Understanding why this style of language is so seductive might help us break free from its grip — This post was first published on Apolitical, the platform for public servants. Buzzwords, clichés and endless strings of meaningless words have taken over our language like some sort of invasive strangling vine. But it’s not until I tried to think up alternatives that I saw why and began to appreciate…

It’s fun to ridicule corporate nonsense like the multinational coffee company who tells you they have ‘a passion for sharing extraordinary sensory experiences’ or mentally tick the boxes on your bullshit bingo list as a manager exhorts you to ‘think outside the box and give 110% so you can pick…

I went to my first in person meeting since February 2020 last week! (What to wear? How to be? Wonderful and scary!) It was an enjoyable Responsible Tech Meet Up hosted by Cennydd Bowles and inspired by the All Tech Is Human meet ups held elsewhere. It was great and…

Understanding the very real problems and issues of vaccine hesitancy are of course important. And exploring the concerns of citizens which prevent them from being vaccinated incredibly valuable. But the famous in social science ‘Deficit Model’ of public engaement seems to be on the rise again (“If only they had…

Co-authored with Sam Brown, Director, Consequential “On artificial intelligence, trust is a must, not a nice-to-have” proclaimed European Commission’s digital chief, Margrethe Vestager in a statement launching the long-awaited European Union rules on Artificial Intelligence (AI). She is right. The new rules and actions the EU has proposed will be…

The theme of Davos this year is ‘Rebuilding Trust’. As I have just spent two years researching trust, here are five things that Davos leaders might find useful to consider: 1. Refocus on being trustworthy — get back to basics The 2020 Global Satisfaction with democracy report concluded: “…if satisfaction with democracy is now falling across many of the world’s…

Earning trust not just in the safety and efficiency of Covid vaccines themselves, but in the regulatory approvals process may be important in combating growing vaccine hesitancy. Citizens need to feel confident that the greater public good, not political expediency or commercial gain is the driver of regulatory decision-making. Faith…

The World Economic Forum’s Great Reset Initiative seeks ideas on how the world can grasp the opportunity provided by this unique moment in history to transform economics, politics and our every day lives to inspire a new people and planet centred approach to how our societies are run. I was…