In this special episode, Layman is joined by leadership expert, Alan Watkins, and psychotherapist, Durwin Foster, to explore themes from Alan's new book, Lie-Ability: How Leaders Build and Break Trust. What are the seven dark arts of deception? From integral leadership and psychotherapeutic perspectives, how are we to address breakdowns in sensemaking and coherence in a culture where deceit has become common, and will soon be even more powerfully amplified by AI and other emerging technologies? How can we better recognize, and respond to, the tactics of dark triad personalities in our political cultures, workplaces, and spiritual communities?

A physician and neuroscientist, and the CEO of Complete, Dr. Alan Watkins is recognised as an international expert on leadership and human performance. Over the years he has coached thousands of individuals to greater levels of performance, transformed organisational cultures and helped leaders discover new ways to succeed. Alan has become a confidant to many of the world’s top leaders over the past 22 years. Alan believes we can create a world with enlightened leaders in all walks of life, but this requires leaders to ‘wake up’, ‘grow up’ and make better decisions. His optimism for the potential of human beings never wavers. He is also the author of many books, including Crowdocracy: The End of Politics and Wicked and Wise: How to Solve the World’s Toughest Problems.

Durwin Foster, MA, CCC, has learned the science of effective therapy through rigorous academic training. Completing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Durwin is certified at the national level through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Durwin completed all required doctoral level coursework and trained in supervision, while performing research on the benefits of mindfulness training. A close student of Ken Wilber, Durwin has recently trained in Full-Spectrum Mindfulness, an approach that combines mindfulness with developmental psychology to help us wake up from our dreams of separation, while also growing into our greatest potentials.