The Why Podcast: Why we are who we are

Professor Nigel Nicholson joins Katie Pisa on The Why Podcast to explore why individuality matters more than ever in the age of AI, and why ignoring it carries serious consequences for leadership and relationships. Drawing on his latest book, ‘Unique You: How Individuality Works and Why It Matters’, Nigel explains why each person inhabits a distinct inner world shaped by biology and experience and why no two people ever truly share the same experience.   The conversation examines how modern organisations often overlook individuality in favour of averages, categories and standardised metrics, and why this limits judgement, connection and performance at work.   Three key themes emerge from the discussion: - Each individual lives within their own umwelt, meaning comparison and one-size-fits-all leadership approaches often miss what truly motivates people - Healthy relationships depend on recognition rather than sameness – learning to 'see and be seen' without comparing - As AI advances, uniquely human qualities such as intuition, meaning and moral judgement become both more valuable and more vulnerable   For leaders and organisations, the episode offers a practical tool: decentring. This isn’t the same thing as empathy, Nigel explains. It’s the discipline of seeing the world from another person’s perspective. That's how to improve judgement, reduce conflict and build healthier workplaces.   Discover more about Nigel and his research: https://www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/n/nicholson-n   For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit https://www.london.edu/think    Sign up to receive a curated selection of articles, podcasts and films direct to your inbox twice a month at https://www.london.edu/think?entry=true#subscribeScreen   Follow us on social media:   https://x.com/LBS https://www.linkedin.com/school/london-business-school/ https://www.facebook.com/LondonBusinessSchool