The Sticky From The Inside Podcast

Hosted by Andy Goram

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158

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Nov 2026

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Sticky From The Inside is the go-to podcast for anyone looking to transform their workplace into a thriving, competition-crushing powerhouse. We’re on a mission to change the fact that 65% of employees worldwide are disengaged from their work—because that’s not just bad for business, it’s a waste of time and talent. Each episode, we bring you dynamic conversations with global experts, thought leaders, and innovative thinkers who share their strategies, stories, and secrets for building a “Stickier Business”—a place where employees are passionate, customers are loyal, and success is the norm. If you’re ready to boost employee engagement, create an unbeatable workplace culture, and lead with impact, tune in and discover how to build a business that people love from the inside out.

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November 5, 2026Episode 15844 min

Company Values: When Words Become Commitments

Integrity. Innovation. Excellence. Collaboration. Sound familiar? Company values can be powerful, but too often they're just a collection of impressive-sounding words that tell employees very little about what actually matters. So what makes a value useful? How do you turn a belief into behaviour? And what happens when someone important doesn't live up to it? Andy Goram is joined by Hope Collins, founder of Hope Collins Advisory and creator of The Commitments, to explore why organisational values so often fail to influence everyday decisions and behaviour. They discuss the case for distinctive values, the difference between aspirations and commitments, and why the real test of any organisation's beliefs comes when somebody crosses the line. Including the top performer who delivers the numbers but damages the culture, and the senior leader who expects accountability from everybody else. If your organisation has values, this conversation might make you question what they're actually doing for you. Key Takeaways Values should help you make decisions, not just make statements. If they don't influence the choices an organisation makes, particularly difficult ones, their practical value is questionable. Clarity makes behaviour easier to challenge. Explicit commitments reduce the room for competing interpretations and help people understand what is expected. Your biggest performers don't get a free pass. The credibility of a commitment is tested when somebody delivering strong commercial results behaves in ways the organisation says are unacceptable. Accountability must travel in both directions. Leaders need to demonstrate that they can acknowledge their own mistakes and accept constructive challenge, rather than simply demand better behaviour from others. Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 00:00 Welcome to Sticky From The Inside 01:11 Why Company Values Frustrate Me 05:25 Would You Admit That Profit Really Matters? 08:31 Should Values Describe Who We Are or Who We Want to Be? 11:57 Where Do Meaningful Values Come From? 16:40 The Problem With Assuming We All Mean the Same Thing 19:10 From Good Intentions to Real Commitments 23:27 Why Not Just Do Values Better? 29:39 Where Do You Draw the Line? 30:11 Does Your Biggest Performer Get a Free Pass? 33:58 Can Accountability Really Travel Upwards? 39:26 How Do You Stop Values Becoming Another Failed Launch? 41:22 Hope's Three Sticky Notes 42:39 Progress, Not Perfection Join The Conversation Follow Andy Goram on LinkedIn Visit Andy's website Bizjuicer.com here Listen to Sticky From The Inside on YouTube Follow Sticky From The Inside on Instagram Follow Sticky From The Inside on X Follow Sticky From The Inside on Facebook Check out the Bizjuicer blog Useful Links Follow Hope on LinkedIn Full Episode Transcript Get the full episode transcript

October 22, 2026Episode 15751 min

Ultra States: Earthquakes, Hijacked Minds and the Boardroom

Who’s choosing the state you’re in? When the ground moved beneath Deri Llewellyn-Davies on Everest, his response drew on years of practice. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram explores what that experience can teach us about how we respond to pressure, and how much of our everyday state we leave to habit, technology and other people’s demands. Deri introduces Ultra States and the six states explored in the conversation: flow, focus, peak, recovery, reboot and connection. Together, they examine how to regain agency in manageable steps, prepare for what a situation needs and make space to transition between tasks. They also explore why purpose gives our choices direction, why recovery belongs in the performance plan, and how leaders influence the conditions in which their teams can exercise choice. Key Takeaways Recognise the hijack. Notice when demands, distractions and unhelpful habits are determining how you show up. Reclaim your agency. Start small: protect part of your morning, reclaim time for focused work, or bring deliberate intent to a conversation. Choose your state, practise the shift. Consider what the next situation needs, then build your ability to access that state rather than carrying the previous one forward. Give your choices purpose, and your performance recovery. Let what matters guide your effort, and build in the recovery that helps you remain able to focus, perform and connect. Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 00:00 Welcome to Sticky From The Inside 01:10 When the plan disappears and the state takes over 03:49 Meet Der Llewellyn-Davies 04:49 When the mountain moved 09:18 What training makes possible 12:07 Bringing pressure into the boardroom 15:09 What state are we actually in 18:57 The state that enters the room with you 21:25 More than one way to perform 24:45 Why recovery belongs in the plan 28:15 Being there and being present 30:39 How the gaps disappeared 36:33 Taking your agency back 38:47 What does the next moment need 40:59 Learning to shift between states 43:46 Giving your choices purpose 48:21 Purpose agency and recovery 49:43 Exploring Ultra States further Join The Conversation Follow Andy Goram on LinkedIn Visit Andy's website Bizjuicer.com here Listen to Sticky From The Inside on YouTube Follow Sticky From The Inside on Instagram Follow Sticky From The Inside on X Follow Sticky From The Inside on Facebook Check out the Bizjuicer blog Useful Links Follow Deri on LinkedIn Visit ultra-states.com Full Episode Transcript Get the full episode transcript

October 8, 2026Episode 15647 min

Employment law has changed. Is your leadership ready?

Employment law is changing. But the bigger question is whether your leadership is ready. The biggest changes to UK employment law in a generation are placing greater responsibility on organisations to manage people fairly, consistently and confidently. But while many businesses are busy reviewing contracts and updating policies, are they asking the most important question of all? Have we equipped our managers to lead? In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by Aliya Vigor-Robertson, Founder of JourneyHR, to explore why the new legislation isn't simply an HR issue, it's a leadership capability challenge. Together they discuss what the Employment Rights reforms mean in practice, why poor management has always been expensive (and is about to become even more so), and why investing in managers may now be one of the smartest commercial decisions an organisation can make. The conversation goes far beyond legal compliance, exploring why performance management should never begin when things go wrong, the difference between being nice and being kind, and why HR can advise, but managers must lead. Whether you're a CEO, HR professional, business owner or line manager, this episode offers practical insight into building workplaces where people perform, grow and thrive. Key Takeaways The law isn't creating a leadership problem. It's exposing one. The new legislation simply raises the consequences of poor management that many organisations have tolerated for years. Compliance doesn't create capability. Policies matter, but it's confident, capable managers who build trust, handle difficult conversations and create high-performing teams. HR can advise. Managers must lead. HR provides the framework, but every day-to-day conversation that shapes culture belongs to leaders and managers. Clarity is kindness when it arrives early enough to make a difference. The earlier managers tackle difficult conversations with honesty and care, the more likely they are to help people improve rather than create bigger problems later. Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:38 – If Every Management Decision Went to Tribunal, How Confident Would You Be? 05:37 – HR’s Real Role: Turning Employment Law Into Good People Practice 08:04 – Employment Law Is Catching Up With Good Employers 09:13 – The Big Changes: Six-Month Protection and Uncapped Awards 15:07 – This Isn’t a Policy Exercise. It’s a Behavioural One 15:58 – Why Managers Now Need to Manage Properly From Day One 19:34 – Performance Management Isn’t Just for When Things Go Wrong 22:21 – HR Can Build the Rails. Managers Have to Drive the Train 24:09 – Kind, Not Nice: Why Avoiding the Conversation Helps Nobody 27:06 – Why Do We Still Treat Management Like an Intuitive Skill? 28:43 – The Cost of Poor Management Just Got Much More Real 34:36 – Why Leadership Development Can’t Be a Two-Day Fix 38:17 – Behaviour Only Matters When It’s Linked to Business Performance 39:49 – The Human Cost of Handling Workplace Complaints Badly 42:29 – Sticky Notes: Audit Behaviour, Act Earlier and Treat Management as a Profession Join The Conversation Follow Andy Goram on LinkedIn Visit Andy's website Bizjuicer.com here Listen to Sticky From The Inside on YouTube Follow Sticky From The Inside on Instagram Follow Sticky From The Inside on X Follow Sticky From The Inside on Facebook Check out the Bizjuicer blog Useful Links Follow Aliya Vigor-Robertson on LinkedIn Visit journeyhr.com Full Episode Transcript Get the full episode transcript

September 24, 2026Episode 15547 min

Why Good Leadership Can Go Bad

Why can good leadership go bad when we already know so much about what works? In this episode, Andy Goram is joined by psychotherapist and leadership researcher Dr Amar Dhall to explore what happens when leadership, power, pressure and human psychology collide. Amar introduces a powerful distinction between capability, what a leader is able to do, and capacity, their ability to access those capabilities when it really matters. From there, Andy and Amar explore why behaviours that once made us successful can become overplayed, why leaders can become increasingly certain under stress, and how genuine care can tip into the Superhero or Rescuer role. They also discuss the hidden effects of power, why technical expertise doesn't automatically translate into relational leadership, and Amar's memorable proposition that leadership is like dancing: you can know everything about the steps and still struggle on the dance floor. The conversation finishes with practical reflections on curiosity, self-awareness and the possibility that the next stage of your leadership might require less effort rather than more. Key Takeaways Good leadership can fail when capacity drops. Knowing how to coach, delegate or create safety is not the same as being able to access those behaviours when pressure is high. Your strengths can become liabilities through overuse. Responsibility can become over-carrying, confidence can harden into certainty, and helping can become Rescuing. Power changes the room, even when your intentions are good. Leaders need to recognise that challenge feels different when one person holds more authority, status and consequence than the other. The next step may require less, not more. More effort, more control and more knowledge are not always the answer; reflection, curiosity and the ability to let go can be part of mature leadership. Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:11 – Why Do We Still See So Much Shitty Leadership? 04:53 – Capability vs Capacity: Knowing Isn't the Same as Accessing 06:23 – When Responsibility Becomes Over-Responsibility 08:31 – How Our Strengths Can Turn Into Their Opposites 11:57 – Why Stress Can Make Certainty Feel So Convincing 13:34 – What Does Power Actually Do to Us? 18:46 – When Accumulating More Becomes the Leadership Trap 21:13 – When Leaders Learn to Use Pressure as Fuel 27:02 – The Superhero Reflex: When Helping Becomes Rescuing 31:55 – Leadership Is Like Dancing: Why Knowledge Isn't Enough 36:44 – Power, Challenge and the Illusion of an Open Culture 40:39 – From Knowing Better to Doing Better: Curiosity, Reflection and Sticky Notes Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here Useful Links Follow Amar Dhall on LinkedIn here Find Amar's website here Follow Amar on Facebook here Follow Amar on Instagram here Take Amar's Pressure Assessment here Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

September 10, 2026Episode 15447 min

Leadership Identity: Is Leader You're Being Blocking The One You Could Be?

What if some of the effort you're putting into being a “good leader” is actually making leadership harder? In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram talks with former RAF pilot, executive coach and Free to Lead author Will Steel about leadership identity, pressure, internal narratives and the mental capacity leaders can lose when they're busy trying to be who they think they're supposed to be. Drawing on stories from Will's childhood, RAF officer training, flying career and coaching work, the conversation explores why “be yourself” may be good advice but is much harder than it sounds, particularly when old beliefs, external expectations and the voice in your own head all feel completely real. They also explore what happens under pressure, how separating circumstances from interpretation can create greater choice, and why becoming free to lead may require both self-awareness and discipline. A conversation about who you're being, what's driving it, and whether it's leaving enough capacity to lead what's actually in front of you. Key Takeaways Your leadership identity can consume capacity. The more energy you spend managing how you lead, the less you have for what's in front of you. “Be yourself” is harder than it sounds. Old beliefs, expectations and internal narratives can shape who you're being without you realising it. Pressure can make interpretation feel like fact. Separating what's happening from the story in your head creates more room to choose your response. Freedom to lead takes practice. Self-awareness isn't a one-off insight; noticing what's running you and choosing differently is an ongoing discipline. Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:11 – Could the Leader You're Trying to Be Be Getting in the Way? 03:09 – From RAF Pilot to Transformational Coach 06:38 – What Happened and What Did You Make It Mean? 10:09 – When Hidden Beliefs Become the Lid on Growth 12:53 – What Does It Actually Mean to Be a Leader? 16:11 – What Changed When Will Stopped Trying to Fit the Leadership Mould? 18:03 – Why Leadership Needs Spare Capacity 20:23 – Are Your Thoughts, Feelings and Identity Really “You”? 25:40 – Creating a Context That Changes How You Meet the Moment 30:25 – What Is Pressure Actually Doing to Us? 33:21 – From Overwhelm to What's Actually in Front of You 38:32 – Free to Lead: Clearing Space to Choose Who You're Being 41:21 – Sticky Notes: Schedule It, Do What You Said and Choose the Context Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here Useful Links Follow Will Steel on LinkedIn here Find Will's website here Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

August 27, 2026Episode 15347 min

Leadership Influence: Finding Your Voice Without Losing Yourself

Why do so many capable people stay silent at work? It's rarely because they don't have something valuable to contribute. More often, it's because they're unsure how their ideas will be received, they question whether it's their place to speak, or they worry about saying the right thing in the wrong way. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by executive coach and leadership advisor Corinne Gavlinski to explore why leadership influence begins long before we speak. Drawing on her own leadership journey, including a pivotal leadership moment that fundamentally changed how she thinks about influence, Corinne explains why leadership isn't simply about having the confidence to speak up. It's about understanding the impact you want to have, reading the room, managing your emotions and communicating with intention. Together, Andy and Corrine explore why capable people often stay silent, why curiosity may be one of leadership's most overlooked skills, how vulnerability is often misunderstood, and why every leader benefits from having someone they can think out loud with before the highest-stakes conversations. If you've ever walked away from a meeting wishing you'd spoken up, or wishing you'd said the same thing differently, this conversation will help you think about leadership influence in a completely new way. ----more---- Key Takeaways Influence begins before you speak. The most effective leaders think about the impact they want to have before deciding what they want to say. Confidence isn't the missing ingredient. Many people already have valuable ideas but stay silent because fear, uncertainty or organisational dynamics get in the way of expressing them. Curiosity creates better conversations. Leaders who seek to understand before they persuade build stronger relationships, make better decisions and create greater influence. Leadership starts with intention. Whether you're giving feedback, challenging upwards or navigating change, being clear about your purpose shapes how your message is received. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:11 – Missed influencing opportunities we can relate to 03:49 – Why finding your voice is really about leadership influence 06:55 – The meeting that changed Corinne's approach to leadership forever 10:20 – Learning from leadership's darker side 13:23 – Why curiosity is one of leadership's most underrated skills 14:43 – Why capable people struggle to challenge upwards 19:20 – Why communicating intention creates better influence 21:21 – Why we teach feedback but not intention 23:07 – Is vulnerability changing in leadership? 30:18 – Why a thinking partner is a competitive advantage 32:17 – The hidden cost of staying silent 35:59 – The Four Leadership Zones 42:12 – Why every leader needs someone outside the organisation 44:04 – Sticky Notes: Three questions every leader should ask themselves ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Corinne Gavlinksi on LinkedIn here Find The Gav Group website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

August 13, 2026Episode 15244 min

Innovation Culture: Where Everyone Believes Their Ideas Matter

Artificial Intelligence may be changing the way we work, but it isn't replacing the one thing organisations need most: human imagination. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by innovation expert, former Hewlett-Packard executive and author Stephen W. Hinch to explore why the organisations that succeed won't simply be the ones with the best technology, they'll be the ones that build an innovation culture where everyone believes their ideas matter. Drawing on decades of experience leading billion-dollar product innovations, Steve explains why innovation isn't reserved for R&D teams or senior leaders. Instead, it's a leadership responsibility that depends on creating environments where people feel trusted, encouraged and empowered to think differently. Together, Andy and Steve discuss the growing fear of becoming obsolete in the age of AI, why AI is a powerful tool but not a replacement for human creativity, the difference between incremental and disruptive innovation, and the organisational structures that help great ideas thrive instead of being quietly buried. If you've ever wondered why some organisations consistently innovate while others struggle despite investing heavily in technology, this conversation offers a practical and refreshingly human answer. ----more---- Key Takeaways Innovation begins with belief. Innovation starts by creating a culture where people believe their ideas are welcomed, valued and worth sharing. AI supports innovation. It doesn't replace it. AI can accelerate knowledge and insight, but human imagination remains the true driver of breakthrough innovation. Different innovation needs different leadership. Incremental improvements and disruptive breakthroughs require different structures, expectations and measures of success. Innovation culture is built deliberately. Leaders create innovation by giving people the clarity, confidence and space to think differently. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:11 – Why Innovation Matters More Than Ever in the Age of AI 04:13 – A Career Built on Turning Innovation into Business Growth 06:05 – Why Innovation Remains a Competitive Advantage 09:23 – FOBO The Fear of Becoming Obsolete 11:10 – Why AI Can Support Innovation But Not Replace Human Imagination 14:29 – Different Types of Innovation Need Different Leadership 19:19 – The Curse of the Corporate Business Model 25:16 – Creating an Innovation Culture Where Everyone Believes Their Ideas Matter 31:09 – Giving People Permission to Innovate: Steve's 5% Rule 36:29 – Leadership Isn't About Having the Best Ideas 40:18 – Sticky Notes: Three Principles for Building an Innovation Culture ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Stephen W. Hinch on LinkedIn here Find Stephen's website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

July 30, 2026Episode 15146 min

Why a Great Workplace Culture Is Built Two People at a Time

For years, organisations have invested heavily in defining their culture through mission statements, corporate values and engagement initiatives. But leadership speaker, trainer and author Bruce Mayhew believes great workplace culture isn't truly created like that. It's built much closer to where work actually happens. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram explores Bruce's concept of micro-cultures: the relationships, habits and everyday interactions that shape how people experience work. Through the story of a challenging relationship with a colleague that ultimately became one of the strongest partnerships of his career, Bruce explains why trust matters more than chemistry, why fear quietly undermines collaboration, and how leaders can intentionally create environments where people thrive. Together they discuss why the opposite of trust isn't distrust but fear, the surprising power of ten-minute one-to-one conversations, and how organisations can scale a healthy workplace culture without trying to control every behaviour. If you've ever wondered how culture really develops, or what practical steps you can take to improve it, this conversation offers a refreshingly human perspective. ----more---- Key Takeaways Great workplace culture starts locally. People don't experience culture through values posters or corporate statements. They experience it through the quality of their everyday relationships. Trust is built before chemistry. High-performing teams aren't created because everyone naturally clicks. They're created when people understand one another's goals, strengths and intentions. Fear quietly erodes culture. When people fear judgement, competition or hidden agendas, collaboration suffers. Reducing fear creates the conditions where trust can grow. Leaders create environments. The most effective leaders don't try to control culture. They intentionally create the conditions where healthy relationships, shared ownership and strong team cultures can flourish. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:10 – Why a Great Workplace Culture Is Built Two People at a Time 03:03 – Meet Bruce Mayhew and the idea of micro-cultures 04:27 – What is a micro-culture and why does it matter? 09:40 – The Merike story: how trust transformed a difficult relationship 13:44 – What Bruce would tell his younger self about building trust 16:19 – Trust before chemistry: why fear is the real barrier 20:22 – The simple leadership habit that strengthens trust every week 28:54 – Can micro-cultures build a great workplace culture? 35:20 – Lessons from The Path of an Inspired Leader 41:05 – Bruce's three Sticky Notes for creating healthier workplace cultures 45:24 – Final reflections and where to learn more ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Bruce Mayhew on LinkedIn here Find the Bruce's website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

July 16, 2026Episode 15047 min

Why A.I. Makes Human Collaboration More Important

AI is making individuals more productive than ever before. But could it also be making organisations less connected? As every function gains access to increasingly powerful AI tools, there's a growing risk that teams become more efficient at working independently while becoming less aligned with one another. Chris White believes that's one of the biggest leadership challenges of our time. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram speaks with the former Cisco executive and author of Non-Optional Collaboration about why human collaboration is becoming more important, not less, in the age of AI. Drawing on lessons from helping scale Cisco from $1 billion to $50 billion, leading global transformation programmes and building high-performing teams across multiple industries, Chris explains why collaboration can no longer be viewed as a soft skill or leadership nice-to-have. Together, Andy and Chris explore the dangers of organisational silos, the myth of the hero leader, the lessons business can learn from elite rowing teams, and why the organisations that thrive in the future will be those that combine two powerful forces: Artificial intelligence and human collaboration. ----more---- Key Takeaways AI may be making silos stronger. AI can dramatically improve productivity, but without intentional leadership it may also accelerate disconnection between teams. Collaboration is an operating system. High-performing organisations don't leave collaboration to chance. They build structures, habits and processes that encourage alignment. Great leaders improve people. The leaders who leave lasting impact are those who help people achieve more than they thought possible. Team success beats individual heroics. Whether in rowing, business or transformation, sustainable success comes from coordinated effort rather than individual brilliance. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 01:11 – Why collaboration has become non-optional 03:22 – Meet Chris White and the lessons of a global career 08:25 – The Cisco experience: learning to unlock team performance 11:07 – Why collaboration is no longer a nice-to-have 15:36 – What rowing teaches us about trust, rhythm and teamwork 18:28 – Inside the Non-Optional Collaboration framework 21:20 – The planning exercise that exposes hidden risks 24:03 – Why strategy fails when operating models don't align 28:32 – Collaboration versus teamwork: understanding the difference 30:43 – The myth of the hero leader 37:07 – Human collaboration: the second superpower 40:44 – Cancer, perspective and why the book had to be written 42:20 – Chris White's three Sticky Notes ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Chris White on LinkedIn here Find the Non-Optional Collaboration website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here

July 2, 2026Episode 14946 min

Why Modern Work Is Exhausting Us

We've never had more workplace wellbeing initiatives. More employee assistance programmes. More mindfulness apps. More resilience training. More engagement surveys. And yet burnout remains stubbornly high, stress-related absence continues to rise, and employees seem more exhausted than ever. So what's really going on? In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by workplace wellness and organisational culture expert Andria Barrett to explore why the answer may have less to do with individual resilience and more to do with how modern work is designed. Together they unpack the hidden causes of workplace exhaustion, why burnout is becoming harder to spot, the role leaders play in creating healthier environments, and why genuine human connection remains one of the most powerful drivers of performance and wellbeing. They also explore the opportunities and anxieties surrounding AI, and why technology should help people reclaim time rather than simply increase workloads. If you've ever wondered why people seem to be working harder than ever but feeling less energised than before, this conversation offers a timely and practical perspective. ----more---- Key Takeaways Burnout Has Gone Underground. Employees may still be showing up and performing, but many are quietly reaching their limits and considering their next move. Wellbeing Is A Design Choice. Sustainable wellbeing comes from how work is structured, not from occasional initiatives or one-off programmes. Connection Drives Performance. People do their best work when they feel supported, valued, and able to reach out for help when they need it. Leaders Set The Tone. Employees take their cues from leaders, making healthy behaviours and sustainable ways of working essential to model. ----more---- Key Moments The key moments in this episode are: 0:01:11 – Why are so many people exhausted at work? 0:03:45 – Meet Andria Barrett and her approach to workplace culture 0:05:26 – Why feeling better helps people perform better 0:07:34 – The growing challenge of leadership and management burnout 0:09:51 – Burnout has gone underground 0:13:44 – Productivity, pressure and the modern work dilemma 0:17:22 – Why leaders must take responsibility for healthier workplaces 0:19:49 – Why workplace wellbeing initiatives often miss the mark 0:23:03 – Better hours, not more hours 0:26:01 – Using creativity and sensory learning to unlock innovation 0:31:05 – Stress, cortisol and the physical impact of overwork 0:35:35 – The six personal batteries behind sustainable performance 0:36:09 – Why leaders must model healthy behaviours 0:37:30 – Connection as a workplace superpower 0:39:45 – AI anxiety and the future of work 0:42:41 – Andria’s 3 Sticky Notes for healthier workplaces ----more---- Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Andria Barrett on LinkedIn here Find the Andria's website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript Get the full transcript of the episode here