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Leadership has never been more complex. In a world shaped by uncertainty, rapid change, and increasing pressure, the ability to make sound judgements has become one of the defining capabilities of modern leadership. In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by Dr. Kate Heard, researcher, leadership adviser, and expert in human judgement, to explore why even capable, well-intentioned leaders can make decisions that unintentionally create harm.

Drawing on an extraordinary career spanning broadcast journalism, maternal healthcare, humanitarian work, and leadership research, Kate shares why judgement is not simply about intelligence or experience. Together, Helen and Kate explore curiosity, cognitive bias, uncertainty, psychological safety, and how leaders can create environments where better thinking leads to better decisions.

This is an insightful conversation for leaders, boards, and organisations seeking to strengthen judgement, improve decision-making, and lead with greater humanity in increasingly complex environments.

Topics Discussed

•  Why good leaders can still make poor decisions 
•  Human judgement in complex and uncertain environments 
•  The role of curiosity in effective leadership 
•  How cognitive bias influences decision-making 
•  Psychological safety and constructive challenge 
•  Why certainty can become a leadership risk 
•  Learning from failure without assigning blame 
•  Building cultures that support better judgement 
•  Balancing confidence with humility 
•  Practical ways to strengthen leadership thinking 

View extended shownotes here

Further links to follow:

Read HUMAN-WISE: How to lead from within and sell with confidence

Helen Wada: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/helen-wada

The Human Advantage: https://www.thehumanadvantage.co.uk/