When your airway kit gets vomited on mid-procedure, things get a whole lot harder—especially in a high-stakes, high-pressure medical emergency.

In today’s episode on How Did It Make Sense, I’m joined by Eoin Walker from the World Extreme Medicine Forum, and we’re diving into one of the toughest cases of his career—a failed airway intervention that turned into an emergency tracheotomy. The patient was critically burned, time was running out, and just as they were about to secure the airway, the kit got covered in vomit. In the moment, everything was chaotic—30 people watching, critical decisions being made in seconds, and an overwhelming pressure to perform. This is the kind of case that looks straightforward in hindsight, but in reality, was anything but.

But here’s where the real learning happens. We unpack the cognitive overload of working in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world, the hidden pressures behind decision-making, and why getting comfortable with failure is crucial in high-stakes environments. We also explore how paramedics and HEMS teams build mental models from rare, high-risk cases, and how interdisciplinary learning makes us all better under pressure. Whether you’re in healthcare, aviation, emergency response—or just fascinated by the human side of high-performance decision-making—this one’s for you.

Resources Recommended:

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
The Practice by Seth Godin
Make Brilliant Work by Rod Judkins

Connect with Eoin via LinkedIn or listen to one of his podcasts here

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

When a big organisation acquires a small, thriving SME, it should be a perfect match—right? Not always.

In this week's episode of How Did it Make Sense, I sit down with Ann Stow, Chartered Psychologist and founder of Humanise Work, to unpack the real story behind a merger that went wrong. Within months, key leaders had resigned, culture had collapsed, and trust was shattered. But what really drove those decisions? Ann breaks down the hidden pressures, communication failures, and cultural clashes that often go unnoticed but make or break business transformations.

We explore why two-thirds of mergers fail, the cost of rushed decisions, and the lessons leaders need to learn before it’s too late. From understanding local rationality to the power of clear communication, this conversation is packed with insights for anyone navigating organisational change. If you want to keep good people, build trust, and avoid repeating the same mistakes, this one’s for you. Tune in and let’s get into the second story.

Resources and books recommended:

Psychology: The Science of Mental Life by Georgie A Miller 

Freedom To Be Happy: The Business Case for Happiness

https://annstow.medium.com/how-planting-an-artichoke-in-a-mixed-border-made-me-reflect-on-equity-2633120bfae8

https://annstow.medium.com/get-the-roots-of-your-business-right-200b581ffe6f

https://annstow.medium.com/

Connect with Ann here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annstow/

Website: https://www.humanisework.com/

Email: [email protected] 

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

"If only they'd followed the rules"—a phrase we hear all too often in health and safety. But what if the story isn't that simple?

In this episode of How Did It Make Sense?, I chat with safety expert Stephen Harvey to uncover the second story—the deeper, more complex reality behind incidents. Stephen shares his journey from mechanic to safety advocate after a near-fatal workplace accident and reflects on a tragic mining fatality where a worker’s decision-making was shaped by experience, pressures, and the realities of the job—not just disregard for rules. We also tackle the myth of stop-work authority, why humour is a powerful safety tool, and how real change comes from leaders who listen, not just enforce.

Resources recommended:

The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error – Sidney Dekker
Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast – Todd Conklin
Disastercast – Drew Rae (a must-listen, you can find on Itunes)

Connect with Stephen Harvey:
Find Stephen on LinkedIn and check out his YouTube and Instagram (@SafetyBhoy) for insights, stories, and a bit of humour in safety.

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

If we don’t test all the code, entire global systems can go down—and it’s not as simple as it seems.

In this episode I speak with Colette Alexander, Director of Site Reliability Engineering at HashiCorp, about software failures, risk in software testing, and resilience in engineering. They dive deep into the CrowdStrike outage, exploring why skipping tests in software releases can have catastrophic effects. But it’s not just about a software company making a bad call—it's about the trade-off between speed and safety, how software engineers balance risk, and why testing everything isn’t always an option.

Colette shares insights from the world of site reliability engineering (SRE), drawing parallels with aviation, space disasters like Challenger, and even the psychology of teamwork in rock bands. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in software development, DevOps, cybersecurity, or engineering leadership who wants to understand the real-world impact of software testing decisions.

Topics Covered:
✔ The CrowdStrike outage: What went wrong?
✔ The hidden risks of incomplete software testing
✔ How software engineers balance speed, security, and resilience
✔ The psychological and organizational pressures behind failures
✔ Lessons from music, space disasters, and high-risk industries

Resources Recommended:

Find Colette Here:

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

Learn how engineers and leaders turn breakdowns into breakthroughs to foster learning, resilience, and innovation.

Today I am joined by Chad Todd a seasoned SRE Manager at CrowdStrike with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry. Chad shares with us a a detailed account of a recent system incident, breaking it into the first story—what happened at the surface—and the second story, which uncovers the deeper, systemic factors and decision-making processes involved.

The conversation highlights the challenges of maintaining complex IT systems, the value of fostering a culture of learning from incidents, and the role of teamwork in troubleshooting under pressure. They discuss the importance of database maintenance, how latent conditions contribute to failures, and the art of adaptive problem-solving.

Recommended Resources:

You can connect with Chad Todd on LinkedIn or on BlueSky and Twitter (X) @CTodKicker1

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

In this episode, I chat to Human Organizational Performance Manager James Newman. James dives into a memorable story from his days in the nuclear industry, where a seemingly simple task—replacing O-rings during a refueling outage—escalated into a high-stress situation. With incomplete briefings, unexpected challenges, and mounting pressure, James and his team had to think on their feet to avoid critical delays. This incident highlights the nuances of human performance under stress and the importance of clear communication, proper preparation, and systemic support.

Throughout the conversation, we reflect on how assumptions, biases, and resource limitations shape workplace dynamics. We explore how leaders can create environments that encourage curiosity, transparency, and continuous learning to navigate complex challenges effectively. Whether you're a safety professional, leader, or curious listener, this episode offers insights into balancing operational efficiency with human-centered approaches.

Recommended Resources:

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

In this episode, I am joined by Becky Ray, founder of Culture Kick, to explore how context, culture, and unseen dynamics lead to decisions that might, on the surface, seem irrational.

Becky shares a gripping story of a technician working under an unsupported load, leading to a devastating injury. Together we unpack how systemic pressures, missing processes, and organizational norms shaped the conditions that led to the event. We challenge the "should have, could have" judgments that dominate early narratives and highlight the importance of curiosity and non-judgmental inquiry in discovering actionable insights.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond blame and into real learning, this episode is packed with stories, insights, and practical takeaways for building safer, high-performing cultures.

Tune in to hear how curiosity, empathy, and storytelling can transform the way we approach safety and leadership.

Links:

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

In this episode, I explore a striking story with Andy Barker, a strategic leader with decades of global experience. Together, they examine a workplace incident where quick judgments labelled an action as “stupid”—a worker losing fingers after grabbing a running machine belt.

But as Andy reveals, the story is far more complex. He digs into organizational pressures, systemic failures, and cultural patterns that led to this moment. Instead of stopping at blame, they uncover insights about leadership accountability, competing priorities, and the need to align teams for safety and success.

Listen to discover how leaders can move from blame to learning, ask better questions, and create environments where collaboration thrives and systemic risks are resolved. If you want actionable insights into leadership, workplace safety, and cultural improvement, this episode is for you.

Resources Recommended:

Andy Barker’s Website: 

Gap in the game 

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

In this episode of How Did It Make Sense?, we explore the deeper story behind a scaffolder’s dismissal for violating fall protection rules near an active edge. While the surface narrative suggests a simple case of rule-breaking, the second story reveals a web of personal challenges, organizational dynamics, and overlooked systemic issues. My guest, David Wollage, a New View safety coach, shares his firsthand experience investigating the incident and reframing it as an opportunity for learning rather than blame. We delve into how stress, fatigue, and personal circumstances impact decision-making, the role of leadership in shaping safety culture, and why systemic issues like unreported scaffolding modifications create hidden risks

Find David Here:

New View Safety Coach - YouTube

New View Safety Coaching | Organisational Coaching Perth | Perth WA, Australia

Recommended Resources:

The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier: A guide to implementing coaching-led leadership.

Coach the Person, Not the Problem by Marcia Reynolds: A deep dive into organizational coaching and its transformative potential.

Find Gareth Here:

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here

Today I am joined by Ben Cattaneo, founder of The Decision-Making Studio, to explore the fascinating world of decision-making under uncertainty. Ben shares a compelling first story about an organization entering the Chinese market, drawn by opportunity but ultimately facing challenges they didn’t foresee. It’s a classic case of a simple narrative—“they didn’t understand the market”—but as we unpack the second story, we explore the deeper factors at play: local rationality, fear of missing out, internal pressures, and incentive structures that drive decisions in complex systems.

Find Ben Here:

Website: The Decision-Making Studio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cattaneo/

My "FOCUS" decision-making framework: https://thedecisionmaking.studio/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FOCUS.pdf

Recommended Resources:

Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke

Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke

Gary Klein's Works on Intuition and Decision-Making

Find Gareth here:

Human in the System 

Transforming teams. Unlocking human potential.

Using principles from Human Factors (HF), High-Reliability Organisations (HRO), and Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), we develop and deliver highly immersive and impactful programmes using the High-Velocity Learning LAB (HVLL) concept. We give you the know-how, the tools and the support to make results stick and empower your people to achieve the extraordinary. We help you answer the question "How do we uncover those hidden stories in our organisation?"

Contact us here