"I heard it through the grapevine…" How do you feel when you learn that someone you trusted has been speaking about you behind your back? This post on X caught my attention because it captures a common perception inside organisations: that decisions about people often happen quietly, in rooms they will never be invited into. […]

No one wants to be the skunk at a tea party. Social pressure shapes our epistemological commitments — often in ways so subtle we barely notice. Below is the story of a father who created a coded “off ramp” for his son. It's a powerful illustration of psychological safety in action. The father understood something […]

Many organisational leaders admit they are reluctant to intentionally build a whistleblowing culture. And often, the reasons are legitimate: • They are genuinely unsure how to protect a whistleblower after disclosure • Legal budgets don’t stretch to lengthy investigations or years of potential litigation • There are real concerns about reputational damage if the process […]

The growing “industrialised” nature of whistleblowing—complete with mandated processes, third-party hotlines, and compliance reporting—was meant to protect people. I believe this attempt at 'normalisation' has become corrosive, for the following reasons: - Severe personal harm: Even with legal protections, many whistleblowers suffer devastating professional, financial, and psychological consequences. - Weaponisation and fear: Formal systems can […]

The recent murder of DJ Warras in South Africa is a devastating reminder that legislative protection does not always translate into lived safety. He reportedly had five protection orders in place. They did not stop retaliation. This tragedy forces an uncomfortable parallel with whistleblowing policies. Across sectors, whistleblowers are encouraged to speak up under the […]

We live in an environment that is drenched in misinformation, “fake news”, and propaganda, not because of an unavoidable accident but because it has been created by people in pursuit of political and economic objectives.  This is not a natural disaster, it’s human-made. On a positive side, this implies that, unlike for earthquakes or tsunamis, […]

See update as at 15th January 2023 on Point 9 (who funds WhistleblowersUK?) and Point 8 (Twitter sock accounts) Without Prejudice I am writing this as a long term, respected and active participant in the international whistleblowing space and especially as a legitimate whistleblower.  In the spirit of transparency, openness, and courage, I have a […]

Referring to his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, U.S. President Bill Clinton claimed “there is not a sexual relationship.” The Starr Commission later discovered that there “had been” a sexual relationship, but that it had ended months before Clinton’s interview with Jim Lehrer. During the interview, Clinton made a claim that was technically true by using […]

      A CEO transcript of a conference call to Investors post a Merger and Acquisition: What does this narrative actually mean? Perhaps you’ve experienced a similar kind of empty and misleading narrative, produced in a shallow way and intended to lead to some kind of surface agreement.  Did you ever want to call bullshit on […]

Revenge is sweet and not fattening. –Alfred Hitchcock Whistleblowing legislation has focused and promoted itself around protecting a whistleblower from retaliation.  However, the word protect is a misnomer. The etymology of the word Protect arises from Latin, to ‘cover something upfront’.  Think about the word prophylactic and you'll get it! The meaning and intention of covering something […]

Ever been in a situation where, despite your efforts, a baby ends up howling hysterically when you speak and coo to it?  Awkward right?  Watch .13 seconds of real world awkwardness below:

Think of a time that you experienced conflict when working in a team (e.g., Work team, your student organisations, sports team, class teams, etc.) and describe the life of that conflict—what was the conflict about? How did it start, evolve, and finish? How many team members were involved when the conflict started and when it […]

Click on the video below to access a two minute video to explore if you're a marshmallow or acorn thinker. ESG (Environment, Social Concerns, Governance) ratings are increasingly influencing financial decisions, with potentially far-reaching effects on asset prices and corporate policies.  Investors with over $80 trillion in combined assets have signed a commitment via UN-PRI to integrate […]

We are in the midst of a regulatory arms race to rein in corporate power. Milton Friedman entered the stage during a slump in the economy in the 1970s, an ideal moment for him to influence the deregulation of the Reagan Era. Today, we find ourselves at another inflection point. Mounting global challenges, from climate […]

“Why should I care?  I know the priority du jour is going to change and what's really expected of me is to make my boss look like he knows what he’s doing.  Its not like we’re all in this together." The above comment was made by one of my senior executive colleagues in the company […]

It happens every time.  As I walk off stage having shared my story of whistleblowing on the biggest corporate collapse in South Africa’s history, individuals converge to engage with me.  Some shake my hand and thank me for speaking out, others inquire about best whistleblowing practice or the laws protecting whistleblowers.  Others, feeling vulnerable, hang back […]

The new UK rules on personal responsibility places firms and senior managers into a new world of regulatory requirements and obligations. It remains to be seen how industry standards will develop to protect well-intentioned senior managers from being held responsible for their firms’ regulatory breaches and how firms might structure reporting lines to allow senior […]