All Episodes
Episodes
SH121: We all make errors. Letâs not judge those involved without understanding the âhowâ it made sense.
In this episode, we explore the concept of a Just Culture in diving, where learning from mistakes and sharing incidents openly helps improve safety without fear of unfair criticism or blame. Inspired by Human Factors...
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SH120: Why is it so hard to talk about failure?
In this episode, we discuss how openly sharing failures can lead to safer, more effective diving practices and team connections. Inspired by a diving forum thread called âI Learned About Diving From That,â we explore...
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SH119: Local Rationality: Why an old lady vandalised art and how to improve diving safety!
In this episode, we explore how understanding "local rationality"âthe idea that people make decisions that make sense to them in the momentâcan improve diving safety and team performance. Using the story of a...
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SH118: Being a deviant is normal...
In this episode, we delve into "normalization of deviance"âhow divers, like workers in many fields, can gradually drift from safe practices due to pressures to be more efficient or productive. Often starting with...
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SH117: Complacency: The Silent Killer... But it's not that Simple!
In this episode, we explore complacency in technical diving, using the tragic case of Wes Skiles' 2010 rebreather accident as a springboard. Often labeled as the "silent killer," complacency can emerge when divers...
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SH116: Incompetent and Unaware: You don't know what you don't know...
In this episode, we dive into the Dunning-Kruger effect and how it impacts diver safety. The presentation from TekDiveUSA 2016 emphasizes that humans often overestimate their own knowledge, creating gaps in...
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SH115: It's the little things that catch you out...
In this episode, we discuss how complacency and cutting corners can lead to serious diving accidents. We explore how the same mental shortcuts that help us operate efficiently can also cause us to miss critical...
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SH114: What relevance does Human Factors have to recreational and technical diving?
In this episode, we explore why Human Factors are crucial in diving, even if you havenât experienced an accident. Drawing from high-risk industries like NASA and aviation, we highlight how human errors often lead to...
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SH113: How to help correct the biases which lead to poor decision making
In this episode, we explore the concept of "pre-mortem" or prospective hindsight, a technique that helps teams identify potential reasons for failure before a project begins. Research shows that this approach...
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SH112: Authority Gradient - Why people don't (or can't) speak up.
In this episode, we discuss the challenges teams face when speaking up, especially in the presence of authority figures. A German research study found that in 72% of cases, team members chose to remain silent even...
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SH111: Big Data - Use as a Predictor? Or Not?
In this episode, we discuss the potential and challenges of using Big Data to predict safety and performance issues, especially when human behavior is involved. While traditional cause-and-effect thinking works in...
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SH110: Looking in the (Cultural) Mirror...
In this episode, we explore cultural awareness and how understanding our own culture is key to improving relationships and performance in diverse environments. After attending a training session at Abbey...
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