An ex regulators view on awareness, behaviour and culture with Richard Thomas.

We love a different angle here at Re-thinking the human factor and we think this interview is a great new angle with which to tickle your re-thinkology senses. Pay attention closely and it’s littered with insights which can make a difference to your efforts.

In this episode I have the privilege to chat with the ex Information Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Richard Thomas. Richard was appointed by Her Majesty the Queen to spearhead the data protection office in its delivery of embedding privacy cultural values into day to day life in the United Kingdom.

Richard explains the challenges that he and his team faced around awareness, behaviour and culture and also his thoughts around what good awareness, behaviour and culture might look like from a  regulators perspective when assessing an organisation who has been reported to the regulator for a breach in security around personal data.

Key Topics

1. The commissioners role – raise awareness, influence behaviour and embed within culture
2. Where data protection fails to achieve awareness, behaviour and cultural change.
3. Leadership’s role in culture.
4. Influencing middle and junior colleagues behaviours.
5. How differences in legal systems actually demonstrate cultural differences.
6. Enlightened self interest (What’s in it for me) as a driver of behaviours.
7. Lessons from health & safety.
8. Good communication & the Plain English initiative.
9. The potential role of psychology in delivering data protection more effectively.