Truth, Lies and Work

In 2005, Al Elliott was named in the Top 42 entrepreneurs Under 42 in the UK. By 2007 he was bankrupt for £103,000. By 2008 he’d built an ethically-driven multimillion-pound property business, a portfolio that he still holds today. This is the untold story of your co-host of the Truth, Lies & Workplace Culture Podcast. We’re a few episodes in and realised we’ve never taken the time to introduce ourselves. In the first of a 2-part series, we dive deep into the life and career of Al Elliott, Co-Founder of Oblong, Gladstone Property Group and the Truth, Lies and Workplace Culture Podcast. Join us as we discuss: The DNA of an entrepreneur The path to rapid success and media fame How being right led to bankruptcy Fighting back with business #2…during a recession Why the mantra ‘Be rich, not right’ changed everything… Links: You can find Al on LinkedIn and Twitter For bonus content, full interviews and sneak peeks of future episodes, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube

Creative, innovative, high-performing teams with positive well-being that are engaged and committed to your business - every leader's dream, right? How to engage and motivate teams can seem complicated, but research shows us there is one factor more important than any other: Psychological Safety. Join us as we explore how to build teams that contribute positively to your workplace culture and performance, every day, with our guest expert Stephan Wiedner. Stephan is CEO of Zarango.com and Noomii.com, which are consultancy firms that train and coach business people on how to create and sustain a high-performance work environment through psychological safety. With a vision to help build a world in which everyone has the courage to speak up and be heard, Stephan explains how employee voice is the driving force of competitive advantage and sustainable success. Links: You can find Stephan on LinkedIn and Twitter Claim Your Free Psychological Safety Assessment at zarango.com Hear more from Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson including her book The Fearless Organization, TedX Talk and latest academic research Learn more about Google’s Project Aristotle For bonus content, full interviews and sneak peeks of future episodes, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube

Let's just get this out of the way - although our last 3 episodes have been about Elon Musk and Twitter, we're not singling him out! However, at the time of release, he is arguably the most famous leader in the world, so any psychological lessons on behaviour and personality are easily demonstrated by using him as an example. In this jam-packed episode, we are joined by expert guest Sandy McKenzie. Sandy is the managing partner of Amrop UK, an Executive Search & Human Capital Advisory firm, and he also is a fully qualified practitioner for Hogan Development Surveys, which measure the behaviours and personalities of leaders. Links You can find Sandy on the Amrop website or on LinkedIn. The Hogan Development Survey for Elon is here

In the previous episode, we left things on a bit of a bombshell - the Global Head of Wellness at Twitter was unsure if Twitter would survive! Following Elon's acquisition of Twitter on the 27th of October 2022, he promptly fired almost 50% of the staff. However, it's how he did it that has angered people. In this episode, we continue our conversations with our experts and look more into the impact of these layoffs. We get the expert opinion on how the brand and PR were handled from Stephen Waddington, a PR guru, the visiting professor of PR for Newcastle University and a former head of CIPR. We get the Twitter inside story from Dr Candice Schaefer, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health and Wellness Strategist, and until earlier this year the Global Head of Employee Wellness at Twitter. We learn best the practice for managing crisis from Arun Krishnakumar, Graduate of the University of Oxford & London School of Economics, and author of 'Restaup: A Founders Guide to Crisis Navigation'. Leanne tells her story of how she was made redundant and outlines some great ways to deal with it. Let's get stuck in! Links: You can find Steven Waddington on Twitter, on LinkedIn or subscribe to his newsletter here. You can follow Dr Candice Schaefer on Twitter or LinkedIn. You can see Arun Krishnakumar's articles on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter. His book is available on Amazon here.

Well... it's been quite the month for the tech industry. Following Elon's acquisition of Twitter on the 27th of October 2022, he promptly fired almost 50% of the staff. However, it's how he did it that has angered people. In this episode we have exclusive interviews with 3 industry insiders: We get the expert opinion on how the brand and PR were handled from Stephen Waddington, a PR guru, the visiting professor of PR for Newcastle University and a former head of CIPR. We get the Twitter inside story from Dr Candice Schaefer, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health and Wellness Strategist, and until earlier this year the Global Head of Employee Wellness at Twitter. We learn best the practice for managing crisis from Arun Krishnakumar, Graduate of the University of Oxford & London School of Economics, and author of 'Restaup: A Founders Guide to Crisis Navigation'. Let's get stuck in! UPDATE: Part 2 out now! Links: You can find Steven Waddington on Twitter, on LinkedIn or subscribe to his newsletter here. You can follow Dr Candice Schaefer on Twitter or LinkedIn. You can see Arun Krishnakumar's articles on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter. His book is available on Amazon here.

We’re all feeling the effects of the sharp increase in energy, mortgages, rents etc. And for leaders, the impact of the COLC will be as far-reaching as revenue performance, profitability, and employee well-being. This week, we’re going to chat specifically about how the COLC may impact remote or hybrid working – for better or for worse. Questions we answer: - What is the COLC? - What has the COLC got to do with WFH? - What does this mean for hybrid businesses - Why should business leaders care? - Tips and priorities for business leaders Links mentioned in the show Step Change - https://www.stepchange.org/ Provides the UK’s most comprehensive debt advice service. They help people with debt problems take back control of their finances and their lives. Property Wealth - https://www.prosperitywealth.com/employee-benefits/ Employee benefits advice and benchmarking National Debtline - https://nationaldebtline.org/ Use the Cost of living hub to find out if you can pay less for your living costs and to learn about any extra help that might be available. Pirkx - https://www.pirkx.com/ At Pirkx, we are all about making happier, healthier humans by providing affordable wellbeing benefits to everyone.

Today, we’re going to dive deep into the famous ‘condition’ and figure out the truth, and lies, behind an affliction that some research suggests affects up to 82% of the population. We answer the following: What is imposter syndrome? Why do psychologists call it something different? Is it all made up? What are the facts? Are there any upsides to imposter syndrome? What should leaders do if they experience imposter syndrome? What should leaders do if someone in their team experiences imposter syndrome? Links mentioned in the episode: Interesting reads: https://hbr.org/2022/10/4-ways-to-combat-imposter-syndrome-on-your-team https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2022/06/05/why-imposter-syndrome-isnt-all-that-bad/?sh=182b0c142fa8 https://hbr.org/2022/05/impostor-syndrome-has-its-advantages https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2013/11/fraud List of thinking errors: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201501/10-thinking-errors-will-crush-your-mental-strength Systematic Review in Full https://www.mentalhealthjournal.org/articles/commentary-prevalence-predictors-and-treatment-of-imposter-syndrome-a-systematic-review.html Diversity & Inclusion Audits The Real World Group Embracing Diversity Inventory (EDI) - https://realworld-group.com/embracing-diversity-and-inclusion/ https://www.diversematters.co.uk/our-services/diversity-and-inclusion-audit-consultancy

There seems to be a lot of talk recently about 'Quiet Quitting', so Business Psychologist Leanne Elliott dives into the subject, and answers the important questions: What is Quiet Quitting exactly? How do we know if it's happening in our organisation? How do we, as managers and leaders, tackle it? What do we need to do to prevent it in the future? Let's get stuck in. --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can use psychometrics to run successful recruitment or development programmes? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

You've may have heard of a 'positive workplace culture', and if you read this article in the Harvard Business Review, then you might be under the impression that you need to transition to it immediately. However, Is it really attainable? In this episode, Business Psychologist (and lead consultant at Oblong), Leanne Elliott goes through the suggestions that the original authors make, and explains what's good advice, what's not and what is downright impractical. Let's dive in! --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can use psychometrics to run successful recruitment or development programmes? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

It's August, and that means sunny days and more opportunities for downtime. We give you our top 7 book recommendations for when you've got some spare time and want to learn how other organisations lead. So grab a beer, a glass of crisp, white wine or a cup of tea, and let's dive in! --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can use psychometrics to run successful recruitment or development programmes? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

You've probably done a Myers Briggs (MBTI) survey - you may even know which 4 letter combination you are. But, how accurate is it really? In this episode, Business Psychologist (and lead consultant at Oblong), Leanne Elliott digs into psychometric tests, and starts by asking if the MBT is as good as they say it is. You'll hear her draw on both her decade of recruitment & engagement, as well as explaining the science behind it all. Let's dive in! PS. Here are links that are mentioned in the show: Myers Briggs 16 Personalities The SHL Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32) Real World Group Leader - use this for recruitment of leaders Real World Group Leader - use this for the development of existing leaders Hogan Personality Inventory tool --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can use psychometrics to run successful recruitment or development programmes? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

In these post-pandemic times, it seems everyone wants to work remotely - but that's not actually the case. A recent survey revealed that most people just want some flexibility to work remotely sometimes. In this episode, Business Psychologist (and lead consultant at Oblong), Leanne Elliott digs into the why, when & how of implementing a Hybrid Workplace. You'll hear her draw on both her decade of experience managing remote teams, as well as explaining the science behind it all. Don't be put off by the idea of flexible/remote work - when done right you'll usually see a huge improvement in productivity and employee happiness, and a reduction in staff turnover. --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can build an amazing workplace culture? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

10 years ago, recruiting for culture fit was all the rage! But was it just a fad, or are there some genuinely useful lessons we can learn? In this episode, Business Psychologist (and lead consultant at Oblong), Leanne Elliott dispels the myths around recruiting for culture fit and explains how (and when) it can be the right strategy for recruiting great people. We hope this is helpful... oh, and if you are recruiting right now, stay positive - the process might take longer these days, but great people are out there. --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can build an amazing workplace culture? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

If you're having trouble finding great people at the moment, then you're not alone (and it's probably not your fault). We're in strange times - the recent pandemic has massively changed how people see their jobs. This has not only meant much higher numbers of resignations, but candidates searching for jobs are much more demanding (and often willing to hold out for more money or greater flexibility). In this episode, Business Psychologist (and lead consultant at Oblong), Leanne Elliott outlines a simple, three-part framework for attracting, qualifying and recruiting great people every time. We hope this is helpful... oh, and if you are recruiting right now, stay positive - the process might take longer these days, but great people are out there. --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can build an amazing workplace culture? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

Building a highly engaged team might sound like a daunting task, but there are only 4 things you need to get right. In this episode, Business Psychologist (and the lead consultant of Oblong) Leanne Elliott outlines the only 4 things you need to do to build a team of people who care as much about the organisation as you do. But beware: As Leanne says, "If you're experiencing issues in your organisation and you think it's your people, stop seeing them as a problem, instead see them as the solution - they are central to that solution." Enjoy! --- Want a chat with Leanne about how you can build an amazing workplace culture? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

Is Employee Engagement just about surveys..? Nope! In our first episode, Business Psychologist and our lead consultant, Leanne Elliott, discusses why employee engagement is fundamental to business success. "The key to employee engagement is that these positive attitudes, feelings & thoughts, translate actual positive behaviours within the workplace. There's so much research out there, that shows that high employee engagement is not only linked to greater individual outcomes, such as well being individual performance, satisfaction, purpose, and meaning, but also business outcomes, reduced turnover, improved profitability, increased customer satisfaction, improved innovation, creativity and growth, it is something that is fundamental in growing your business." Want a chat with Leanne about how you can build an amazing workplace culture? Email us: [email protected]. Want to check us out? Head on over to our website that talks all about building a great workplace culture. Got feedback, questions or future guest suggestions? Email us: [email protected].