About 25 minutes into my conversation with Dan Bennett, I realised I hadn’t pressed record. We were having a lovely time, which is some consolation, though I really do think a podcast traditionally benefits from being recorded. Dan was wonderfully good about it. We laughed, started again, and I think the second version was better. Admittedly, the evidence for comparison is rather limited. Dan runs Ogilvy’s behavioural science practice globally, helped us create our first behavioural science course at 42courses, and is an old friend from my Ogilvy days. We caught up to talk about Nudgestock, the world’s best behavioural science and creativity festival. This year’s Nudgestock theme is Trust Issues, which feels like a fairly generous choice of subject. There can’t be many of us without some material to contribute. What makes us trust someone? One of the pleasures of Nudgestock is seeing people from completely different worlds have a go at the same question. This year, Louis Theroux will be talking with Rory Sutherland about getting people to open up. Professor Karen Douglas will explore why conspiracy theories become appealing when trust breaks down. And easyJet’s Chief Training Captain, Mark Farquhar, will look at the extraordinary business of getting us to put our lives in a stranger’s hands at 40,000 feet. Dan also revealed that Rory has been having a go at landing a plane in a simulator! We’ll find out how he got on at the festival. I imagine the commentary was excellent. There’s a useful business question underneath all this: what are you actually asking someone to trust you with? Buying a sandwich, handing over personal details and getting on a plane involve rather different worries. If a customer is hesitating, it’s worth understanding what feels risky from their side before deciding they simply need another email. The line-up approaches trust through everything from AI to loyalty programmes and generational differences. It’s a marvellous excuse to look beyond your own industry for a day. A little humility helps Another point Dan made really stuck with me. Behavioural science truly shines only when it is blended with the expertise of others. Strolling into a meeting playing the clever chap who has human nature entirely figured out is a remarkably efficient way to ensure nobody ever wants to work with you. The real trick is using psychology to elevate their ideas rather than simply trumpeting your own. He also talked about learning from projects that disappointed, alongside those that worked. I’ve always admired Ogilvy’s willingness to share both. If you’re trying something new at work, deciding what you want to learn before the results arrive makes it rather harder to quietly forget the inconvenient ones. That’s what I love about Nudgestock. I tend to leave with questions and ideas that keep me occupied for the rest of the year. It’s on Thursday 17 September 2026 at The Fireworks Factory, Woolwich Works, London. I’ll be there, so if you buy a ticket, do come and say hello. You can also register for the free livestream, although not every session will be shared live.