with Cambodia. In going back to Thailand, that’s when the adventure really began as Laura immersed herself in the Thai culture.  Adventure of course implies challenge, adversity and of course, facing uncertainty.  Through her time in Thailand Laura ended up having a number of wonderful experiences that served This inspired her to create Milk Blitz Street Bomb in which she provides advice, stories and resources to those seeking to follow a similar path.

 

We have a great conversation and spend time discussing:

 

•Why Laura started training in Muay Thai and when she first got the idea to spend some time in Thailand;
•The decision to move back to Thailand longer term;
•The challenges associated with living in the country, particularly as a solo female traveler;
•Culture – we spend a lot of time discussing cultural differences and how Laura unpicked the layers of Thai culture – including different way of thinking (Western vs. Easter ways of thinking) and navigating a culture that is quite hierarchical;
•How and why she started Milk Blitz Street Bomb;
•The challenges associated with “re-entry” shock

 

Laura is very authentic, inspiring and cool.  We have a wonderful conversation that perhaps was a bit too short (which only means that I will have to have her back on the show).  I hope you enjoy it!

 

Show notes:

 

•Check out Laura site: www.mbsb.us or www.milkblitzstreetbomb.com
•Check MBSB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MBSBx
•Buriram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buriram
•Laura in the Toronto Star: http://bit.ly/1Swr0o2
•I make mention of the book “The Gift of Fear” at one point: http://amzn.to/1Q0dEhp 

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Feb 12, 2016

This is a short "in-betweenisode" in which I share some thoughts about how to train and help ourselves be more fully present to better manage uncertainty.  Normally, the show features long-form conversations but from time to time, I will post shorter, more bite-sized episodes with various thoughts and musings based on the show's themes.

Show notes:

In this show, I reference this article by Faisal Hoque: http://www.fastcompany.com/3056147/work-smart/how-to-practice-mindfulness-when-you-dont-have-the-time

 

 

Feb 2, 2016

In this episode, I sit down with ultra-endurance cyclist and all-around great guy Martian Cioana.  Martian is known on Strava – a social networking site for cyclists and runners as being a bit of a legend for rides like this: https://www.strava.com/activities/459917083

And this: https://www.strava.com/activities/437856088

 

Last summer, Martian competed in the Transcontinental Race – a 4,000+ km  one stage race from Belgium, through the French and Italian Alps, across the Balkans, and into Instanbul, crossing the Bosphorpus and into the Asian continent.  It is a throwback to the early days of the Tour de France - a gruelling event with the majority of competitors dropping out at some point.  What is even more amazing was this was Martian’s first ever cycling race.  Martian has pretty much been everywhere in the UK on his bike – often during epic weekend rides.

 

Is Martian a long-time cyclist with a super-human level of endurance?  No.  Martian slowly built up is ability to ride long distances just a few years ago – all driven by a pure passion for getting on his bike.  Martian is inspiring, friendly and funny.  I love the way looks at cycling and life and his journey can provide anyone with not just inspiration, but great lessons on how to find the same type of joy for yourself  - by embracing the unknown. 

 

On the show, we talk about:

 

•When and why Martian moved from his native Romania to London
•How he got into cycling
•How and why he started to do longer and longer rides
•What he feels when he is riding long distances
•Some of his memorable moments cycling across the UK
•Preparing for, and competing in the Transcontinental Race
•Advice to anyone wanting to start out or find something similar to what he has found and done with cycling
 

Check out Martian on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/1454297

Check out the incredible Transcontinental Race: http://www.transcontinental.cc/

 

At the end of the show, I remarked that the John Lennon song “Watching the Wheels” seems to fit Martian’s philosophy perfectly – except he makes the wheels turn rather than watching them!  If it’s been a while (or if you are perhaps too young to have ever heard the song), here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIB2nkUfeWw 

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Jan 24, 2016

This is Episode 1 of the All Things Risk podcast. The show which examines the application of concepts of risk and uncertainty to a wide range of domains and aspects of life. I am very pleased to not only be launching the podcast, but to have as my first guest Master Tammy Parlour. Master Tammy Parlour is a 5th Dan (and therefore Master) in the Korean martial art of hapkido and has been training under Grandmaster Gedo Chang for nearly 35 years. She set up Chang’s Hapkido Academy UK in the early 1990s and has been running the London school since the late 1990s. Master Parlour teaches a complete and traditional hapkido syllabus with a focus on joint locks, pressure points, kicks and punches, free-fighting and weapons. She also teaches ki meditation and has written a book on the subject. Chang’s Hapkido Academy, like its parent school in the US, has consistently received rave reviews for not only the quality of instruction, but also the supportive learning environment in class. I have been a student of Master Parlour’s for over 8 years and consider her classes to be among the best experiences you can have as a martial artist. However, beyond this, the focus on the philosophical side of training ensures that studying hapkido creates numerous benefits outside the dojang (training hall). In this session we explore these topics going back to not only when, how and why Master Parlour started studying hapkido, but why she has continued for nearly 35 years. We had an interesting, stimulating and at times very funny and wide-ranging conversation that covered the following (among other things): What hapkido is (check out Master Parlour’s school on YouTube – link also below to get a sense of the skills and movements taught) The relevance of martial arts, particularly traditional martial arts, in the modern world Mushin – “no mind” as a concept and practice and parallels to this with resilience and uncertainty Meditation and mindfulness Making difficult choices Dealing with adversity Being present Competition Women’s sport – Master Parlour is also the founder and CEO of the Women’s Sport Trust – a UK charity focused on raising the visibility and impact of women’s sport Show notes: At one point, I mention the following study about attention spans in children when we discuss the benefits of meditation and being present: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9342391/Children-with-short-attention-spans-failing-to-read-books.html You can find more about Master Parlour and hapkido here: Chang’s Hapkido Academy UK: http://www.changshapkido.net - check out a free taster class if interested! Chang’s Hapkido Academy USA: http://www.changshapkido.com/ Chang’s Hapkido Academy on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammy_parlour Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Changs-Hapkido-Academy-UK/139300732782073?fref=ts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chang%27s-hapkido-academy-uk?trk=biz-companies-cym Instagram: http://instagram.com/changshapkido/ You tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/changshapkidoacademy?feature=mhum#g/u Women’s Sport Trust: http://www.womenssporttrust.com/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenSportTrust Master Parlour on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tammy_Parlour Her book on meditation: http://www.amazon.com/Exploration-Ki-Meditation-Tammy-Parlour/dp/144778121X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453630324&sr=8-1&keywords=ki+meditation+parlour __________________

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Jan 17, 2016

Another pre-episode. Episode 1 is coming soon! Twitter: @RiskThings email: allthingsrisk@gmail.com

Jan 16, 2016

Pre-launch episode of The All Things Risk Podcast. This podcast will provide listeners with some interesting perspectives on how to take risk intelligently and with elegance. For more information, visit: www.allthingsrisk.com

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