EP#183: Context is key: Behavioural science in Government communication

What if everything you thought you knew about effective communication was wrong?In this episode, host David Pembroke speaks with James Healy, founder of The Behaviour Boutique and co-author of BS at Work. James has worked in more than 60 countries and brings deep insights from behavioural science, anthropology, and psychology to the challenges facing modern organisations and governments.James unpacks why so much of work is “BS” and why policies often fail to change behaviour. He shows how context shapes decisions, why storytelling matters, and shares the simple EAST framework to help communicators cut through.Discussed in this episode:James’s path from economics to behavioural scienceLessons from the global financial crisisWhy massive handbooks never change behaviourHow culture and incentives drive decisionsWhere governments use behavioural science wellQuick wins for communicators on timing and deliveryShow notes:BS at Work: Why So Much of Modern Work is BS and How Behavioural Science Can Make It Better | James HealyThe Behaviour BoutiqueAdopting AI: The People First Approach | James Healy, Paul GibbonsThe EAST framework | The Decision LabJames Healy | LinkedInThe B Word | Podcast by James HealyBehavioural Science | OECD ReportBlog | GovComms PodcastLinkedIn | GovComms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.