Truth, Lies and Work

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, we are joined by Bill Yost, a People Analytics powerhouse who has operated at the very highest levels of data-driven culture. Bill spent four years running Googlegeist, Google’s legendary annual survey that consistently achieved a staggering 90% response rate. Now leading analytics at Netflix, Bill joins Al and Leanne to explain why your employee engagement survey is likely failing—and how to fix it. In this episode, Bill pulls back the curtain on the "snake eating itself"—the cycle of performative surveying that destroys employee trust—and shares the exact framework used by tech giants to turn data into genuine organizational change. 🔥 What we cover in this episode: The "Goodwill Account": Why asking for feedback without the intention to act is a withdrawal from a bank account you can’t afford to drain. Confidential vs. Anonymous: The "taboo" of anonymity and why confidential surveys are the gold standard for identifying specific team issues without compromising trust. Closing the Loop: How Google built an entire new department based on survey feedback, and why you must "close the loop" loudly to maintain engagement. The Art of the Dashboard: Distinguishing between data "curation" for executives and "exploration" for analysts to avoid the misery of a bad dashboard. The Return-to-Office Bias: How leaders use their own "personal lens" to interpret messy data to fit their existing biases. 📚 About Bill Yost Connect with Bill for the best spreadsheet humor and blunt data truths: – Website: www.billyost.net – Website: www.billyost.com – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyost/ (Look for the pirate flag 🏴‍☠️) Special Offer: If you are in the US and want to try some incredible cookies, visit https://cookiesworthsharon.com/ and use the code TLW for 15% off (valid for two months from the release of this episode). 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. In this episode: We explore why "Brand Well-being" is the new secret to a 47% ROI, why a Silicon Valley startup is banning "tech bros" in favour of over-50s, and why the coworking dream is being replaced by the "proworking" revolution. Plus, we debunk the multitasking myth and solve your workplace dilemmas. 🔥 This Week in Work: The News Round-Up Brand Well-being: The Competitive Advantage Is your brand just a logo, or a healthy ecosystem? Leanne introduces "Brand Well-being"—the idea that success depends on the health of employees, internal culture, and customers. With research showing a 47% ROI on well-being programmes and the Work Wellbeing 100 outperforming the market, we ask: why is this still treated as an optional extra? Fast Company Article: https://www.fastcompany.com/91474208/what-is-brand-well-being-and-can-it-give-you-a-competitive-advantage-leadership-brands-well-being The Silicon Valley "Anti-Tech-Bro" Shift Startup Snowcap Compute is flipping the script by hiring a team with an average age of over 50. In a hardware industry where one mistake costs nine months of progress, CEO Mike Lafferty argues that "veteran" skepticism beats "youthful" trust in models. We discuss why deep experience is becoming a primary competitive advantage. Inc Article: https://www.inc.com/kevin-haynes/tech-bros-need-not-apply-a-silicon-valley-hiring-twist/91313738 The Death of Coworking & The Rise of "Proworking" Is the "Bromad" era over? Al explores why serious professionals are quietly leaving open-plan coworking spaces. As home becomes the default for many, the office must offer something better: quiet, privacy, and "proworking" spaces that offer a door that actually shuts. Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/12/15/the-private-office-revival-why-professionals-are-quietly-leaving-coworking-behind/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: Can Some People Genuinely Multitask? We put the "supertasker" under the microscope. While 2.5% of the population might handle heavy cognitive loads more efficiently, for the other 97.5% of us, multitasking is just expensive "task switching." We also look at how AI isn't making us better at juggling—it’s just taking some of the balls out of the air for us. 🏥 The Workplace Surgery The "Zero Ambition" Contributor: Is it a problem if a top performer just wants to do their job and go home? Leading Hard Conversations: Advice for HR pros and managers on staying neutral when things get emotional. Podcast ROI: Is starting a business podcast in 2026 a smart growth strategy or a vanity project? 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, we are joined by the "adult in the room" from the early days of Facebook, Tom LeNoble. Tom has led in boardrooms and fought for his life in hospital rooms, surviving multiple life-threatening illnesses. From shaping growth at Facebook (META), Walmart.com, Palm (HP), and MCI (Verizon) to now serving as CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence and a leadership coach with Santa Clara University’s Miller Center for Global Impact, Tom helps others navigate adversity with courage and clarity. In his best-selling book, My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels, Tom shares unflinching lessons on risk, resilience, and reinvention. 🔥 What we cover in this episode: The Early Days of Facebook: What it was like interviewing with a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg in a tiny office above a Chinese restaurant. The Secret Struggle: How Tom managed a high-octane Silicon Valley career while being given six months to live—three separate times. Leading Through Crisis: The philosophy of laying off 100 people (and eventually himself) with dignity and a "head held high" approach. The Philanthropic Mindset: Why philanthropy isn't about the size of the check, but the intention behind a simple "hello." The Story of Rita Dayworth: Reclaiming all parts of your identity, from executive suits to high heels. 📚 About Tom LeNoble Tom’s book is available on Amazon, and you can learn more by visiting www.tomlenoble.com. Follow @lenoble.tom on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also reach out to Tom directly at [email protected]. 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat 🧠 Mental health support+1 UK & ROI — Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, we explore why "friction" might be the secret to better judgment, the brutal reality of AI-driven layoffs at Block, and why your boss's 10:47 PM emails are exhausting your entire team. Plus, we dig into the science of whether leadership is written in your DNA. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. The Rise of "Friction-maxxing" Leanne introduces a new term: friction-maxxing. Inspired by reporting in the Financial Times, this movement sees workers deliberately choosing slower, more effortful ways of working—like handwriting notes or reading full documents instead of AI summaries—to combat "cognitive atrophy" and build nuanced judgment. Source: https://www.ft.com/content/fd5e65df-83c7-42f3-9658-377c99df42d1 2. Jack Dorsey’s AI Gamble Al discusses the recent layoffs at Block (formerly Square/Twitter), where CEO Jack Dorsey cut 4,000 jobs—40% of the workforce—and explicitly blamed AI productivity gains. We debate whether this "rip the plaster off" honesty is refreshing or a dangerous precedent for the future of work. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/27/block-ai-layoffs-jack-dorsey 3. The Climate of Constant Connectivity New research in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology reveals that when leaders use smartphones for work after hours, they create a shared "climate of constant connectivity". This doesn't just annoy individuals; it leads to collective emotional exhaustion across the entire team. Source: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joop.70067 🧠 Truth or Lie: Are Leaders Born or Made? We tackle the "Great Man" theory of leadership. While studies of identical twins show that between 37% and 59% of leadership style variation can be linked to genetics, that still leaves more than half the equation down to environment, experience, and development. The Verdict: It’s a Lie—leadership is not a genetic script; it is a practicable skill shaped by opportunity and self-awareness. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we answer three tough listener questions: The Nepotism Trap: How do you push back when a senior leader pressures you to hire their less-qualified relative? The Vanishing Spark: What do you do when "star" employees suddenly settle for "just fine" without being dramatic about "quiet quitting"? The Transparency Gap: Your manager is telling the CEO a project is "on track" when you know it's failing. Do you speak up or stay complicit? 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Find out more at: https://www.hubspot.com/podcast-network

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets organisational culture. In the corporate world, we are obsessed with personality. We use DISC, Myers-Briggs, and Enneagrams to "colour-code" our colleagues and predict who will be a great leader. But what if we’ve been looking at the wrong data? In this episode, we sit down with Juliette Alban-Metcalfe, a Chartered Occupational Psychologist and CEO of Real World Group. Juliette is at the forefront of leadership research, building on the groundbreaking work of her mother, Professor Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe. Juliette argues that personality only explains a tiny fraction of leadership success. Instead, the real "magic sauce" is behaviour—the specific, observable actions that leaders take to engage their teams and foster success. In this episode, we discuss: Personality vs. Behaviour: Why what you do matters infinitely more than who you are according to your personality test results. The "Accidental Manager" Trap: Why founders and technical experts often struggle to transition into leadership and how 360-degree feedback can bridge the gap. Predictive Validity: The science behind why leadership behaviours can predict up to 60% of a team's motivation and fulfilment. Psychological Safety: How to use assessments to build trust and development rather than fear and judgement. Actionable Advice for Leaders: Two simple things every leader can do today to immediately improve team engagement. If you’ve ever felt like you’re "not a natural leader" or if you're an HR professional frustrated with the lack of ROI from personality workshops, this episode is a masterclass in the science of what actually works. 🔗 Connect with Juliette – LinkedIn: Juliette Alban-Metcalfe – Website: Real World Group 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work – Al Elliott: LinkedIn – Leanne Elliott: LinkedIn – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat 🧠 Mental Health Support UK & ROI — Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global Helplines — https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we explore the "silent disengagement" trend, the surprising truth about Gen Z and the office, and the psychological reason why the end of a project feels harder than the beginning. Plus, we settle the ultimate workplace debate: do people leave managers or jobs? Stories Covered 1. The Rise of "Silent Disengagement" Is office culture dying, or is it just getting quieter? We look at silent disengagement, where employees do the work but mentally pull back, speaking less in meetings and avoiding new projects. Leanne argues this isn't a new remote work problem, but a long-standing issue of employees not feeling valued or challenged. Source: Silent Disengagement: The work trend explained 2. Gen Z: Leading the Charge Back to the Office? Forget the lazy stereotypes. New data suggests Gen Z is actually leading the return to the office for social connection and development. We share the story of a 24-year-old commuting four hours a day just to be in the room. It turns out, different life stages need different work models—and flexibility increases engagement for everyone. 3. Why the "Last Stretch" Feels the Hardest Ever noticed how the final 10% of a project feels more draining than the first 90%? A new study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology explains that fatigue heightens as we become more aware of the effort we've already invested. The fix? Zoom out and frame the task as part of a bigger goal. Read the paper: More done, more drained (Zeng et al., 2025) BPS Digest: How to get through the last push Truth or Lie: Do people really leave managers, not jobs? It is one of the most common beliefs in business: "People don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers." Leanne digs into the research from Gallup, McKinsey, and Facebook to find the truth. While poor leadership dramatically increases the odds of someone quitting, we reveal the other factors that actually drive the Great Resignation. Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three tough questions from our listeners: Unlimited Holiday: Is it a brilliant trust-building exercise or a recipe for anxiety and "leavism"? Lifting Morale: How do you rebuild energy in a team that is flat after a draining year of changes and stress? The "30-Second" Interview: What do you do when you know a candidate isn't right within seconds of meeting them? Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is proud to be part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re diving into how AI is actually landing in the workplace — and what that means for managers, employees and the future of work. Our guest is Andrew Palmer, host of Boss Class from The Economist and author of the Bartleby management column. In Season 3 of Boss Class, Andrew goes hands-on with AI — not just talking about it, but living with it, testing it and asking the questions leaders need to answer as the technology transforms jobs and organisations. This episode isn’t about hype. It’s about what AI is actually good at today, what it’s still terrible at, and how leaders should think about deploying it in ways that help people — not replace them. 🔥 What you’ll learn 1) AI isn’t coming. It’s here. Season 3 of Boss Class opens with Andrew trying generative AI tools in real work routines — even asking Claude to draft his management column — and discovering both the power and the weirdness that comes with using them. 2) AI reshapes roles, not just tasks Rather than automating jobs wholesale, the most immediate workplace impact of AI is changing how work gets done — augmenting roles, compressing coordination and expanding what managers are responsible for. 3) Imperfect AI still delivers value Some AI tools don’t get things right. But when used as thinking partners — critiquing ideas, suggesting alternatives, or helping leaders make sense of complexity — they make teams more productive and innovative. 4) Leaders need AI literacy, not just tech teams AI affects strategy, priorities and people decisions — not just coding and automation. The organisations that thrive aren’t those that wait for perfect tech, but those that integrate AI intelligently into leadership and workflows. 5) Human judgement still matters Far from making humans obsolete, AI highlights uniquely human strengths: judgment, nuance, people skills and context-aware decision-making. 🧠 Why this matters for work AI is not just a tool — it’s a workforce multiplier. Leaders who understand how to harness AI can reshape productivity, culture and the role of managers in their organisations. Those who don’t risk falling behind as workplace expectations shift rapidly. 🔗 Resources & links Season 3 of Boss Class asks crucial questions about responsibility, adoption and what we truly mean by progress — and this episode brings those questions directly into your workplace context. Listen to Boss Class from The Economist — Season 3 launched January 2026 and explores AI, management and the future of work:https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class Andrew Palmer’s work: search “Boss Class” on podcast platforms or visit The Economist’s podcast page:https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class 💬 Connect with the show Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI – Samaritans Call 116 123 | http://www.samaritans.org UK – Mind Call 0300 123 3393 | https://www.mind.org.uk US – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia – Lifeline Call 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplineshttps://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we explore career motivation, generative AI for leaders and the psychology of meaningful work. Plus we put Neuro-Linguistic Programming under the microscope and answer career questions from future business psychologists. 🔥 Stories covered 1. The rise of the “career comedown”motivation, engagement and the future of work. Have you ever hit a major career milestone and felt underwhelmed? Leanne introduces the term career comedown, coined by Stefanie Sword-Williams. It describes the emotional slump that can follow promotions, pay rises and career success. Many professionals report feeling bored, stuck or disconnected once they reach the goals they worked towards. The research suggests three paths forward: • Stick — reshape your current role • Twist — change direction or reinvent your career • Tap out — reduce how much work defines your identity Source: https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/is-your-career-giving-you-the-ick/ Stefanie Sword-Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanieswordwilliams/ 2. Generative AI becomes a leadership skill These stories matter for leaders, founders and managers navigating Google has launched a Generative AI Leader certification, signalling that AI literacy is becoming a core leadership capability. The programme helps business leaders understand generative AI, identify opportunities and adopt AI responsibly. Leaders who lack AI literacy risk making strategic decisions without the full picture. Learn more: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/generative-ai-leader 3. Hope is the emotion that creates meaning at work New psychological research shows hope may be more important than happiness for creating a meaningful life. Across six studies with more than 2,300 participants, researchers found hope strongly predicts meaning, motivation and wellbeing. Seeing progress, believing change is possible and having a future direction all boost engagement at work. For leaders, clarity, visible progress and realistic optimism matter more than constant positivity. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Does NLP actually work? This week we explore Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). While NLP training can boost confidence and communication skills, strong scientific evidence for its broader claims is limited. Many techniques overlap with established psychology, but NLP itself is not considered a robust evidence-based approach. 💬 Workplace Surgery – Special edition This week’s questions come from The Business Psycho, a new platform launching for students and early-career professionals in business psychology. We discuss: • Breaking into business psychology • The real people problems inside organisations • Mistakes leaders make when trying to fix culture • Future trends in workplace psychology Follow The Business Psychohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-psycho/https://www.instagram.com/thebusinesspsycho.official Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplineshttps://findahelpline.com 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

What happens when a small, tight-knit team suddenly starts to grow fast? This week on Truth, Lies & Work, we’re joined by Steve Kemish to talk about the most uncomfortable phase of company growth. The moment when your business moves from a handful of people to a real organisation. Steve calls it the puberty of a company and if you have ever scaled a team, you will know exactly what he means. Steve has grown a marketing agency from a small team into a business approaching 50 people. In this conversation, he shares what leaders rarely talk about when growth accelerates. The identity crisis, the culture wobble, the communication breakdowns and the leadership shifts that suddenly become unavoidable. This episode is packed with practical advice for founders, leaders and managers navigating rapid growth. Key Takeaways Why growth changes everythingMany founders assume growth is purely positive. In reality, scaling introduces new complexity overnight. Communication becomes harder. Informal processes stop working. Leaders who once knew everything now have to learn to let go. The “puberty phase” of organisationsSteve explains why the jump from around 13 to 20 employees is a major turning point. This is when businesses must move from instinct and intuition to structure and systems. Without that shift, chaos quickly follows. The leadership identity shiftThe skills that help you start a business are not the same skills needed to scale one. Founders must evolve from doers into leaders, from decision-makers into decision-enablers. Culture under pressureGrowth puts pressure on culture. New hires bring fresh perspectives, expectations and habits. Leaders must become intentional about culture rather than relying on “how things have always been.” Communication becomes the biggest challengeAs teams grow, assumptions and informal conversations stop working. Leaders must learn to communicate clearly, consistently and at scale. Why this episode matters If you are hiring quickly, planning to scale or feeling the growing pains of expansion, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating one of the most challenging phases of leadership. Connect with Steve Kemish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skemish/ Website: http://www.intermedia-global.com Connect with the show Follow Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Follow Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected]: https://truthliesandwork.com Mental health resources UK: https://www.mind.org.uk UK Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org US: https://988lifeline.org International: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network – the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re asking: how prepared are workplaces for real life transitions, what happens when AI becomes your colleague, and does your name secretly shape your career? 🔥 Stories covered Matrescence: the workplace transition nobody plans for Leanne introduces a word we should all know: matrescence. Similar to adolescence, it describes the emotional, psychological and identity shift that happens when someone becomes a mother. This is one of the most significant transitions in a woman’s career, yet it’s rarely reflected in performance systems, leadership pathways or job design. The question for organisations is simple: instead of asking people to return unchanged, how can we support them to grow forward? Follow the research: https://www.instagram.com/microrosie/ Follow Rose on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-soffel/ 2. The AI that called its owner while he was sleeping A developer created an AI agent that can run a computer, read emails, organise files and complete work independently. Then things escalated. Users began connecting their agents together through a platform called MoltBook, a social network for AI agents to share ideas and improve each other. If AI can do eight hours of work in minutes, what does productivity mean? And what happens when the AI isn’t the company’s tool, but your personal one? Read more:https://openclaw.ai/https://www.moltbook.com/ 3. The biggest workplace problem in 2026 isn’t pay or burnout. It’s managers. A new SHRM report based on thousands of HR leaders and employees found ineffective leadership has overtaken pay and workload as the top workplace concern. In organisations rated ineffective, job satisfaction falls to 44%. In effective workplaces it rises to 91%, and more than half of employees in poorly led organisations expect to leave within a year. Leadership development is now the top priority for HR leaders, with economic uncertainty and AI adoption adding pressure. The message is clear: workplaces don’t fail because people don’t care. They fail because leadership systems don’t support people properly. Read the report: https://www.webpronews.com/boss-bottleneck-why-leadership-tops-2026-workplace-woes/ 🔥 Truth or LieDoes your name influence your career? Nominative determinism suggests people are drawn to jobs that match their names. Early research hinted at a small effect, but larger modern studies found the link disappears when you control for demographics and chance. Verdict: Lie. Your brain loves coincidences, but your career is not written in your name. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week we tackle: • Why personality tools like DiSC remain popular despite weak evidence • Whether small businesses should hire younger workers • How to stand out when starting a career in occupational psychology 🎧 Coming up Thursday We’re joined by Steve Kemish to talk about the “puberty of organisations” and what happens when teams grow fast. 💬 Connect with the show Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans – 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – 988 https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline – 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au Global: https://findahelpline.com

Why do so many change initiatives, town halls and big launches create excitement and then fade with no real behaviour change? In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, Al and Leanne speak with Lindsey Caplan, a former Hollywood screenwriter turned organisational psychologist, about why leaders struggle to influence groups at work and what actually works instead. Lindsey shares the MOVED Model, a practical framework for driving engagement, influencing behaviour and communicating change in a way that sticks. If you lead teams, present ideas, manage projects or drive transformation, this episode explains why information alone never creates change and what does. What you’ll learn Why most workplace change fails Many organisations fall into the transmission trap: the belief that more information leads to better results. More slides, more frameworks and more meetings rarely change behaviour. Real change happens when people feel involved, motivated and emotionally connected. Informing vs influencing at work Influencing one person is very different from influencing a group. Leaders often assume employees are already motivated and aligned, but many are neutral, cautious or distracted. Real change begins with a better question: What do we need people to do differently? Not: What do we need to tell them? The MOVED Model explained Lindsey’s framework maps how leaders try to influence behaviour using two key dimensions. Push vs Pull: is change being done to people or with people? Generic vs Personalised: is the message broad or relevant to individuals? These create four outcomes: compliance, awareness, entertainment and engagement. Most organisations aim for engagement but accidentally design for compliance. What Taylor Swift can teach leaders Great performers design experiences that involve their audience. Leaders can do the same by giving people a role in the change, creating curiosity with a central question, sharing emotion as well as expertise and showing why the change matters to employees. The message is simple: perform with people, not at people. Practical leadership takeaways Decide the behaviour you want before designing the message. Pull people into change instead of pushing information at them. Stop saying “I’m excited about this change” and explain why employees should be. Resources and links Take the MOVED Model quiz: https://www.gatheringeffect.com/quiz Connect with Lindsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseycaplan/ Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Connect with the hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans – 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – 988 https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline – 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au Global support: https://findahelpline.com

A LinkedIn Live conversation on money confidence, risk and the future of careers Over the last few years, work has quietly shifted from ambition to survival. Rising living costs, economic uncertainty, layoffs and AI have changed how people make career decisions. Instead of taking risks or pursuing meaningful work, many are staying put not because they want to, but because it feels safer to stay. The media has called this the Big Stay or job-hugging. Why these two perspectives together Louise and Ruth operate at different, but deeply connected, points in the system. Louise works at the earliest stage, where money beliefs, habits and confidence are formed in childhood and adolescence. Ruth works at the adult decision-making stage, where financial confidence shapes career risk-taking, leadership progression, entrepreneurship and long-term wellbeing. Together, they offer an end-to-end view of how money confidence shapes working lives. Why money confidence often matters more than income when it comes to career choices How financial insecurity quietly shapes promotions, leadership ambition and risk-taking Why people from less affluent backgrounds are less likely to take career risks, even when highly capable How early money beliefs follow people into adulthood and the workplace Why financial wellbeing is the most neglected pillar of workplace wellbeing What leaders and organisations can do to reduce fear-driven decision-making without being intrusive What you’ll learn in this episode This conversation reframes financial literacy not as budgeting or products, but as freedom, confidence and optionality. Money confidence influences: Who feels able to negotiate, speak up or take risks Who progresses into leadership roles Who starts businesses or new ventures Who opts out, plays safe or stays stuck Why this matters for leaders and organisations For leaders concerned about engagement, retention, wellbeing, DEI and social mobility, this episode highlights a hidden but powerful driver of workplace behaviour. About our guests Louise Hill Co-founder of GoHenry, a financial education platform helping children and young people build money confidence from an early age. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hill-5197614/ 🔗 GoHenry: https://www.gohenry.com Ruth Handcock CEO of Octopus Money, supporting adults and employees to make confident financial decisions about work, life and the future. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-handcock-obe-71b3656/ 🔗 Octopus Money: https://octopusmoney.com 🎧 Who this episode is for Leaders and managers worried about engagement, retention and risk-aversion HR and People teams focused on wellbeing, DEI and social mobility Parents thinking about the long-term impact of money conversations at home Employees feeling cautious, stuck or unable to take career risks Founders and policymakers interested in innovation and economic participation 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Connect with the hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support If this conversation brings anything up for you: UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

What happens when two art students fall in love, start freelancing together, and accidentally build one of the UK's happiest creative brand agencies? In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, we're joined by Gemma Ruse and Xavier Shariff, the husband-and-wife co-founders of Studio Zag, a 60-person agency that designs and builds experiential installations for brands all over the world. STUDIO XAG: https://studioxag.com/ Gemma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-ruse-646979a Xavier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-sheriff-49091132 Ellie Glason PR: https://ellieglasonpr.com/ They met at 20 in a house share at Central Saint Martins. They've been together for over 20 years, running Studio Zag together for 16 of those. They've clad a 35-metre boombox onto Diesel's Carnaby Street facade, become a certified B Corp, and built a business where people regularly say: "This is and will always be the best place I've ever worked." This isn't a story about having it all figured out. It's about trusting your gut, knowing when enough is enough, and building culture through brilliant work — not ping pong tables. What you'll learn in this episode Why they never planned to work together (and why it works anyway) How complementary skills matter more than identical visions Why "disagree in the room, commit outside the room" is their partnership rule The difference between forced fun and authentic culture Why they don't want to grow from 60 to 600 people (and what that says about sustainable business) How trust your gut feeling actually works as a leadership strategy Why great work IS culture (and how they keep that red thread of attention to detail at scale) What it means when people say your agency is, "the best place you've ever worked" Gemma and Xavier are brutally honest about the realities of building a creative business with your life partner: the complementary strengths, the stubborn moments, and why sometimes the best business advice is to ask yourself: "What does this feel like in my stomach?" 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: ⁠https://truthliesandwork.com⁠ Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork⁠ Al Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/⁠ Leanne Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/⁠ 🧠 Mental health support If this conversation brings anything up for you or someone you care about: UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | ⁠https://www.samaritans.org⁠ US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | ⁠https://988lifeline.org⁠ Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | ⁠https://www.lifeline.org.au⁠ Elsewhere: ⁠https://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the podcast where behavioural science meets real working life. This week, we’re asking a simple question with uncomfortable answers: who really gets flexibility, who’s trusted around AI, and what psychology myths are still shaping work decisions? 🔥 Stories covered 1. Who actually gets flexible work — and why Leanne introduces a new term this week: i-deals — short for idiosyncratic deals. These are personalised, one-to-one flexibility arrangements negotiated privately between employees and managers. 📄 Research source:https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joop.70084 2. When corporate politics becomes the real job Al brings a thread from X this week by an account called IT_Unprofessional, written by an IT Director earning around $280k a year. He describes what he calls a “corporate survival guide” — not about technical excellence, but about navigating power, perception and incentives. 3. Why banks are hiring behavioural scientists for AI roles After one of the toughest recruitment years since 2008, UK financial services firms are hiring again — and not just technologists. The concern isn’t AI failure. It’s human behaviour around AI — over-trust, automation bias, and quiet deference to systems that sound confident but may be wrong. 🔗 Reporting:https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/banks-ai-experts-worried-misuse-5HjdRJS_2/ 🔥 Truth or Lie💬 People learn better when teaching matches their learning style Visual learner. Auditory learner. Kinaesthetic learner. The idea is everywhere. Leanne breaks down decades of evidence and explains: Preferences exist Enjoyment increases when preferences are met Learning outcomes do not reliably improve The verdict: Lie. What matters is the material, not the learner label. And learning that feels harder is often more effective. Workplace Surgery This week we tackle: How to motivate a team nearing retirement without patronising them What to do when a career coach crosses ethical lines Whether employee NPS is a meaningful measure of engagement We explore motivation, power, boundaries and what good evidence actually supports. 🎧 Coming up Thursday We’re joined by Gemma Ruse and Xavier Sheriff, co-founders of Studio XAG, to talk about building a people-first agency, becoming a B Corp, and what it’s really like running a business with the person you’re married to. 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Connect with the hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

What do late-night comedy writers know about trust, influence, and human connection that most business leaders don’t? In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, we’re joined by Beth Sherman — a seven-time Emmy-winning comedy writer who spent three decades in Hollywood writers’ rooms before taking what she learned into the world of business. Beth has written for The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Oscars. Today, she works with leaders, sales teams, and organisations who want to build trust quickly, communicate with confidence, and connect more humanly at work. This is not about telling jokes in meetings. It’s about understanding why humour works, how truth creates connection, and why the most effective communicators are the most observant — not the funniest. What you’ll learn in this episode Why “truth is funny” — and what that reveals about trust and rapport The difference between self-awareness and self-deprecation (and why confusing the two damages credibility) How humour creates psychological safety without undermining authority Why being human matters more as work becomes more automated and AI-driven How observational humour helps in sales, leadership, presentations, and difficult conversations Why you don’t need to be funny — you need to be emotionally intelligent and observant Beth explains how comedians build instant rapport with strangers, and why those same principles are powerful in boardrooms, client meetings, and tense workplace moments. Why this matters for leaders and teams In a world where people can buy similar products, services, and solutions anywhere, relationships are the differentiator. Humour, when used properly, signals: Awareness of the room Confidence without ego Safety without softness Humanity without oversharing Beth’s work shows that humour isn’t about performance. It’s about connection — and connection is the foundation of trust, influence, and persuasion at work. About our guest Beth Sherman is a comedian, keynote speaker, and communication expert. She spent over 30 years writing comedy at the highest level before translating those principles into practical tools for business leaders. Her upcoming book is published by Blue Goat Books. 🔗 Beth Sherman website: https://www.bethsherman.com/ 🔗 Beth Sherman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-sherman/ 🎧 Listen if you’re… A leader who wants to build trust without forcing charisma In sales or marketing and tired of scripts that feel inauthentic Giving presentations and feeling pressure to “perform” Curious about the psychology of humour and human connection Navigating communication in an increasingly automated workplace 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support If this conversation brings anything up for you or someone you care about: UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re exploring what employees and leaders are really looking for at work right now — and how it’s shaping leadership behaviour, burnout, employee wellbeing, and workplace culture. 🔥 Stories covered Why are Gen Z leaving jobs so quickly? According to a Fast Company article by Jeff LeBlanc, Gen Z workers aren’t job-hopping out of disloyalty. They’re growth hunting. The research shows: Nearly half of Gen Z plan to leave roles for better growth, not higher pay 86% won’t upskill without employer funding 43% feel too burnt out to learn outside work hours Cost, not motivation, is the biggest barrier to development This reflects a wider shift in workplace expectations. When organisations talk about growth but don’t support it structurally, people move on. Gen Z isn’t rejecting work — they’re rejecting stagnation. 🔗 https://www.fastcompany.com/91452297/the-rise-of-growth-hunting-why-gen-z-changes-jobs-so-oftengenz-job-hopping Jeff previously joined Truth, Lies & Work to discuss Gen Z, burnout, and leadership psychology: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/207-what-happens-when-leaders-start-being-kind-with-jeff-leblanc You can also explore his book Engaged Empathy Leadership for practical, science-backed management advice: https://www.amazon.com/Engaged-Empathy-Leadership-Redefining-Action-ebook/dp/B0FCGSC48C Does complaining at work make teams less resilient? Research highlighted by Stanford suggests that repeated complaining rewires the brain. Over time: Neural pathways linked to stress and threat detection strengthen Baseline stress levels rise Small irritations feel bigger Negativity becomes automatic For leaders, this matters. Teams that normalise constant complaining may unintentionally reduce resilience, decision-making quality, and psychological safety. 🔗 https://x.com/shiningscience/status/2013113758386987099 What employee wellbeing benefits actually reduce burnout? After a LinkedIn post went viral, Slate introduced a $200 monthly cleaning stipend for employees. Why this matters for employee wellbeing: It removes friction instead of adding effort It gives people time and mental space back It supports carers and those under chronic time pressure Research consistently links cluttered environments to higher stress This reframes wellbeing away from “one more thing to do” and towards burnout prevention. 🔗 https://fortune.com/2026/01/15/company-adds-cleaning-services-as-employee-benefit-what-hr-leaders-can-learn/ 🔥 Truth or Lie Can you manifest success just by visualising it? Lie — if it’s about imagining outcomes alone.Truth — when visualisation is used to plan actions and effort. Psychology shows visualising the process increases follow-through. Imagining success without action often reduces motivation. 💬 Workplace Surgery — practical management advice This week we answer: What’s the earliest sign of burnout before someone admits it? Is it genuinely hard to find a good manager? If you hate your job and feel stuck, what’s the first practical step? 🎧 Coming up Thursday We’re joined by Beth Sherman to explore how humour builds trust, rapport, and confident decision-making at work. 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

Most founders pride themselves on being “high-capacity”. The person who can sell, operate, strategise, and firefight all at once. But there’s a point where that strength quietly becomes the problem. In this episode, Al and Leanne are joined by Dustin Hillis, a serial entrepreneur and executive coach who has led businesses from early-stage chaos through to $100m-plus scale, and is now building again at a much bigger level. Dustin’s core message is simple, but uncomfortable:what gets you to your first milestone will not get you to the next one. Unless leaders change how they work, think, and let go, they become the bottleneck that holds everything back. This is a long-form, honest conversation about growth, power, systems, and the emotional reality of leadership that rarely gets talked about. 🔍 What you’ll learn in this episode Why working harder eventually stops working, and what replaces it How leaders unintentionally burn out their best people by turning them into “catch-alls” Why systems don’t kill creativity, but reduce fear and create capacity What actually changes at £1m, £10m, £100m and beyond The power dynamics that quietly derail teams as money and authority increase Why “pruning” underperformance is painful but essential for healthy cultures How to stop being the centre of everything without losing control Dustin acts as a guide through the messy middle of growth, grounded in lived experience rather than theory. 📘 About the book Dustin is the author of Capacity: Building Your Business Bigger Than You, a practical exploration of how leaders build organisations that no longer depend on them to function. 🔗 Connect with Dustin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhillis/ Website: https://dustinhillis.com 💬 Connect with the hosts Al Elliotthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliotthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🎧 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Have a workplace dilemma or question? Get in touch — it may feature in a future episode. 🧠 Mental health support If this episode brings up difficult feelings, support is available: UK: Samaritans — call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

January blues are back — but is Blue Monday actually real? In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, we explore wintering, career pivots, and what behavioural science really says about mood, motivation and burnout at work during January. If the start of the year feels heavy, flat or strangely exhausting, you’re not alone. Instead of pushing harder, this week we ask a different question: what if slowing down is the smarter response? 🔥 Stories Covered Word of the Week: Wintering We unpack the idea of wintering, coined by author Katherine May, which reframes winter as a period of restoration rather than something to “power through”. Drawing on coverage in The Times and insights from clinical psychologist Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald, we explore why January might not be the time for big life changes — and how seasonal rhythms, cold exposure, warm food rituals and gentler movement can help regulate mood and energy. Links:https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/january-blues-cure-wintering-tkxhxwkskhttps://katherine-may.co.uk/winteringhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/472162/the-gifts-of-winter-by-fitzgerald-dr-stephanie/9780241779576 When is it really time for a career pivot? We look at new thinking on how to tell the difference between genuine readiness for change and endless rumination. With careers becoming less predictable and many people stuck in the “Big Stay”, we explore why job-hugging is rising — and how understanding your real strengths can help you spot when fit has genuinely broken down. Link:https://www.fastcompany.com/91462109/how-tell-time-career-pivot Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie Mattel has introduced its first autistic Barbie, developed with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Thoughtful design choices around sensory comfort, communication and representation open up a bigger conversation about inclusion, neurodiversity and what people grow up seeing as “normal” — and how that shapes expectations at work. Links:https://corporate.mattel.com/news/barbie-introduces-the-first-autistic-barbie-doll-championing-representation-for-children-through-playhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-cygielman-7a912412/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: Is Blue Monday real? Every January, we’re told there’s a single Monday that’s the most depressing day of the year. It sounds scientific. It feels believable. But does it stand up to evidence? We break down where Blue Monday came from, what research actually says about winter mood, money stress, Mondays and post-holiday crashes — and where the idea falls apart. Verdict: Blue Monday as a specific date is a lie. January strain and winter pressure are very real. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week we answer: What actually works in a company culture diagnostic beyond satisfaction surveys? How do you build a genuinely high-performance team without burning people out? If your policies support work-life balance but staff say otherwise, what’s missing? 🎧 Coming up Thursday A brand-new expert interview with Beth Sherman, comedian and seven-time Emmy Award-winning writer, on how humour builds trust, rapport and confident decision-making at work. 📬 Get in touch with the show Have a question for Workplace Surgery or feedback on the episode? LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ 💚 Mental wellbeing support If you or someone you know is struggling, confidential help is available: Samaritans (UK & Ireland): 116 123 Mind (England & Wales): 0300 102 1234 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): Call or text 988 Find A Helpline (Global): https://findahelpline.com/

This week on Truth, Lies & Work, Al and Leanne sit down with Dr Matt Poepsel, Marine veteran, author and the self-proclaimed Godfather of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index. In a world shaped by burnout, uncertainty and rapid AI disruption, Matt argues that many organisations are facing a “hope crisis” – and it is quietly draining performance, motivation and leadership effectiveness. What We Cover Matt explains why hope is not fluffy positivity but a measurable psychological skill linked directly to job performance, resilience and team culture. Drawing on Snyder’s Hope Theory, he shows how two components – agency (belief you can influence outcomes) and pathways (seeing the concrete steps to succeed) – determine whether people stay engaged or slip into autopilot. We also explore why so many teams are struggling: years of instability, constant change and leaders who unknowingly remove autonomy or fail to explain the path forward. Matt shares practical ways leaders can rebuild hope by creating clarity, showing people where they fit, and setting ambitious but achievable goals. The conversation moves into modern leadership, where AI automates admin but heightens the importance of human connection, psychological safety and real alignment. Matt introduces his concept of Enlightened Leadership – a shift away from outdated command-and-control approaches toward a more selfless, purpose-driven model that balances technology with humanity. If you lead people, manage teams or want to stay ahead in a rapidly changing workplace, this episode offers concrete actions to build engagement, performance and wellbeing in 2026 and beyond. Why hope predicts job performance as strongly as intelligence How burnout, bureaucracy and unclear goals quietly erode hope The difference between hope, optimism and positivity Why new beginnings generate motivation and why post-achievement crashes happen How leaders can use agency and pathways to rebuild engagement Why AI makes human leadership a competitive advantage What Enlightened Leadership looks like in practice How to measure hope inside your organisation Why hope becomes contagious when leaders model it Connect with Matt Poepsel 🌐 Website: https://mattpoepsel.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel 🎧 Podcast: Lead the People – https://www.mattpoepsel.com/podcasts/lead-the-people Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ Mental Health Support Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988Find A Helpline (Global) – https://findahelpline.com/

This week, we're sharing a special feed drop from Great Mondays Radio! Our very own Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Leanne Elliott, takes the guest chair as host Josh Levine (Work Futurist, author, and culture consultant) interviews her on creating amazing workplaces. In this candid conversation, Leanne and Josh dismantle the myths around company culture and redefine it as a strategic, business-critical system rooted in behavioral science. If you're tired of treating culture as a "nice-to-have" or a collection of perks, this episode is a must-listen for business leaders, managers, and HR professionals. 🧠 What We Cover: A Clear Definition of Culture: Leanne shares her preferred definition of culture by John Amaechi: "The worst behaviors tolerated." This makes culture behavior-based and is a living, breathing thing that everyone can be responsible for. The Biggest Misunderstanding: Why do business leaders mistakenly think culture is something physical (like a cool office, ping-pong table, or the general vibe around the place) rather than something psychological and scientific? Moving Beyond Fluff: All the data and science show that building an awesome workplace is fundamentally good for business. It's great for the bottom line, customers, and growth trajectory. The Right Data: Leanne advocates for collecting data on psychosocial risk factors (relationships, control over work, trust, resources, change management) because they are transactional elements that directly impact how people think, feel, and behave. Innovation vs. Efficiency: An organization's strategy (e.g., chasing efficiency vs. relying on innovation) dictates which psychosocial factors to prioritize. For example, innovation requires nurturing psychological safety to allow people to make mistakes safely. Building Internal Capability: Building internal capability for people and culture is critical for survival in the next decade due to increasing complexity and the rate of change. A C-level leader must own this responsibility. 🛠️ Practical Resources Oblong Consultancy (Leanne Elliott's Company) Website: https://oblonghq.com/ HSE Management Standards (UK Health and Safety Executive) Leanne recommends this completely free resource for understanding and measuring key psychosocial risk factors at work. Website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work) LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ Connect with Josh Levine (Guest Host): Connect with Josh Levine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akajoshlevine Follow Josh on Instagram: @greatmondays_culturedesign Great Mondays website: https://greatmondays.com Great Mondays Radio: https://radio.greatmondays.com Great Mondays YouTube: https://youtube.com/@GreatMondays Get the book "Great Mondays" at greatmondays.com 💚 Mental Health Support Resources If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services: Samaritans (UK & Ireland) - Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7. Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7) Mind (England & Wales) - Advice and support for mental health problems. Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm) 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based) - Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis. Call or Text: 988 (24/7) Find A Helpline (Global) - Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide. Website: https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work. This is part two of our Predictions 2026 series, where we ask leaders, researchers and thinkers what they believe is coming our way next year. If part one was warm and reflective, part two brings the heat! 🧠 What We Cover: The Big Predictions for 2026 Hybrid Will Fracture Before It Settles – Professors Ina Purvanova & Alanah Mitchell The authors of The New Workplace predict deeper relational fractures across hybrid teams. As employees split across offices, homes and third spaces, meaningful connection weakens and culture becomes harder to sustain. Expect more intentional design, stronger tech integration and a rising demand for purpose and meaning as AI reshapes traditional work. More of the Same… but With More Pressure – Danny Wareham Danny sees 2026 as a magnified version of 2025: tighter budgets, rising expectations and leaders forced to think smarter rather than scale bigger. His hope? A shift toward evidence-based people practices — job analysis, behavioural data and hiring decisions that finally move past “gut feel”. Unionisation Will Surge – Rebecca Taylor Rebecca predicts a new wave of unionisation across industries. As job insecurity rises and workers feel increasingly squeezed, collective bargaining will gain momentum. Anti-union stigma is fading, and younger generations will be the ones to push workplaces toward shared power. AI Will Break Management Before It Fixes It – Vince Sanderson Vince foresees a period of chaos where leaders delegate too much emotional labour to AI — and employees do the same. AI responding to AI, while real connection disappears. The result? Frustrated teams, resentful managers and widening distrust. But he also predicts a competitive edge for companies that stay human-first. The Death of Assimilation – Sonia Thompson Sonia says the old norm of “fit in at all costs” is over. Employees are less willing to hide their identities to succeed, and organisations must adapt. The future belongs to brands that embrace difference rather than smooth it out. Inclusion is shifting from compliance to cultural courage. AI Will Become a Dealbreaker for Candidates – Becky Simms Becky predicts top talent will increasingly judge companies on their approach to AI. If tools are outdated, restricted or slow, candidates will simply move on. Transparency, experimentation and a clear AI strategy will become as important as salary or flexibility. A Reality Check for Leaders – Jeanette Ramsden Jeanette highlights a growing disconnect between what leaders think they are communicating and what people actually hear. Feedback fatigue, message overload and constant change will demand a new level of clarity, groundedness and empathy if leaders expect teams to follow them. 🔗 Connect with the Contributors Danny Wareham – ⁠https://firgun.co.uk/⁠Rebecca Taylor – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccataylor2/⁠Vince Sanderson – ⁠https://www.vincentsanderson.com/⁠Sonia Thompson – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaethompson/⁠ ⁠www.frictionlessgrowthlab.com⁠ ⁠www.frictionlessgrowthlab.com/roadmap⁠Jeanette Ramsden – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-ramsden-0946a83/⁠Becky Simms – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyreflectdigital/⁠Alanah Mitchell – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanah-mitchell/⁠Ina Purvanova – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-purvanova/⁠ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn (Show): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork⁠ Al Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott⁠ Leanne Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne⁠ Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Book a call: ⁠https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat⁠ Podcast Website: ⁠https://truthliesandwork.com/⁠ 💚 Mental Health Support Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988Find A Helpline (Global) – ⁠https://findahelpline.com/⁠

Welcome back to a very special edition of Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This episode features Part 1 of our annual Predictions for 2026. Join Leanne and Al as they speak to top experts who share their contrasting views on how AI, leadership, identity, and productivity are about to fundamentally shift the world of work. 🔮 Your Panel of Experts: Prediction Headlines Phill Agnew (The Nudge Podcast): AI Must "Show Its Working" & the Rise of Text Speak. Find Out More: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/ Meghan French Dunbar: AI Will Advance Humanity & Job Creation Trumps Destruction. Find Out More: https://www.meghanfrenchdunbar.com/book Erica Breuer: Identity Deviates from Work: Explore Over Optimize. Find Out More: https://www.ericabreuer.com Anthony Taylor: Clarity and Middle Managers are the New Superpower. Find Out More: https://www.aqrconsulting.co.uk/ Georgia M. Hodkinson: Clarity is the New Productivity Metric (Not Time). Find Out More (Event): https://www.psychbizinc.com/eventpage and (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-hodkinson-gmbpss/ Josh Levine: The Death of the Resume: Relationships are the New CV. Find Out More: https://greatmondays.com/ 🗓️ Coming Up Next The next episode is Part 2 of our Predictions for 2026 and will be released on New Year's Day (January 1st). 💚 Mental Health Support Resources If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services: Samaritans (UK & Ireland): Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7. Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7) Mind (England & Wales): Advice and support for mental health problems. Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm) 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based): Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis. Call or Text: 988 (24/7) Find A Helpline (Global): Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide. Website: https://findahelpline.com/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work) Do you have your own prediction for 2026? A question for the Workplace Surgery segment? Or a comment on the episode? Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Merry Christmas! And welcome back to This Year in Work! Today we’re back with Part 2 of our 2025 highlights series, and this time it’s all about our guest interviews. If you’re new here, welcome along. This is Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. ⭐ Our Favourite Guest Interviews of 2025 Steve Carse — Work Should Be Fun Episode 181: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/181 We kicked things off with King of Pops founder Steve Carse, who turned a layoff into a $10M ice-pop empire built on one radical belief: work should be fun. Andrew Palmer — Fall in Love With the Problem Episode 217: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/217 Then came an absolute pinch-me moment for both of us: talking to Andrew Palmer, senior editor at The Economist and host of the Boss Class podcast. James Hawkins — Chaos, Autonomy and Building Better Teams Episode 189: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/189 Al’s pick was James Hawkins, co-founder of PostHog — the dev tools company that ditched managers and meetings in favour of tiny autonomous teams. Dr Marie-Hélène — The Science of Strategic Resilience Episode 171: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/171TEDx talk link: “Crossing the River: Resilience in the Age of AI” - https://youtu.be/JEdr2cvHF5M?si=OB07KHvgSjldYKmg Leanne’s pick was Dr MH, who reframed resilience as a state — not part of your personality. It moves, fluctuates, and can be strengthened through movement, nutrition, sleep, and relationships. 💬 Listeners’ Choice Award 2025 Elina Teboul — Feminine Intelligence and the Future of Leadership Episode 197: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/197 Your messages, comments and LinkedIn posts made this one clear.Elina Teboul, executive advisor and author of Feminine Intelligence, challenged assumptions about power, masculinity, intuition, balance and the psychological patriarchy. Whether listeners agreed or disagreed wasn’t the point — the episode sparked reflection everywhere, which is exactly what great conversations do. 🥇 Most Downloaded Expert Episode of 2025 Dr Enya Doyle — The Workplace Rules No One Explains Episode 175: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/175 No surprises here. The episode you downloaded most — and shared most quietly — was with Dr Enya Doyle, the harassment and inclusion specialist known online as The Harassment Doctor. This was a true masterclass in navigating messy, awkward and sometimes frightening management moments. From appearance standards to ageing workforces to tricky inclusion issues, Dr Enya cut through the nonsense with clarity, humour and absolute precision. A must-bookmark episode for every manager. 🎧 Episodes Mentioned Today Ep 181 — Work Should Be Fun with Steve Carsehttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/181 Ep 217 — Andrew Palmer on Better Bosseshttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/217 Ep 189 — James Hawkins: Autonomous Teams & Faster Deliveryhttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/189 Ep 171 — The Science of Resilience with Dr Marie-Hélènehttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/171 Ep 197 — Feminine Intelligence with Elina Teboulhttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/197 Ep 175 — The Workplace Rules No One Explains with Dr Enya Doylehttps://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/175 Support Links: Mind UK — https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans — 116 123 or [email protected] Connect with us: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al — https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne — https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email — [email protected] Book a chat — https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome to This Year in Work! As we countdown to Christmas, we’ve pulled together the standout moments from our Tuesday episodes across 2025 — the stories, segments and listener questions that defined the year. From new workplace vocabulary to tech scandals, CEO tantrums and the wildest listener dilemmas, this episode is a celebration of everything that made TWIW what it is. Word of the Year: Duck Shuffler Our unanimous pick. A perfect term for those colleagues making a lot of noise on the surface while quietly shuffling chaos underneath. Straight from Episode 202 — and yes, the Bosnia-and-Herzegovina reference still makes sense in context. Stories of the Year: Big Toddler Energy When we first discussed CEOs behaving like overgrown toddlers, we didn’t expect the avalanche of DMs, confessions, and even a YouTube thumbnail featuring us as actual toddlers. From Episode 196. Rule-Bending Leaders From Episode 200, the unforgettable debate on rule-breaking founders… including Al’s confession about his beer-delivery business days. The Great Employment Heist Episode 214 gifted us one of the wildest workplace stories of the year: a single engineer secretly working for 22 startups and earning over $1m without doing the work. Hot Take of the Year: Gossip is Good Rebecca Taylor argued that workplace gossip isn’t just normal — it’s useful. One of our most talked-about segments of the year (Episode 194). Truth or Lies of the Year: The triangle that never was. From Episode 240, the myth-busting moment that sent LinkedIn into meltdown. Workplace Surgery Question of the Year: My Ex is My New Boss!! From Episode 180 — still one of the most awkward, gripping dilemmas we’ve ever received. 🎧 Episodes Featured Duck Shuffler – Ep 202http://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/202-divorce-disruption-and-the-death-of-the-watercooler-plus-are-you-a-duck-shuffler-with-kristyna-hawkett-this-week-in-work-3-rd-june-2025 Big Toddler Energy – Ep 196https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/196-does-your-ceo-have-big-toddler-energy-plus-touching-grass-accidental-bullies-and-hiring-mistakes-with-stuart-mace-this-week-in-work-13th-may-2025 Rule Benders – Ep 200https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/200-rule-benders-quiet-quitting-and-the-dei-dilemma-plus-is-happiness-overrated-with-julian-hayes-ii The Great Employment Heist – Ep 214https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/214-the-wildest-overemployment-scam-in-tech-history-plus-fake-empathy-nepo-hires-and-salary-secrets-with-rameez-kaleem Gossip at Work – Ep 194https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/194-secret-jobs-leadership-mic-drops-and-spotify-s-remote-gamble-plus-the-case-for-gossip-at-work-this-week-in-work-6th-may-2025 Maslow’s Hierarchy – Ep 240https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/240-starbucks-ceo-fail-toxic-superstars-and-dubai-s-wolf-of-wall-street-plus-is-maslow-s-hierarchy-a-myth My Ex Is Now My Boss – Ep 180https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/180-my-ex-is-now-my-boss-and-other-toxic-promotions-plus-dei-is-doing-more-harm-than-good-with-sarah-gashier 🎧 Coming Up Thursday Part 2 of our highlights special: the best interview moments of 2025, including Steve Carse, Elaina Teboul, and our most downloaded guest of the entire year. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Wellbeing Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work. Today we’re doing something a little different for the Christmas break. We’re sharing an episode from our friend Jeremy Cline’s podcast Change Work Life, where Al joined him to reflect on Jeremy’s first year as a full-time coach. This conversation marks Jeremy’s 200th episode, and instead of interviewing someone else, he turns the spotlight on himself. It’s a rare, honest look at what actually happens when you leave a stable career after 20 years and try to build something new from scratch. No glossy “quit and make six figures” narrative — just the real, messy middle that most founders and coaches quietly go through. Al and Jeremy dig into the emotional, financial and identity shifts that come with starting your own business, what surprised Jeremy the most, and why meaningful conversations — not logos or websites — became the backbone of his first year. If you’re thinking of going out on your own, supporting someone who is, or you're simply curious about what a year of reinvention looks like behind the scenes, this is the perfect listen for the quieter days of December. 🧠 What We Cover: The Reality of Year One Life after a 20-year careerJeremy left a long legal career to become a coach, and the biggest challenge wasn’t logistical — it was the identity shock of asking “who am I now?”. Self-employment and the fear of the first stepInstead of hiding behind planning, Jeremy forced himself into real conversations — the uncomfortable kind that actually move a business forward. The messy middle of reinventionTesting ideas, discarding bad ones, refining offers, working through insecurities — the emotional work was bigger than the strategic work. Why conversations matter more than everDespite global connectivity, genuine, real-time conversations are becoming rare. Jeremy argues that this is where opportunity lives. Opportunities come from putting yourself out thereJeremy explains how reaching out to people — including Al — created unexpected relationships, support and new directions for his business. The truth about coaching as a businessHe talks candidly about client work, self-doubt, capacity and the grind of turning passion into something that pays the bills. 🔗 Connect with Jeremy 🌐 Episode page & resources: https://changeworklife.com/one-year-in-lessons-from-my-first-year-as-a-full-time-coach/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyjcline/ LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ 💚 Mental Health Support Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988Find A Helpline (Global) – https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back This is Truth, Lies and Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Al and Leanne break down the biggest stories shaping the way we work, with practical insights for founders, leaders and anyone trying to build a better workplace. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Escape The City launches its ‘Top 1 Percent Employer’ certification Escape The City has introduced a new accreditation designed to spotlight genuinely progressive employers. The audit covers pay, inclusion, leadership, wellbeing, flexibility and anonymous employee feedback. Positive News highlighted four featured organisations: • Sharky & George – flexible working, healthcare and nomad-friendly policies • The Economist Educational Foundation – strong purpose and supportive leadership • Rare Recruitment – a leader in inclusive hiring, especially for underrepresented groups • Unifrog – £500 annual learning budget and company-wide bonus It raises a bigger question: if we claim a workplace is “great”, what exactly should be measured? Links: positive.news/society/beyond-the-ping-pong-table-new-certification-endorses-truly-progressive-employers app.escapethecity.org/certification\ 2. Apple’s leadership shake-up Apple has lost four senior leaders in quick succession, including its VP of Human Interface Design to Meta. Rumours of Tim Cook preparing to step aside continue to grow. Meanwhile, competitors are accelerating AI releases as the Vision Pro struggles to find momentum. Investors are calling for clarity on Apple’s AI strategy as the tech landscape shifts.Link: edition.cnn.com/2025/12/06/tech/apple-tim-cook-leadership-changes 3. Supporting veterans in civilian careers New research by James Hardie, guided by Dr Hayley Lewis, explores the transition challenges faced by UK veterans. Themes include identity loss, misunderstanding of collective leadership skills, culture shock around workplace politics and additional barriers for female veterans. The core finding: veterans aren’t failing to adapt — organisations are failing to integrate them. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Is the Christmas spirit real? Al and Leanne unpack the research behind seasonal mood shifts. Studies show Christmas can raise wellbeing through connection, ritual and nostalgia — but stress, comparison and financial pressure can weaken the effect. The “Christmas spirit” exists, but only when the conditions are right. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week’s dilemmas: • Is it unprofessional to skip the office Christmas party? • Do employers have to approve every Occupational Health referral request? • Is a manager undermining their employee, or is something else going on? 🧠 Mental Health Support Mind UK: mind.org.uk/information-support Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat 🎧 Coming up Thursday We kick off our Christmas and New Year specials — highlights of 2025, expert predictions for 2026, and two feed-drop interviews. P.S. You still have time to enter the competition offered by last week's guest, Rob Kalwarowsky, for a chance to win six weeks of coaching or his book. Go to robkalwarowsky.com/reason to get the Find Your Reason tool and enter the draw before Christmas Day 2025.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work! This week, Leanne is joined by returning guest Rob Kalwarowsky, Executive Coach, Author, and Speaker, to discuss his book, Capitalizing on Chaos. In this crucial conversation, Rob argues that the world is experiencing an unprecedented level of chaos—87% higher than the peak of the pandemic. This episode explores why our brains struggle with uncertainty, how to overcome the status quo bias, and the single most critical skill every leader needs to not just survive, but revolutionize their business in 2026 and beyond. 🧠 What We Cover: Master Your Inner System Defining Chaos: For the brain, chaos is simply uncertainty. This triggers the stress responses (fight, flight, freeze, and fawn), which shut down our executive functioning, making it impossible to be a good, innovative leader. The Internal Battle: Chaos is as much about our internal state as external events. Rob discusses the competing parts within leaders (e.g., start looking for a new job vs. stay motivated to innovate), and how to bring both parts to the table to find clarity. Overcoming the Status Quo Bias: We stick to the status quo because our brain can predict a certain outcome, even if it's a terrible one. Rob shares his "Find Your Reason" tool to leverage the goals and future feelings of success against the pain and suffering of staying stuck. The AI Disruption: AI is creating its own friction and non-sense within businesses (e.g., two people using AI to email each other back and forth). Leaders must create clear guidance on where AI adds value and where it poses risks, particularly around data privacy. The Non-Negotiable Skill: The single most crucial skill for capitalizing on chaos is the leader having their own "shit together". This rock-solid inner confidence prevents them from transmitting fear and disruption to their teams. The Power of Clarity: When leaders find inner clarity and confidence, they can double or triple their workforce without hiring a single person because they can finally care about, develop, and engage their team. 🎁 Exclusive Giveaway & Practical Resources Rob is offering a generous giveaway to help you capitalize on chaos and set up your 2026 goals! Grand Prize (1 Winner): A copy of Capitalizing on Chaos + a six-week coaching engagement with Rob (a high-value prize!). Second Prize (10 Winners): A signed copy of Capitalizing on Chaos + one personal coaching session. Everyone Wins: You'll receive the Find Your Reason tool just for entering. To enter (must be within two weeks of the episode release date: 11th December 2025): Go to: robkalwarowsky.com/reason Connect with Rob Kalwarowsky (Guest): Book: Capitalizing on Chaos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robkalwarowsky/ Website: https://robkalwarowsky.com/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work) LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ 💚 Mental Health Support Resources If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services: Samaritans (UK & Ireland) - Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7. Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7) Mind (England & Wales) - Advice and support for mental health problems. Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm) 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based) - Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis. Call or Text: 988 (24/7) Find A Helpline (Global) - Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide. Website: https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back to This Week in Work — the show where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Generation Alpha are coming (Benenden Health report) A major new workforce study shows the 11–15 age group expect flexible careers, strong mental health support and employers who understand neurodiversity. Only 11 percent expect one career path, 77 percent want meaningful wellbeing support, and six in ten personally know someone who is neurodivergent. HR leaders admit they’re not ready. The report warns workplaces will need redesigning around manager capability, clear communication and personalised support.Link: benenden.co.uk/media/10551/bh-gen-alpha-workforce-report.pdf 2. Starbucks faces its largest strike yet Around 2,500 baristas across more than 120 US stores have walked out in the longest coordinated action in company history. Four years after the first union vote, not a single store has a contract. Workers cite pay, conditions, understaffing and stalled negotiations. Leadership churn and sliding trust sit at the core of the dispute — a lesson for any employer relying too heavily on dashboards instead of people.Link: theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/starbucks-union-strike 3. The rise of micro-joys (Forbes + The Progress Principle) Micro-joys boost resilience, support creativity, reduce cognitive load and keep teams motivated through meaningful “small progress.” For leaders, these moments are easy to design into a working day — and they compound.Links: forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2025/11/29/why-micro-joys-are-the-key-to-life-long-happiness progressprinciple.com 🔥 Truth or Lie Can power posing actually increase confidence? The viral TED claim promised hormonal shifts and bold behaviour in two minutes. Replications haven’t supported the biological claims — but the psychological effect survived. Expansive postures don’t transform you, yet contractive postures reliably make people feel worse. The verdict: a light nudge, not a superpower. 💬 Workplace Surgery New coverage of Amabile and Kramer’s work highlights why small moments matter far more than big wins. This week’s dilemmas:• “Help — I pulled the CEO for Secret Santa.”• “Can my employer challenge home-working adjustments already approved by occupational health?”• “Where do I start with a competency model that’s genuinely useful?” Referenced frameworks: • SHL Universal Competency Framework – shl.com • Handbook of Competency Mapping (Seema Sanghi) – amazon.com/Handbook-Competency-Mapping 🎧 Coming Up Thursday We’re welcoming back Rob Kalwarowsky, one of the world’s leading executive coaches. He’s sharing how to capitalise on chaos in 2026 — and offering a major giveaway to get you off to a flying start. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being Mind UK: mind.org.uk/information-supportSamaritans: Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/truthliesworkAl: linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliottLeanne: linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: [email protected] a call: savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, Al and Leanne sit down with Aoife O’Brien Founder of Happier at Work and host of the Happier at Work podcast — for a conversation about why so many people feel misaligned at work, and what leaders can do about it. Aoife combines evidence, honesty and lived experience to break down the real drivers of engagement: values, fit, autonomy, fairness and meaning. It’s a grounded, practical discussion that cuts through surface-level “happiness initiatives” and focuses instead on the deeper psychological conditions that actually make work feel good. Expect to learn: Why values misalignment is one of the strongest predictors of disengagement How to diagnose whether your team is missing autonomy, clarity or recognition The role of data in understanding what employees really want How senior leaders accidentally create the problems they’re trying to solve What organisations can do to build cultures where people genuinely thrive The biggest myths about “workplace happiness” (and how to avoid them) Whether you're a founder, a manager or anyone rebuilding their relationship with work, this episode is full of practical, evidence-based ideas you can act on immediately. 🔗 Find Aoife O’Brien Website: https://happieratwork.ie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happieratwork.ie TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happieratwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@happieratworkhq Happier at Work Podcast: https://happieratwork.ie/happier-at-work-podcast/ 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn (podcast): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome to another edition of This Week in Work, where Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott break down the latest news on people, culture, and behavioral science. This week, we look at the direct, measurable impact of toxic culture and unpack the new anxieties surrounding Artificial Intelligence. Plus, in our Truth or Lies segment, we dive deep into the science behind 'faking it 'til you make it'. 📰 The News Round-Up The Brutal COVID Inquiry Report: The report found that the "toxic and chaotic" workplace culture inside Downing Street directly slowed the pandemic response. Full Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c986821m604o The Rise of AI Anxiety (AIA): A new report suggests that while C-Suite leaders have high expectations for AI boosting productivity, most employees (77%) feel it has added to their workload. Sarah Bregel (Reporter) Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-bregel-032585/ Dreamers vs. Doers: Why do so many people dream of changing careers, but stay stuck? New research on temporal focus reveals that people most likely to move have a balanced temporal focus. Original Study: doi.org/10.1111/joop.70064 💡 Truth or Lies: Can You Fake It Until You Make It? We explore the famous mantra, fueled by high-profile stories of entrepreneurial bluffing. The Question: Can you actually fake it until you make it? We test the evidence on whether confident performance buys you real career progress or if it's just a short-term illusion. 🩺 World-Famous Weekly Workplace Surgery We take questions from listeners, including a young fan from our "Ask Old People" segment. Should I be hiring people who think like me or challenge me? Questioner's dilemma: "My boss prefers to hire and promote people who closely match how she thinks and works... I'm the opposite. I like it when my team brings new ideas, challenges, and pushes things in directions I wouldn't have considered. Is one approach better than the other?" How honest should I be with my employer about my mental health? Questioner's dilemma: "I'm finding things tough at the moment. It's starting to affect me at work. I really want to be honest with my employer, but I'm worried it could backfire or change how I'm treated. Is it better to be upfront or should I keep things to myself?" Have you ever regretted not taking a risk when you were younger? Questioner's dilemma: "I'm weighing up something quite big at the moment and I think I'm worried I'll look back and regret playing it safe, but at the same time, I don't wanna make a huge mistake. How do you know the difference between a smart risk and a reckless one?" 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work) LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ 💚 Mental Health Support Resources If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services: Samaritans (UK & Ireland) - Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7. Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7) Mind (England & Wales) - Advice and support for mental health problems. Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm) 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based) - Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis. Call or Text: 988 (24/7) Find A Helpline (Global) - Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide. Website: https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the show where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, Leanne sits down with Christian Laing, co-founder of Stand Out Socks and one of the most compelling voices in ethical employment today. Christian’s story began with something simple: wanting his younger brother Ross, who has Down syndrome, to have meaningful, paid work. What followed became a movement that is challenging an entire system built on unpaid labour, tokenism and decades of “this is just how it works.” In this conversation, Christian talks honestly and openly about the early days, the struggle to keep the business alive, the moment he realised paid roles were possible, and the wider question he wants every leader to consider: What assumptions am I making about who is capable? Stand Out Socks isn’t just a company. It’s an example of what work can look like when we remove red tape, build roles around people, and refuse to exploit those who’ve been overlooked for too long. Christian shares the reality of navigating misconceptions about Down syndrome, the emotional weight families carry, and why representation matters far beyond the product. This is a raw, unedited conversation — the pauses matter, the honesty matters, and the humanity matters. It’s a reminder that culture isn’t built with slogans; it’s built with decisions. If you’re a leader, a business owner, a hiring manager or a parent of someone with learning disabilities, this episode will stay with you. In this episode How Christian went from “someone should hire Ross” to “I’ll do it myself.” Why meaningful, paid work transforms confidence, purpose and community. How Stand Out Socks grew from one family’s challenge into a national mission. The emotional reality behind inclusion — from joy to grief to rebuilding. What leaders misunderstand about capability, opportunity and potential. Why “creating space for someone to shine” is not charity — it’s leadership. Links from the episode Stand Out Socks: https://www.standoutsocks.co.uk Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdlaing/ Stand Out Socks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standoutsocksuk Stand Out Socks on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@standoutsocks Find us LinkedIn (Podcast): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Wellbeing Support Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans: 116 123 or [email protected]

Welcome back to This Week in Work This week: workplace confidence flips, QuitTok resurfaces, and LinkedIn shares its most chaotic interview stories. In Truth or Lie, we tackle the myth of the “four-hour sleeper.” And in the Workplace Surgery, we unpack micromanagement, occupational health, and senior-level flatness. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. QuitTok makes a comeback Employees are once again filming their resignations and posting them online. It might look like drama, but it’s become a visible dataset for HR — real-time feedback on broken processes, toxic behaviours and unmet expectations. Instead of treating it as a PR problem, leaders can treat it as insight: what makes someone quit loudly is usually what made them feel unheard quietly. Link: https://www.hrkatha.com/features/hr-pops-features/quittok-wake-up-call-for-hr-leaders/ 2. Confidence rises at the bottom, falls at the top Fast Company reports a surprising shift: entry-level workers are feeling more hopeful, while senior leaders’ confidence continues to slide. Younger employees have grown up adapting to chaos; leaders are carrying the load of uncertainty, hybrid tensions and AI-driven decision fatigue. Confidence is no longer about hierarchy — it’s about adaptability. Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/91440615/why-entry-level-workers-confidence-is-rising-while-leaders-is-falling-workplace-leadership-confidence-entry-level-workers 3. LinkedIn’s most unforgettable interview moments Maria Healey’s viral post collected hundreds of wild interview stories — from karaoke auditions to panel interrogations. The thread shows how interviews reveal culture instantly: the respect, the pressure, the humour, the red flags. Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maria-healey_whats-your-most-memorable-job-interview-share-7394400322569424896-J3j6 🔥 Truth or Lie — Do high achievers sleep less? This week we examine the long-standing myth popularised by Thatcher, Musk and the productivity world: can you really perform at your best on four hours of sleep? We break down what decades of sleep science actually shows — and why biological “short sleepers” are the rare exception, not the blueprint. 💬 Workplace Surgery — This Week’s Questions “Am I wrong for calling out a micromanaging colleague?” “Do I need to offer Occupational Health as a small UK employer?” “I’ve reached the top but feel completely flat — what now?” 🎧 Coming Up Thursday We're talking to Christian Laing, Co-founder & Director of Stand Out Socks and BBC's Dragons' Den Investment Winner 2024. Stand Out Socks is a social enterprise created after Christian saw his brother Ross, who has Down syndrome, repeatedly overlooked by employers. We explore purpose, resilience, family upheaval, loss, inclusion and what it means to build work that gives people space to shine. 🧠 Support with Mental Health & Well-being Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans: Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Today, we’re joined by a leader who has shaped the modern understanding of culture, belonging and performance more than almost anyone else working today: Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman of WD-40 Company, now the founder of The Learning Moment. Garry led WD-40 for more than two decades, taking it from a small American brand to a global organisation, all while maintaining engagement scores that most companies can only dream of. His belief is simple: “Leaders don’t manage people — they help them get to where they need to be.” And the results speak for themselves. In this conversation, we go deep into what makes a great leader, why psychological safety drives performance, how to build a culture people genuinely want to belong to, and why treating mistakes as learning moments creates organisations that last. Key Takeaways 1. Belonging isn’t soft — it’s strategicGarry explains why the foundation of performance is a culture where people feel seen, valued and safe to contribute. When people feel they belong, they take risks, share ideas and collaborate without fear. 2. Leaders create the weatherTeams respond to the emotional climate set by their leaders. Garry breaks down how tone, behaviour and consistency shape trust more than any policy or engagement initiative. 3. Mistakes are learning momentsInstead of blame, Garry uses learning moments to build capability. This is how you grow confident, autonomous teams who solve problems instead of hiding them. 4. Clarity beats controlGarry’s leadership model centres on aligned expectations, adult-to-adult relationships and reducing friction. When people know what’s expected — and feel supported — performance takes care of itself. 5. The real job of a leaderGarry believes leaders are responsible for creating an environment where people can be brilliant. That means curiosity, empathy, consistency and genuine accountability (the kind that lifts people, not limits them). Resources & Links Connect with Garry RidgeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/The Learning Moment: https://thelearningmoment.net/Book: Any Dumb Ass Can Do a Multi-Billion Dollar Brandhttps://www.amazon.com/Any-Dumb-Ass-Can-Do-Multi-Billion-Dollar/dp/1637746296 🧠 Support with Mental Health and WellbeingMind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & LeanneLinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthliesworkAl Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliottLeanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: [email protected] a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show for more interviews every Thursday — and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss next week.

Welcome back to This Week in Work, the show where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, Al and Leanne unpack one of the darkest stories in British business — and what it reveals about organisational failure and human systems. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Can the government really ‘Keep Britain Working’?A major new review led by Sir Charlie Mayfield digs into why half a million more people have left work since 2019 due to long-term sickness, stress, or disability. The findings point to broken systems, poor coordination between the NHS and employers, and a lack of early support. The solution? A joined-up national programme that treats work and health as two sides of the same coin.Read the report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-britain-working-review-final-report/keep-britain-working-final-report 2. The Post Office scandal — how trust collapsedA new MSc study from Charlotte Glading at the University of Leeds examines how the Post Office’s Horizon IT system caused one of the worst miscarriages of justice in modern history. The research reveals deep organisational flaws: a culture of fear, denial, and blind faith in technology that silenced whistleblowers and destroyed lives. The conclusion is sobering — this wasn’t a tech failure, it was a human one.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteglading/ 🧠 Truth or Lie Does time really go faster as you get older?It feels true — childhood summers lasted forever, but adulthood disappears in a blink. This week, Al and Leanne explore the neuroscience behind why time seems to speed up, and how novelty, memory, and emotion shape our perception of life’s pace. 💬 Workplace Surgery 1. How do you deal with imposter syndrome as a business owner?2. What workplace adjustments can you expect after an ADHD diagnosis?3. How do you re-engage a top performer who’s switched off? 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Wellbeing Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a chat: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. This week, Al and Leanne sit down with Nick Power — senior marketing leader at The Noun Project and one of the most talked-about voices on LinkedIn. With more than 30 000 followers and millions of views, Nick has built a reputation for doing what most professionals won’t: calling out corporate nonsense, talking openly about burnout, and reminding us that being human is not unprofessional. 💡 Key Takeaways In this episode, Nick shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of being honest online — from viral one-liners and “weird LinkedIn” to the backlash that comes with visibility. It’s a masterclass in authenticity, humour, and how to show up as yourself without burning bridges or your reputation. 🔗 Resources & Links Honesty beats polish. Professionalism isn’t about perfection — it’s about skill, integrity and being easy to work with. Short form wins. Think fortune-cookie insights, not essays. Nick’s rule: write something people can finish before they scroll. Start conversations, not lectures. The goal isn’t likes; it’s dwell time, dialogue, and trust. Authenticity ≠ oversharing. Show humanity, not your diary. Find your own line between personal and performative. Expect the trolls. Nick opens up about LinkedIn Lunatics, the subreddit that mocks viral posts — and why bullying under the guise of humour says more about insecurity than content quality. Above all, Nick argues that being real online doesn’t damage your brand — it defines it. Follow Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcpower Shop Nick’s merch: https://www.nickpower.co Learn more about The Noun Project: https://thenounproject.com 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a chat: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat 🎧 Coming up Tuesday Don’t miss next week’s This Week in Work, where we unpack the biggest workplace headlines and another round of Truth or Lie. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back to This Week in Work, your Tuesday news round-up where workplace culture meets behavioural science. This week: political shockwaves for DEI, an unexpected quiet-quitting success story, retail workers pushed to the brink by Christmas music, a myth-busting Truth or Lie, and three big Workplace Surgery questions. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Trump appoints DEI critic to lead the EEOC The AP reports that Andrea Lucas is now chair of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Critics say she has already reduced protections for transgender workers and limited investigations into discriminatory practices. Supporters frame her appointment as a shift toward “merit-based, race-neutral equality.” Link: https://apnews.com/article/andrea-lucas-eeoc-civil-rights-dei-discrimination-transgender-591b48113bf6fab1a17d84e58cf9ac8f 2. The quiet-quitter who rose to senior leadership A mid-level manager shared how a decade of reduced overwork, firm boundaries and radical delegation lowered stress and unexpectedly accelerated both career progression and wealth. It raises practical questions about sustainability, workload design and the hidden rewards of saying no. Link: https://cheezburger.com/43120389/50-year-old-tries-quiet-quitting-after-achieving-mid-level-management-goals-ends-up-quadrupling-net 3. The impact of music misfit at work New research shows that when background music doesn’t match what employees need, mood declines and mental fatigue increases. In retail and hospitality settings, “misfit” days also reduce cooperation and customer-facing helpfulness. Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-britain-working-review-final-report/keep-britain-working-final-report 🧠 Truth or Lie: Can you really spot a liar by their body language? Inspired by Celebrity Traitors UK, where confident guesses were almost always wrong, we look at what the evidence shows. Across decades of studies, accuracy rarely rises above chance. Common cues like eye contact, posture shifts or nervous gestures have no reliable link to dishonesty. Real insight comes from analysing story structure, consistency and detail, not fidgeting or facial expressions. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week’s dilemmas: • I think I accidentally trained my team to stop thinking for themselves — how do I fix it? • What’s the real role of Occupational Health from an employer’s perspective? • How do I manage my first remote hire without becoming a micromanager? 🎧 Coming Up Thursday A conversation with Nick Power, one of LinkedIn’s most distinctive voices and a leading figure in Weird LinkedIn, on authenticity, burnout and the changing face of professionalism. 🧠 Wellbeing Support Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans: 116 123 or [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

It’s Thursday, and we’re back with a guest conversation built for leaders who want practical psychology without the fluff. Today: how to feel better, think clearer, and lead smarter with Dr Ryan Martin — The Anger Professor. Guest intro Dr Ryan Martin is a psychologist and emotion researcher known as The Anger Professor. In this conversation he explains why emotions are information, not emergencies, and how small, upstream decisions shape how you feel hours later. His new book lays out 50 research-backed “emotion hacks” that anyone can use at work and at home. Episode summary We start with a classroom exercise that reveals our brains still run ancient threat software. Ryan’s Why We Feel model shows how stimuli, mood, interpretation, feeling, and expression combine to create what we experience as emotion. He shares practical in-the-moment tools, then challenges leaders to address root causes: sleep, hydration, nature, worldview, and daily choices. We finish with a manager’s checklist for mapping emotional incidents and a simple mantra method for tough moments. Key takeaways Treat emotions as signals. They give you information and energy to act. Most regulation happens upstream. Sleep, hydration, nature, movement, and digital boundaries set your baseline. Worldview matters. Beliefs about people, self, and the future can drive anger, anxiety, or resilience. Use in-the-moment tools wisely. Breathing, grounding, and naming the feeling help you de-escalate and think clearly. Leaders need a map. Diagram the stimulus, mood, interpretation, feeling, and behaviour for yourself and for your team before you act. Practical tools mentioned Grounding: 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, and so on. Mantras: a short phrase to anchor attention and guide the next step. Nature with attention: unplug and actively notice what you see to reduce rumination. Recognition over suppression: acknowledge the feeling, then choose the response. Worldview audit: do I trust people, see myself as capable, and view the future as hopeful? Resources and links Pre-order Dr Ryan Martin’s new book, Emotion Hacks: 50 Ways to Feel Better Fasthttps://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Hacks-Ways-Feel-Better-ebook/dp/B0F3WNB6HP Find Ryan Website: https://alltheragescience.com TikTok and Instagram: @AngerProfessor Substack: https://angerprofessor.substack.com Support with Mental Health and Well-being Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] Connect with Al and Leanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: [email protected] Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

It’s time for another This Week in Work — your Tuesday round-up of workplace news, research and real-world dilemmas. Hosted by Leanne Elliott, Chartered Occupational Psychologist, and Al Elliott, business owner. This week: fake job ads, clever interview hacks, the power of recognition, and whether it really takes 10 000 hours to master anything. 🔥 Stories Covered Career Catfishing Nearly 80 percent of workers say they’ve been misled during hiring. The job they took wasn’t the job they got. Broken promises break trust fast. Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nearly-80-us-workers-victims-183000581.html Why People Keep Giving MSc researcher Mary Luu found volunteers who give the most often feel happiest — because meaning and recognition matter more than reward.Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trambaoluu/ Interview Hack or Workplace Deception?A Reddit user says calling employers and claiming “I was told to schedule my interview” landed five callbacks. Smart or dishonest? It’s forcing everyone to rethink how hiring really works. Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/InterviewCoderPro/comments/1ohsuq9/i_started_calling_companies_and_saying_i_was_told 🧠 Truth or Lie — The 10 000-Hour Rule Does it truly take 10 000 hours to master something? Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson’s research showed practice matters — but not that hours alone guarantee mastery. Quality, feedback and context count more than time. Verdict: mastery takes effort and structure, not a stopwatch. 💬 Workplace Surgery • Should you give a Christmas bonus or gift? • How do you present a strategy you don’t believe in? • What do you do when a new hire is 40 minutes late on day one? 🎧 Coming Up Thursday Dr Ryan Martin — better known as The Anger Professor — joins Leanne and Al to explore how we can hack our emotions to perform better in life and work. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

In today’s episode, Leanne and Al are joined by Angela Foster, an expert in the fashion and beauty industry with over 20 years of executive experience.Angela empowers high-achieving women to craft wardrobes that radiate confidence and align with their professional and personal goals. Through her SPARK method, Angela has transformed how her clients think about fashion, helping them dress for success and feel their best every day. In this episode, we explore: Do first impressions really count? The science of enclothed cognition and how clothing influences confidence, cognition, and perceptions. Why what we wear at work matters: How professional attire affects leadership perceptions and workplace dynamics Crafting your signature look: From tailored staples to bold accessories, Angela shares tips to define a personal brand that’s unforgettable. Navigating modern dress codes: Striking the balance between inclusivity, professionalism, and personal style in today’s workplaces. Angela’s SPARK method: A five-step guide to understanding your body shape, building versatile wardrobes, and curating a style that works for you. Key Takeaways: Dress for Success: First impressions are formed in seconds, and attire plays a huge role in shaping them. Create a Signature Look: Stand out with a style that reflects your personality and professional brand. It’s Not About Buying More Clothes: Angela emphasizes starting with a strategy before shopping. Professionalism and Confidence: Learn how the right wardrobe can boost your workplace confidence and enhance others' perceptions. Inclusivity in Dress Codes: Angela shares practical advice for employers crafting dress codes that are fair, clear, and aligned with organizational values. Angela’s Free Gift: Take Angela’s Body Shape Quiz to discover the styles and silhouettes that suit you best. Visit ⁠AngelaFoster.co/Leanne⁠ to get started! Connect with Angela: Website: ⁠Angela Style Coach⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Angela Foster⁠ Instagram: ⁠@AngelaStyleCoach⁠ Support with Mental Health and Well-being If any of the topics in this episode have affected you, or if you need mental health support, please reach out to one of the following resources: UK: ⁠Mind⁠ offers mental health support and information. For those in distress, call Samaritans at 116 123 or email [email protected]. US: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Rest of the World: Visit ⁠Befrienders Worldwide⁠ to find a helpline in your country. Connect with Truth, Lies & Work YouTube: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work YouTube Channel⁠ TikTok: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work TikTok⁠ Instagram: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work Instagram⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work LinkedIn⁠ Connect with Al Elliott: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Connect with Leanne Elliott: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Email: Reach out at [email protected] Book a Meeting: Schedule a meeting with Al & Leanne ⁠here⁠.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this week’s stories dig into workplace trust, exploitation, and the psychology of staying too long. 🔥 This Week’s Stories 🛒 Waitrose Under Fire for Axing Autistic VolunteerA 27-year-old man with severe autism was reportedly “sacked” after his family asked if he could be paid for some of his work. After volunteering at Waitrose for four years and clocking up more than 600 hours unpaid, his placement was suddenly suspended. We explore the line between inclusion and exploitation — and what true inclusive employment should look like. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15211181/Autistic-volunteer-sacked-Waitrose-family-asked-start-paid-years-stocking-shelves-free.html 🧠 AI Clones Are Coming for Your CoworkersTwo co-founders from the $2.1B AI recruiting startup Eightfold just raised $35M for a new company, Viven — an AI “digital twin” of every employee that lets coworkers message your clone when you’re offline. We unpack the privacy risks, ethical dilemmas, and whether this is innovation or invasion. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/15/eightfold-co-founders-raise-35m-for-viven-an-ai-digital-twin-startup-for-querying-unavailable-coworkers/ 📅 The 3-Month Notice Period ProblemThree-month notice periods used to be for senior executives. Now they’re everywhere — from middle management to entry-level jobs. We ask whether forcing people to stay longer is about succession planning or control — and what it’s doing to motivation and trust. Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/jobs/career-advice/working-three-months-notice-period-drain/ 🧩 Truth or Lie: Are Firstborn Children Natural Leaders? Firstborns dominate CEO lists and political leadership — but is it nature or nurture? We explore decades of research showing that while firstborns do have a statistical advantage, it’s more about parental attention and early responsibility than genetic destiny. 💬 Workplace Surgery “How do I manage chaos when hiring without spending a fortune?” “My manager invited me to lunch — do I have to go?” “Can I opt out of birthday collections at work without looking antisocial?” 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: ⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/⁠– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email ⁠[email protected]⁠ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork⁠– Al Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott⁠– Leanne Elliott: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne⁠– Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠– Book a call: ⁠https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. This week, Al and Leanne talk to Danny Wareham, organisational psychologist and author of Constellation Leadership: Reimagined for a Connected Age, about why leadership might not need a single leader at all. From Navy SEALs to small business teams, Danny’s research explores what happens when you remove the leader from the room — and discover that, in the right conditions, performance can actually increase. 🔥 What We Cover 📘 What is Constellation Leadership?Danny introduces his model — a flexible, culture-driven approach where leadership shifts based on context and capability, not hierarchy or titles. 🧭 Why culture can replace hierarchyLearn why clear purpose, shared trust and behavioural norms can guide teams more effectively than top-down control. 💡 The North Star principleBefore defining roles, policies or perks, Danny says every organisation must answer one question: why do we exist? That North Star then becomes the anchor for every decision. ⚙️ How small organisations have a natural edgeDanny’s research shows that companies under 150 people — below Dunbar’s number — perform best when they keep teams small, autonomous and purpose-led. 💬 The Navy SEAL mindsetWe unpack “mission command” — how elite teams rotate leadership fluidly, with the person best equipped for each situation taking charge in real time. 🧠 The psychology of trust and autonomyFrom imposter syndrome to cultural alignment, Danny explains what it really takes to create teams that lead themselves. 🎧 Want more from Danny Wareham? – Website: dannywareham.co.uk– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-wareham/– Constellation Leadership: https://dannywareham.co.uk/constellation-leadership/ 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork– Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott– Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne– Email: [email protected]– Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this week’s headlines dive into generational friction, AI disruption, and Amazon’s latest layoffs — plus the psychology behind “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” 🔥 This Week’s Stories 🧃 Gen Z vs Everyone Else The Telegraph says Gen Z are ruining the workplace — dodging phone calls, dressing down, demanding safe spaces, and setting firm boundaries. But is this generational chaos or cultural evolution? Leanne breaks down what’s really going on when work expectations clash across age groups. 📰 Source: The Telegraph – Six ways Gen Z are “ruining” the workplace 🤖 40 Jobs AI Might Replace (and 40 It Can’t) Microsoft analysed 200,000 Copilot conversations to rank which jobs are most at risk from AI. Translators top the list at 98%, coders at 90%, and even DJs at 74%. But the real story isn’t about job loss — it’s about job evolution. Al explores how automation could actually create more work, not less. 📰 Source: Sky News – The 40 jobs most at risk from AI 📦 Amazon’s AI-Fuelled Layoffs Amazon is reportedly cutting up to 15% of its HR division as CEO Andy Jassy doubles down on AI investment. Fortune reports that the People Experience & Technology team (PXT) is bearing the brunt. We unpack what happens to trust, culture, and psychological safety when “learn AI or be left behind” becomes company policy. 📰 Source: Fortune – Amazon plans new round of layoffs 🧠 Truth or Lie: “Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe” Does your energy really shape the people around you — or is it just another social media myth? Leanne examines the science behind attraction, similarity, and social mirroring. From the “chameleon effect” to homophily, find out what really draws people together (and what pushes them apart). 💬 Workplace Surgery A remote employee might secretly be working two full-time jobs — what should you do? How do you motivate your team to actually upskill? You’ve started a new job full of red flags — do you fix it or flee? 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode is a masterclass on one of the most dreaded parts of working life: meetings. Our guest is Mamie Kanfer Stewart — host of The Modern Manager podcast, author of Momentum, and founder of Meeteor — who has dedicated her career to transforming meetings from time-wasting nightmares into spaces for decision-making, creativity, and genuine collaboration. 🔥 What We Cover 📌 Why most meetings failMamie shares how growing up in a culture that encouraged open, challenging conversations gave her a unique perspective — and why most organisations get the fundamentals of meetings wrong. 📌 Feedback conversations that don’t implodeLearn Mamie’s frameworks for difficult one-to-one meetings, including how to give feedback to someone more senior without tanking your reputation. 📌 Group decision-making without the chaosFrom dominant voices to silent stakeholders, Mamie explains how to prepare for and run complex meetings that lead to real decisions instead of endless back-and-forth. 📌 The “zero to five” strategyMamie reveals a simple but powerful technique that turned a potentially hour-long battle into a 15-minute consensus — and how you can use it too. 📌 When meetings should be emails — and when they really shouldn’tWe tackle the internet’s favourite complaint. Mamie explains the real issue behind “this could’ve been an email” and why the answer isn’t fewer meetings, but better ones. 🎧 Want more from Mamie Kanfer Stewart?– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamiekanferstewart/– Meeteor: https://www.meeteor.com/– The Modern Manager: https://www.themodernmanager.com/– Mamie KS: https://www.mamieks.com/ 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, every Tuesday we unpack the biggest workplace news stories, decode the psychology, and tackle real listener dilemmas. 🔥 This Week’s Stories 🍞 Breadcrumbing at WorkA new HR buzzword has arrived. Originally a dating term, “breadcrumbing” describes when managers hint at promotions, raises, or development opportunities but never follow through. In a shaky economy where pay rises and mobility are stalling, leaders may be tempted to keep talent with vague promises — but the psychology shows this kills trust and motivation. Source: Cangrade, “2025 HR Buzzwords”https://www.cangrade.com/blog/talent-management/24-hr-buzzwords-to-know-in-2025/ ☕ Starbucks’ “Fabricated Empathy” ProblemNew CEO Brian Nichol’s “Back to Starbucks” plan mandates scripted customer interactions — eye contact, cup messages, four-minute service times — alongside tighter dress codes and reduced remote work. The goal: revive sales. The risk: forcing fake connection and alienating both staff and customers. Source: Minda Zetlin, Inc.comhttps://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/starbucks-just-announced-a-new-policy-its-a-failure-of-leadership/91243638https://x.com/mindazetlin 📞 The Dubai Sales MachineWould you make 100 calls a day for £24,000 a year? A London firm is hiring trainee wealth managers in Dubai with brutal daily quotas and little base pay. They call it “resilience.” We break down why high pressure without autonomy or purpose can wreck motivation. Source: Louis Goss, The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lk-lo/louis-goss/ 🧠 Truth or Lie Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is on every business school slide, but is it actually true? We dig into the real history — including the missing “sixth level” Maslow added — and what modern psychology says about human motivation. 💬 Workplace Surgery What do you do when your top performer is destroying team morale? How can you keep remote teams genuinely connected? And how do founders protect their wellbeing when the business never switches off? 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode features Josh Levine, work futurist, author of "Great Mondays," and culture consultant who's helped companies like Credit Karma navigate the treacherous waters of hypergrowth. Episode Summary Picture this: You've built something special. Your team of 15 feels like family. Everyone knows everyone. The culture just works. But now you're staring down growth - maybe to 50, maybe to 100 employees. And there's this gnawing fear: what if scaling breaks everything we've built? What We Cover The 50-Employee Breaking Point Why founder's culture has an expiration date and the physics behind cultural breakdown From Implicit to Explicit How to transform unspoken behaviours into values that actually scale beyond personal influence The Three-Step Framework Identify, codify, and communicate the most important decisions that move the needle Why Most Values Fail The difference between values as wall decorations versus business tools that drive decisions Recognition Done Right How Wells Fargo's outcome-focused rewards destroyed trust and what to do instead Trust as Infrastructure Why relational infrastructure matters more than physical infrastructure in distributed work The WD-40 Case Study How Gary Ridge reframed failure as learning and invested in humans, not just outputs Measuring Culture at Scale Why Employee Net Promoter Score captures what matters as you grow Resources Connect with Josh Levine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akajoshlevine Follow Josh on Instagram: @greatmondays_culturedesign Great Mondays website: https://greatmondays.com Great Mondays Radio: https://radio.greatmondays.com Great Mondays YouTube: https://youtube.com/@GreatMondays Get the book "Great Mondays" at greatmondays.com Mental Health Support This episode discusses workplace stress, burnout, and the challenges of scaling culture. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health: UK: Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7 helpline) - https://www.samaritans.org/ Mind: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 - https://www.mind.org.uk/ US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7) - https://988lifeline.org/ NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) - https://www.nami.org/ International: Befrienders Worldwide: https://www.befrienders.org/ (directory of crisis helplines worldwide) International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ (global crisis center directory) Connect with Your Hosts Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected] Got feedback/questions/guest suggestions? Email [email protected]

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, bringing you the latest workplace stories that actually matter. News Round Up Digital Hangover - The New Workplace Epidemic That feeling when you've been on your laptop all day, mindlessly scroll Instagram, and suddenly feel wired but weirdly drained? That's a digital hangover. Psychologies Magazine article: https://pocketmags.com/us/psychologies-magazine/oct-25/articles/the-science-of-wellbeing-how-to-shake-off-a-digital-hangover?srsltid=AfmBOorVwGPxFvEpTNB5EZru-bMQUVahEMrR_Nk5KLVp4daxRgI7CV3W Is Workplace Humour Too Risky? New research from Peter McGraw, Adam Barsky, and Caleb Warren suggests workplace humour might be too risky to attempt. Research article: https://phys.org/news/2025-09-funny.html MrBeast's Vibe Check: Smart Hiring or Commitment Avoidance? The world's biggest YouTuber has introduced 90-day trial periods for all new hires, complete with temporary housing and rental cars. The goal is testing whether someone can adapt to high-speed, high-stakes production work. Business Insider article: https://www.businessinsider.com/why-mrbeast-vibe-checks-new-hires-2025-10 Truth or Lie? Are Tall People Really More Successfully The verdict: TRUE, but with massive caveats. Research shows height correlates with career success - each inch predicts about £600 more in annual earnings. Since 1900, the taller US presidential candidate has won 81% of elections. But height explains only 7% of earning variation, leaving 93% to actual skills, education, and other factors. The effect operates through perceptual bias (we see tall people as more leader-like), modest correlations with intelligence and health, and self-fulfilling prophecies from being treated like a leader from childhood. Workplace Surgery Real listener questions this week: How do you build a reliable team when you're used to doing everything yourself without losing quality control? What do you do when you have to let someone go even though they're trying their best and improving? How do you keep great people when you can't compete on pay with bigger companies? Mental Health Support This episode discusses workplace stress, burnout, and the impact of digital overload on mental wellbeing. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health: UK: Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7 helpline) - https://www.samaritans.org/ Mind: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 - https://www.mind.org.uk/ US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7) - https://988lifeline.org/ NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) - https://www.nami.org/ International: Befrienders Worldwide: https://www.befrienders.org/ (directory of crisis helplines worldwide) International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ (global crisis center directory) Connect with Your Hosts Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected] Got feedback/questions/guest suggestions? Email [email protected]

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode features Professors Ina Purvanova and Alanah Mitchell, authors of "The New Workplace" and experts who've spent years studying remote, hybrid, and in-office work arrangements. Episode Summary What if hybrid working isn't the best of both worlds, but actually the worst? Professors Ina Purvanova and Alanah Mitchell have mapped nine different work personas - from "officers" who never want to leave the office, to "avatars" who live entirely online, to "integrators" trying to bridge both worlds. Their research reveals that 65% of workers are now aligned with their company's workplace strategy, but that still leaves 35% struggling with misalignment that affects engagement, commitment, and ultimately performance. This conversation explores what happens when work personas collide, why hybrid can create more conflict than clarity, and how leaders can move their teams from misaligned to at least half-aligned without losing their best people. You'll hear heartbreaking stories of young workers describing themselves as "soulless husks" when forced to work remotely, and female executives who prefer office work for unexpected reasons. What We Cover The Nine Work Personas How people fall into categories like "officers," "avatars," and "integrators" based on their workplace preferences Why Hybrid Creates Conflict How hybrid workplaces can become battlegrounds between opposing preferences, with officers and avatars both wanting companies to go fully their way The Alignment Problem Why 65% alignment isn't enough and what happens to the misaligned 35% who stay in jobs that don't suit them Task-Location Fit Moving from "dress for your day" to "locate for your day" based on what tasks you need to accomplish Who Decides the Strategy Whether leaders should set workplace policies or listen to what teams actually want Personas Change Over Time How life stages, from early career to parenthood to late career, can shift your workplace preferences Recruitment Reality Why honest job previews about work arrangements are crucial for avoiding misalignment from day one The Future of Work Predictions for 2050 and why hybrid might win by default Resources The New Workplace book website: https://thenewworkplacebook.com/ Connect with Ina Purvanova on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-purvanova/ Connect with Alanah Mitchell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanah-mitchell/ Mental Health Support The episode discusses some difficult workplace experiences, including feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health: UK: Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7 helpline) - https://www.samaritans.org/ Mind: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 - https://www.mind.org.uk/ US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7) - https://988lifeline.org/ NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) - https://www.nami.org/ International: Befrienders Worldwide: https://www.befrienders.org/ (directory of crisis helplines worldwide) International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ (global crisis center directory) Connect with Your Hosts Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, bringing you the latest workplace stories that actually matter. News Round Up Office Frogging - Gen Z's Job-Hopping Trend Gen Z workers are hopping from job to job like frogs on lily pads, chasing better pay and growth. But here's the thing - this isn't new. Millennials did this too, they just didn't have a catchy name for it. The real question: are you giving people a reason to stay? Forbes article on Office Frogging: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/09/18/office-frogging-gen-zs-career-trend-disrupts-employer-expectations/ Workslop - AI's Productivity Problem AI-generated content that looks polished but has no real substance. Research from BetterUp Labs and Stanford found 41% of workers have been on the receiving end, costing almost two hours of rework each time. AI use at work has doubled since 2023, but 95% of organizations see no measurable ROI. Harvard Business Review article: https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity Deloitte's £4.9m Pay Rise Problem Deloitte UK's chief executive Richard Houston received a 17% pay rise to £4.9 million while staff got 2.9% and revenues actually fell by 1%. He's now paid 65 times the median Deloitte salary. When staff see the boss's pay racing away from their own, fairness goes, then trust, then loyalty. The Times article: https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/deloitte-uks-chief-executive-receives-17-percent-pay-rise-to-49m-kshc08cqr Truth or Lie? Left-Handed People Are More Creative Because They Use the Right Side of Their Brain The verdict: LIE. While Roger Sperry's Nobel Prize-winning split-brain research showed the hemispheres have distinct strengths, creativity doesn't belong to one hemisphere. Both sides work together constantly in healthy brains. Left-handers may have language spread across both hemispheres and larger corpus callosums, but that doesn't make them automatically more creative. Workplace Surgery Real listener questions this week: Is DISC profiling actually useful for leadership or just another personality tool with slick marketing? How do senior leaders answer tough questions without actually committing to anything? (Featuring the SCARF model) What do you call the role when you're ready to step back from day-to-day running of your business? Connect with Your Hosts Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected] Got feedback/questions/guest suggestions? Email [email protected]

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode celebrates friend of the show Isabel Berwick and the paperback release of her bestselling book "The Future-Proof Career." Episode Summary We're thrilled to welcome back Isabel Berwick, the Financial Times' work and careers editor and host of the "Working It" podcast. With her bestselling book "The Future-Proof Career" now available in paperback, Isabel shares her insights on making working work for you in our post-pandemic world. This conversation covers everything from the characteristics that make managers truly effective to emerging workplace trends like "greedy jobs" and workplace polarisation. Isabel also tackles some of our toughest listener questions about managing difficult relationships, career development for younger workers, and finding balance in an increasingly demanding work environment. What We Cover The Accidental Manager Crisis How people end up in management roles without proper training or preparation Social Media's Workplace Impact The way platforms like TikTok are influencing professional expectations and behaviors What Makes Managers Actually Effective Why listening, empathy, and trust matter more than traditional leadership traits 2024's Biggest Workplace Trends From workplace polarization to "greedy jobs" and the ongoing quiet quitting conversation Career Advice for Younger Workers Strategies for getting heard and developing your career in today's workplace The Power of Reverse Mentoring How cross-generational learning benefits both mentors and mentees Managing People You Don't Like Practical tips for navigating difficult professional relationships Listener Q&A Isabel tackles real questions about work-life balance and career progression Resources Follow Isabel on X: https://twitter.com/isabelberwick Connect with Isabel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-berwick-8b4922167 Listen to Working It podcast: https://www.ft.com/working-it Subscribe to Isabel's newsletter: https://ep.ft.com/newsletters/subscribe?newsletterIds=62039b7ea31d6577a31f70df Get "The Future-Proof Career" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008607729?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_75RYWXR355NMVKX71SCC Connect with Your Hosts Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected] Got feedback/questions/guest suggestions? Email [email protected]

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, bringing you the latest workplace stories that actually matter. This week we explore "job hugging" - the new workplace trend where people stay in roles they don't love out of fear rather than engagement. Plus troubling reports from inside Microsoft suggest a cultural shift leaving employees feeling powerless, and we launch our new "Truth or Lie?" segment examining whether white noise actually helps concentration. News Roundup: Job Hugging - The New Workplace Trend The flip side of quiet quitting where people stay in jobs they don't love due to market uncertainty. Affects younger workers choosing security over progression. Nicole Williamson's LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicolewilliamsorganisationalpsychology_first-we-had-quiet-quitting-now-its-activity-7373611657425559552-NZL-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAPpxk8B1ivB8GiszIgdppDkaIkcd6hBmOo Microsoft Culture Crisis Reports from a 7-year employee describing managers who look "like pinballs, completely powerless" and colleagues "jumping ship." Shows how culture frays slowly before collapse. Microsoft story: https://www.financialexpress.com/trending/its-scaring-me-microsoft-employee-of-7-years-says-current-work-culture-has-changed-for-the-worse/3982230/ Arthur Brooks on Career Risk Research shows the biggest workplace risk isn't failing - it's living with regret because you never tried. Fear of regret makes us play it safe and avoid growth opportunities. Simon Sinek article: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/simon-sinek-backwards-career-moves-can-make-you-happier-more-successful.html Truth or Lie?! This week's question: does white noise help you concentrate? The answer: true, but only for some people. Research shows it helps those with ADHD or attention difficulties, but actually harms performance in people with strong focus. Workplace Surgery: Real listener questions this week: Dealing with unfulfilling work when your team and manager are great Managing a brilliant employee who's struggling after promotion to management Building genuine passion in your team as a young entrepreneur Get in touch: Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @truthlieswork Chat with us on X: @truthlieswork YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected] Got feedback/questions/guest suggestions? Email [email protected] Like this kind of content? Click here to subscribe: /subscribe