Episode 43 - Why people do bad things: Exploring the systemic and institutional failures that led to the Holocaust with Dr. Waitman Beorn

In this episode, we are privileged to be joined by Dr. Waitman Wade Beorn.  He is an author and historian and one of the preeminent academic experts on the Holocaust and the events that led up to the most heinous and barbaric episodes in human history.  He is also a previous Tank Commander from the US Cavalry and as such has a tactical appreciation of small team management. In this facinating discussion, we explore the combinatorial factors of bad individuals, bad organizations, and bad systems. Why do good people stand by when bad things happen? What is the role of leadership in preventing or propagating ethical drift?  Recognizing that this is a deeply sensitive and distressing topic, Gareth and Chris try to explore the analogies and the potential lessons for today without trivialising or over generalising.