“People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening…”. Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” was never written about military culture. Yet its central idea has a striking relevance to the modern British Army. Sometimes the most dangerous sound in an organisation isn’t shouting. It is silence. Silence when someone makes a sexualised joke. Silence … Continue reading Disturb the Silence: Why the British Army Needs More People Willing to Speak Up
Moral Courage: The Force That Stops Harm Evolving
Most people imagine harm begins with one terrible act. It rarely does. As I say often harm evolves a joke goes unchallenged, a colleague is excluded, a rumour spreads someone looks uncomfortable, but nobody says anything. Each small act makes the next one easier. This is one of the central insights from the work of … Continue reading Moral Courage: The Force That Stops Harm Evolving
The Power of the Situation: What Married at First Sight, and Abu Ghraib Teach Us About Preventing Harm
That’s a big leap don’t you think? For me mainstream media continues to be full of stories which are connected. Far too often we simply look at what’s happened and move on. We may display anger or frustration however we rarely take a step back and ask what’s happening and why has this happened. When … Continue reading The Power of the Situation: What Married at First Sight, and Abu Ghraib Teach Us About Preventing Harm
The Heroic Imagination: Why Waiting for Heroes Is Not Enough
In the days, weeks and months after my dad’s suicide in 2008, one question kept me awake at night. Could I have said something that might have helped? Looking back, I was unprepared for dealing with someone struggling with his mental health. If there is a central theme to my work now it is the … Continue reading The Heroic Imagination: Why Waiting for Heroes Is Not Enough
Start Small, See Clearly: Why Limited Action Is Often the Best First Response
“Graham, why, when I intervened did, I get a punch in the face?” The above is a question I get asked a lot when I’m delivering active bystandership training. You may laugh but behind this question is a reality for many who have intervened after witnessing a harmful situation. It may be that they observed … Continue reading Start Small, See Clearly: Why Limited Action Is Often the Best First Response
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