Writing
Writing
Photography is how I see the world. Writing is how I try to make sense of it.
This is where I keep my written work. There are product reviews, from an office chair to Xbox games, and longer essays on subjects I can’t leave alone.
The biggest of those is an eight-part series on lies and deception at work: why we’re so bad at spotting lies, what actually gives them away, and what to think about before you call someone a liar.
If you’d like writing like this for your own business, take a look at my writing services.
Why We’re Bad at Spotting Lies
Part 1 of 8: Most people spot lies at about 54% accuracy, barely better than a coin toss. What the research says about faces, eyes, fidgets and confidence.
What Actually Gives Lies Away
Part 2 of 8: Liars are rarely caught by their faces. They’re caught by evidence. What research says about words, emails, statements and checkable details.
Lie Detectors Don’t Detect Lies
Part 3 of 8: Polygraphs measure nerves, not lies. AI lie detectors repeat the mistake. What a century of machines says about catching liars.
Who Lies at Work, and Why
Part 4 of 8: Most people rarely lie. A few prolific liars tell most of the lies, and targets and hierarchy do the rest.
What the Grapevine Gets Right
Part 5 of 8: Office gossip is usually accurate, and it’s how most lies at work come out. It also rewrites memories and wrecks reputations.
The Lie the Organisation Tells
Part 6 of 8: Why organisations tell lies their own staff can see through: Challenger, the Post Office, infected blood and the research on silence at work.
What a Lie Costs
Part 7 of 8: One lie can cost more than the harm it hides. Trust, checking, fraud and the hidden price of suspicion at work.
Before You Call Someone a Liar
Part 8 of 8: Every way of catching liars at work accuses some honest people. What the law, philosophy and research say about catching people out fairly.