Seeing Clearly When It Matters Most – Exclusive Interview with Ben Cardall

Ben Cardall is a human behaviour and memory expert, bestselling author, and professional investigator who specialises in observation, reasoning, and high-pressure decision-making. He has worked with elite security teams and personnel from around the world, helping professionals sharpen situational awareness, behavioural intelligence, and investigative thinking.

Ben Cardall, C.E.O - Investigator

Who is Ben Cardall?

That depends on whether I am answering as myself or more philosophically breaking the fourth wall. I /Ben Cardall is a/ am a human behaviour specialist, investigator, and educator. I work at the intersection of observation, critical thinking, and memory development. My work focuses on teaching people how to see what is usually missed, think clearly under pressure, and make better judgments when the stakes are high and create a memory capable of dealing with everything the world has to throw at you, in any role.

I have a background spanning investigations, security environments, and behavioural analysis. My work is less about theory and more about application. I help professionals develop the cognitive and observational skills needed to operate effectively in complex, uncertain, and fast-moving situations, whether that is in business, leadership, personal safety, or everyday life.

What inspired you to start Omniscient Insights and focus on human behaviour and observation?

The original spark came from noticing a quiet but significant shift happening around us. The world is increasingly pushing people to outsource thinking to technology like apps to remember for us, systems to decide for us, tools to interpret information on our behalf. While those tools can be useful, something important is being lost in the process.

Human beings have spent centuries developing cognitive skills that allow us to observe, reason, adapt, and make sense of uncertainty. Those skills are now at risk of erosion, not because they are no longer valuable, but because they are no longer being exercised.

Omniscient Insights was created in response to that. I wanted to build something that put the emphasis back on the human brain as the primary tool, especially in environments where technology fails, breaks, misclassifies information, or simply cannot be relied upon. In those moments, the true edge is not access to more data, but the ability to process information that others miss or misinterpret.

The work is ultimately about reclaiming cognitive capability. In a world increasingly designed around technological dependence, being able to think clearly, observe accurately, and reason independently has become a competitive advantage in almost every environment. I show people that it is not anywhere near as close to difficult as they may think, it is more this illusion of convenience with the world around us making us believe that it is.

How do your methods help professionals improve their decision-making in high-pressure situations?

High-pressure environments expose a key weakness in modern thinking: reliance on systems that assume stability. When pressure rises, attention narrows, bias increases, and people default to shortcuts, whether those shortcuts come from habit, authority, or technology.

My methods are designed to restore cognitive control in those moments. Professionals learn how to slow perception without slowing action, how to separate observation from interpretation, and how to remain effective when information is incomplete or unreliable.

The result is decision-making that does not collapse when tools fail or certainty disappears. Instead of reacting to stress, individuals learn to work with it and maximise in the face of it.

Can you explain why reading non-verbal cues and body language is a game-changer in business and everyday life?

The issue is not that non-verbal information is unimportant, but that it is often taught in a way that prioritises convenience over accuracy. Much of traditional body language training relies on binary interpretations: I have seen x, therefore y must be true. Humans do not work that way. Behaviour is not a language with fixed definitions.

My position is that everything is potentially relevant until it is not. The task is not to exclude information early, but to refine the filters through which information is evaluated. When data is dismissed too quickly, the risk of bias and inaccuracy increases dramatically because conclusions are being formed before sufficient context has been gathered.

When non-verbal cues are treated as part of a broader system, alongside environment, timing, social dynamics, and cultural influence on behaviour, they become powerful. We follow the People, Objects, Locations, Actions and the ever needed Reasoning to put it all together. In business and everyday life, this approach reduces misinterpretation, improves communication, and leads to decisions that are grounded in evidence rather than assumption.

The real advantage comes from staying open long enough to see clearly, then narrowing focus deliberately rather than prematurely.

What are the most common blind spots leaders and teams have that your training addresses?

The most common blind spot is misplaced certainty. Leaders and teams often believe they are thinking critically when, in reality, they are thinking comfortably. Familiar routines, trusted frameworks, and repeated decision patterns can feel analytical, but they often operate on autopilot rather than active reasoning.

This is where critical thinking quietly breaks down. The ability to question assumptions, test interpretations, and reassess conclusions is frequently replaced by the efficiency of habit. One of the most dangerous blind spots is believing that structure or experience automatically equals critical thought, when it may simply be the reinforcement of existing bias.

Developing true critical thinking requires the ability to distinguish between deliberate reasoning and routine-driven judgment. My training helps individuals recognise when their thinking is being guided by evidence and when it is being guided by familiarity. That distinction is essential in a world where critical thinking is increasingly recognised as a core skill for long-term success, yet often misunderstood in practice.

By learning to identify where comfort is doing the thinking, leaders and teams become far more capable of adapting, challenging their own conclusions, and making decisions that remain accurate under changing conditions.

How does your 1:1 coaching accelerate someone’s ability to think and observe like an elite investigator?

One-to-one coaching allows for the integration of multiple cognitive skills in a way that simply is not possible in group settings or self-study alone. Rather than isolating memory, reasoning, observation, or behavioural insight as separate disciplines, they are developed together and applied in real time.

We work on developing memory to a level where recall becomes a genuine advantage rather than a limitation. This is paired with critical thinking and reasoning skills designed to reduce blind spots, challenge assumptions, and ensure that as little relevant information as possible is missed. On the rare occasions something is overlooked, clients develop the awareness and discipline to gather more data rather than default to anything resembling guesswork. That last word is considered a kind of curse word in our sessions, haha.

Alongside this, there is a strong focus on understanding human behaviour across the full spectrum, from everyday interactions to high-risk or high-stakes situations. Clients learn how to identify observable information in people, environments, objects, and patterns of activity, regardless of the landscape they are operating in.

The coaching is highly immersive and practical. It involves applied exercises, scenario-based challenges, and real-world tasks that evolve as the individual progresses. This level of sustained, adaptive challenge is something only a hands-on one-to-one process can support, and it is where the most significant and lasting skill development occurs.

What results can someone expect after completing your home study courses?

The results depend in part on the specific home study programme someone chooses, because each is designed to develop different elements of cognition and perception. Some focus more heavily on memory and recall, others on reasoning, behavioural analysis, or applied observation. What remains consistent across all of them is the development of precision: noticing more, misinterpreting less, and thinking with greater discipline.

Most people experience a fundamental shift in how they engage with information. They become more deliberate in how they process what they see, hear, and remember. Decisions feel less reactive and more intentional, particularly in situations where information is incomplete or ambiguous.

Importantly, this development does not happen in isolation. The courses are designed to be cultivated within a wider learning environment, where ideas, exercises, and insights are tested, challenged, and refined alongside others developing the same skills. That shared context reinforces learning and helps prevent the false confidence that can come from studying alone.

For many, the outcome is not just improved performance in a specific area, but a stronger trust in their own ability to think clearly, adapt, and remain effective without over-reliance on external tools or automated systems, skills that continue to compound over time through continued practice and community engagement within AXIOM.

How does understanding hidden information help individuals protect themselves and their families?

Risk is rarely invisible. It is usually unrecognised.

When people learn how to observe patterns, inconsistencies, and changes in behaviour or environment, they become less reliant on luck or hindsight. This applies to personal safety, relationships, financial decisions, and everyday boundaries.

Understanding hidden information allows people to act earlier, more calmly, and with greater intention, often before situations escalate. It is akin to an early warning system for possibility in the change that you have noticed. This doesn't mean that it will always be bad but aspects have to be explored before true determinations can be made with regard to whatever they are. This is just as applicable to one’s family and friends as it is within the working world.

Risk, has an irrefutable downside when left uninvestigated.

What makes your approach to behavioural insight and critical thinking different from traditional training programs?

Many traditional programs focus on rules, checklists, or fixed interpretations. My approach focuses on adaptability and evidence-based reasoning.

Rather than teaching people what to see, I teach them how meaning is constructed, and where it can go wrong. This creates thinkers who are resilient across environments, cultures, and contexts, rather than dependent on specific frameworks or tools. This is especially relevant in matters that are considered to be high pressure to the individual, as nobody defaults to ‘OK, so step 1 is…..’ when stress is mounting. They invariably refer to reflex.

Train the reflex to work appropriately for you and the rest will come naturally. This is not without its challenges, as most people only look for ‘Hacks’ which when it comes to insight of human behaviour and awareness is simply disregarded information and therefore more at risk of inaccuracy.

Who benefits most from your community of analysts and expert learners?

The community attracts people who value thinking as a skill rather than a by-product. That includes leaders, investigators, security professionals, educators, and individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who want to engage with the world more deliberately.

This mode of practice does not discriminate because it makes all things possible. Thinking, feeling, and remembering are our most basic human functions, and they cut across every walk of life. Regardless of role or industry, the ability to observe clearly, reason effectively, and understand behaviour remains universally relevant.

What unites the community is not profession or status, but a shared commitment to developing these core human capabilities rather than outsourcing them. It is a space for people who want to refine how they think and perceive, not just what they know. For every aspect a teacher may voice, an investigator may be able to help but also, a builder can have unique perspectives too, and beyond.

Can you share a real-world example of how someone used your techniques to change the outcome of a situation?

While I cannot name clients for legal reasons (alas, this is the nature of the working world of Security concerns) I can say that people regularly use these techniques to recognise escalation early, avoid unnecessary conflict, and prevent costly decisions. For every doorman with a story of spotting situations to resolve before de-escalation was even needed, we have a teacher using memory methods to help their class pass with ease, finance businesses sailing through mergers and acquisitions and the ‘right’ people ending up in rooms they belong in.

In many cases, the difference was subtle: a pause instead of a reaction, a question instead of an assumption, or a decision delayed just long enough to see more clearly. Those moments often determine outcomes long before anyone realises it. I have testimonials from many people all over my site.

What is the one skill you believe every leader or professional must master today, and why?

The ability to think clearly under uncertainty remains essential, but it is inseparable from the ability to remember accurately. Memory underpins judgment, reasoning, and decision-making far more than most people realise.

Developing memory has effects that reach well beyond productivity. It strengthens relationships, supports business development, and becomes especially valuable in high-pressure moments where there is no time to search, scroll, or cross-reference. Having access to the right information at the right moment allows conversations to flow, decisions to land with confidence, and potential difficulties to be smoothed over before they escalate.

In an environment where people increasingly rely on external systems to hold information for them, those who can retain, retrieve, and connect information internally gain a distinct advantage. Memory is not just about recall. It is about continuity of thought, situational awareness, and the ability to respond intelligently when conditions change.

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