Truth, Lies and Work

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Nov 2026

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Truth, Lies & Work is the UK's #1 Management Podcast. Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, this award-winning podcast is where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, the show has reached #2 in the UK Business Podcast Charts and consistently ranks as a Top 10 trending business podcast globally. With a unique blend of evidence-based insight and lived experience, Leanne and Al simplify the science of people and culture to help leaders attract, engage, and retain great talent. Episodes drop twice a week. Tuesdays feature a global people and culture news round-up, a hot take from an emerging or established voice, and the world-famous Workplace Surgery—where Leanne answers real listener questions with practical advice. Thursdays dive deeper with expert guests from across the business and psychology worlds, sharing fresh perspectives and actionable strategies. Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a large team, Truth, Lies & Work delivers the tools, thinking, and inspiration to build thriving, toxic-free workplaces that prioritise well-being and drive sustainable growth. Also, the hosts are married—so expect unfiltered honesty, occasional banter, and a real-life lens on work and life.

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November 10, 202656 min

352. Does culture REALLY eat strategy for breakfast? PLUS! A.I. brain rot, unhelpful habits and toxic employees, with Paula Brockwell

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, Leanne and Al are joined by guest host Paula Brockwell, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and founder of The Employee Experience Project and culture intelligence platform Culture Nerd. NEWS ROUNDUP 1. Are workplace habits holding women back? A Forbes article lists 10 habits many women learn at work, from over-apologising to hesitating to negotiate, citing the McKinsey 2025 Women in the Workplace report and Pew Research. Paula and Leanne ask why women are told to fix habits that are adaptations to their workplace. Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maiahoskin/2026/06/12/10-workplace-habits-many-women-learn-that-ultimately-hold-women-back/ 2. Is A.I .causing cognitive atrophy at work? The Cognition Index from WSJ Intelligence, with Philip Morris International, surveyed 2,500+ professionals in five countries. 46% see critical thinking as at risk from AI and 25% never fact-check AI outputs. Paula explains why AI gives the most probable answer, not the most accurate one. Source: https://www.pmi.com/content/dam/pmicom/global/docs/cognition/pmi-wsj-intelligence-cognition-index-research-report-2026.pdf TRUTH OR LIE: DOES CULTURE EAT STRATEGY FOR BREAKFAST? Verdict: half-truth. The phrase wasn't Peter Drucker's; its roots lie in Edgar Schein's 1985 work on culture. Most engagement-productivity research is correlational, and meta-analyses show there is no single "good" culture. Culture drives performance when it aligns with your strategy and operating context. WORKPLACE SURGERY Paula and Leanne answer three listener questions. 1. Toxic team member: How do I manage someone manipulative when I don't have the authority to remove them? 2. Culture change: Can a culture leader or leadership team genuinely change a company's culture? 3. Stepping up: I've just become a senior manager. What should I stop and start doing? CONNECT WITH PAULA BROCKWELL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulabrockwell/ The Employee Experience Project: https://theexproject.com/ Culture Nerd: https://www.culturenerd.com/ RELATED EPISODES Your first 90 days as a new manager, with Vince Sanderson: https://truthliesandwork.com/177/ Why managers fail, with Dave Kline: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/87-why-managers-fail-and-how-to-become-a-world-class-manager-with-dave-kline-mgmt-accelerator 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com 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

November 5, 202653 min

351. How to Improve Your Wellbeing at Work with Expressive Writing, with Charli Nordone

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott sit down with Charli Nordone, founder of Selfish and the Better Writing Store. If writing were a pill, it would be considered a medical marvel. Research demonstrates that expressive writing can lower blood pressure, improve sleep, lift mood, and strengthen the immune system. But what can putting pen to paper actually do for your career, a stalled project, or a high-stress workday? Charli reveals the cognitive neuroscience behind handwriting, breaks down how expressive writing strengthens Psychological Capital (HERO), and walks through a live, practical reflection exercise that turns workplace wins into five-star reviews and David Attenborough nature narrations. What we Cover The Neuroscience of Pen and Paper: Why writing by hand activates fine motor systems and the visual cortex in ways typing and dictation cannot. Handwriting forces your brain to shift activity away from the amygdala (fight-or-flight) and into language processing centres, creating an immediate organising and calming effect. Reflection vs. Dwelling: How to recognise the exact line between constructive introspection and toxic rumination. If you find yourself writing the same negative thought five times over, that is your cue to close the notebook and step away. Building Psychological Capital (HERO): How regular expressive writing builds the four critical inner resources needed in high-pressure workplaces: Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism. The "Name Your Happy" Exercise: How shifting perspectives—writing in the third person or framing a project as a TripAdvisor-style review—enables deep savouring and reveals what genuinely motivates you. Strategic Job Crafting for Leaders: How managers can ask precise reflection questions instead of generic check-ins to uncover what energises their team and shape roles around individual strengths. A Realistic Writing Habit: Why you do not need 30 minutes of daily journaling to reap the benefits. Five to fifteen minutes once a week creates lasting psychological change without the guilt of broken routines. More from Charli Selfish Writing Platform (includes 3 free activities): https://www.clubselfish.com/ Connect with Charli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlinordone/ 📬 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

November 3, 202657 min

350. Why Are Bosses Really Forcing Return to Office? PLUS! The Charisma Red Flag, Falling Job Satisfaction and Leadership EQ

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. We are brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. This week on This Week in Work, we uncover the hidden psychological motives behind return-to-office mandates, discuss why charisma might actually be a leadership red flag, and look at the real reasons UK job satisfaction has dropped to an all-time low. Plus, we explore whether emotional intelligence truly makes better leaders, and solve three listener dilemmas in the Workplace Surgery. Meet up with Al at GROW, happening 16th November 2026 in London HubSpot Grow Europe: https://www.hubspot.com/grow-europe Join our leadership and management training programme in January. Listen to find out how to get a £350 discount! Keystone: https://keystoneleaders.co.uk/ News Roundup 🔥 Stories covered Narcissism behind return-to-office mandates New research co-authored by Wharton's Adam Grant reveals that leaders with higher narcissistic tendencies are far more resistant to remote working. The drive to force teams back to their desks is heavily influenced by a manager's desire for personal power and visible status, rather than genuine productivity or culture. Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597826000300 Why charisma is a red flag Psychiatrist Alex Curmi warns that high charisma should make us more sceptical rather than easily persuaded. Charisma is often a learned performance technique that can mask a lack of substance, making it essential to evaluate a leader's actual track record rather than their charm. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/nov/01/why-you-should-treat-charisma-as-a-red-flag The UK's "dissatisfaction drain" Job satisfaction across Britain has fallen to its lowest level since 1989, with fewer workers willing to put in discretionary effort. The Resolution Foundation found the shift is not caused by laziness, but by stagnant pay, poor flexibility, and growing worker insecurity. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/nov/03/uk-job-satisfaction-record-low-frustration-pay-flexible-working-insecure-employment 🧠 Truth or Lie: Do emotionally intelligent people make better leaders? Daniel Goleman popularised the idea that emotional intelligence matters more than IQ for business success. We examine the scientific evidence behind EQ, exploring how it influences relationship styles, the massive difference between self-reported quizzes and ability tests, and whether being good at reading people actually translates to bottom-line performance. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week we answer three listener questions: Moving from peer to boss: How to be firmer on accountability without damaging your team culture. Combating founder burnout: The single best boundary to set when running a business starts taking over your life. Managing younger teams: How to navigate Gen Z overwhelm and communication challenges without resorting to micromanagement. 📬 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 30, 202651 min

349. Why good people burnout in good organisations, with Cait Donovan

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we explore why high performers burn out in healthy organisations, why burnout is blameless, and how subtle workplace mismatches drive chronic exhaustion. Imagine working with a supportive boss, great teammates, and zero company toxicity, yet you still find yourself dragging through every day running on empty. Returning guest Cait Donovan, author of Mismatch: Why Good People Burn Out in Good Organizations and host of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast, joins us to explain why the problem isn't bad apples or personal failure—it’s an accumulation of mismatches. Cait compares a mismatched role to wearing a designer blazer that is one size too small: no matter how good it looks on paper or how much it cost, you feel uncomfortable every minute you wear it. Over time, that constant friction turns into exhaustion, disengagement, and burnout. What We Cover in This Episode The Blameless Burnout Reframe Why finger-pointing prevents solutions. When organisations feel blamed, they get defensive; when individuals feel blamed, they enter shame spirals. Viewing friction as morally neutral removes guilt and allows both sides to fix the alignment. Beyond Workload: Skills, Resources, and Autonomy Workload is rarely just about hours. We break down the impact of being under-skilled or over-skilled, the friction of lacking basic tools, and the three distinct dimensions of workplace autonomy: decision-making autonomy, time autonomy, and process autonomy. Why Your Team Doesn't Have an Accountability Problem Cait shares a real case study of a C-suite team convinced their organisation lacked personal accountability. In reality, employees were being starved of the decision-making and process autonomy required to own their outcomes. Fix the structure, and accountability follows naturally. The 75% Rule: Why Perfect Matches Don't Exist Chasing 100% alignment across every area of work and life creates isolation and loneliness. Cait explains why we should aim for "mostly sort of pretty good" (roughly 75%, or a solid passing grade) while accepting natural compromise. Your Monday Morning Action Plan If your role feels misaligned, start by examining your own coping patterns, like people-pleasing or hyper-independence. Next, make one clear, direct ask to your manager without hinting. Finally, treat their response purely as objective data to decide your next move. Connect with Cait Donovan Pre-order Mismatch: https://caitdonovan.com/mismatch Listen to FRIED. The Burnout Podcast: https://caitdonovan.com/podcast Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitdonovanspeaks/ 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 27, 202653 min

348. Does being authentic online mean sharing everything? PLUS! The reluctant founder, the Instagram snub and doom scrolling at work, with Alexis Zahner

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, Al and Leanne are joined by guest host Alexis Zahner, author of Real: Reconnecting to Yourself in a World of Likes and Lies. We dive into the latest global research on social media and mental health, Australia’s push to let users switch off algorithms, and whether "being authentic" online is actually just performance art. Plus, we tackle three sticky scenarios in the Workplace Surgery. Stories covered Is social media really making us miserable? Gallup’s 2026 State of the World’s Emotional Health Report examined social media use and emotional wellbeing across 97 countries, with surprising results. Moderate users (30 minutes to 2 hours per day) actually reported higher wellbeing than non-users, while heavier use (2+ hours) correlated with elevated stress, sadness, and loneliness. Alexis, Leanne, and Al break down why time spent is the wrong metric, the danger of doomscrolling, and why what you consume matters far more than screen time. Australia wants to let you switch off the algorithm Australia is proposing legislation to let users toggle off algorithmic recommendations entirely, reverting to a purely chronological feed of accounts they follow. Is this empowering digital autonomy, or is it government censorship as critics in the US claim? Alexis explores why platforms weaponise engagement to drive ad revenue and questions whether users will actually flick the switch. Truth or Lie: Does being authentic online mean sharing everything? Alexis busts the myth of total online authenticity. Drawing on sociological research and identity theory, Alexis explains why posting online is always a contextual performance. Treating authenticity as an engagement strategy often leads to manufactured vulnerability and curated transparency rather than true connection. Workplace Surgery This week, Alexis joins Al and Leanne to answer three workplace dilemmas: 1. The reluctant founder: "Everyone says I have to be the face of the business, but posting online feels like playing a fake character." 2. The Instagram snub: "An employee refused my social media follow request. Should I confront them?" 3. Doom scrolling at work: "My employee treats every world tragedy as more important than his job. How do I balance compassion with accountability?" Connect with our guest, Alexis Zahner Book: Real: Reconnecting to Yourself in a World of Likes and Lies — https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/shop/general-self-help/real-reconnecting-to-yourself-in-a-world-of-likes-and-lies-p-9781394445714 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiszahner/ 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 22, 202657 min

347. Get A.I. to do your job (so you can enjoy the good parts), with Noel Andrews

What if AI was not coming to take your job, but to take away all the parts of it you hate? In this episode, Noel Andrews, CEO of JobRack, joins Al and Leanne to talk about how AI is reshaping the way we work, hire, and manage remote teams. Rather than replacing humans, Noel shares how he uses AI tools, from Claude Code to custom agents, to eliminate "gunk" like tedious admin, extra clicks, and operational friction so his team can focus on real human connection, high-level judgment, and significantly higher output. We explore the reality of AI-driven recruitment, how candidates are using tools to apply for roles at scale, and how leaders can tell genuine capability from AI-polished resume fluff. Plus, Noel shares actionable steps for using ChatGPT and Claude to streamline your daily workflow, automate what you dislike, and build a more fulfilling work environment. Key Topics Covered Introduction to Noel Andrews and JobRack How JobRack connects US and UK clients with remote talent in Eastern Europe, and why human connection matters more than ever in the age of AI. Busting Gunk in the Business Identifying repetitive friction, extra clicks, and manual admin that slow your team down, and using AI to eliminate it. Human Connection and Feedback at Scale How AI helps extract constructive, personal candidate feedback faster without removing human judgment. Navigating the Flood of AI Applications With applications up four to five times, how to spot lazy AI application hacks versus true candidate AI fluency. 10x Output vs Headcount Reduction Why forward-thinking business owners use AI to empower existing teams to achieve massive growth rather than cutting staff. Practical AI Workflows for Leaders How to run a gunk audit, build custom tools, and use ChatGPT Voice Mode as a personal sounding board to streamline your workday. Connect with Guest: Noel Andrews – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelandrews/ – Website: https://jobrack.eu/ 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 20, 202658 min

346. Is Imposter Syndrome Fake? PLUS! McKinsey LinkedIn Drama, workplace 'larping', and the job EVERYONE hates.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we explore Gen-Z slang entering the office, the hidden operational signals behind high turnover roles, and a high-profile executive fallout over women in leadership. Plus, we put the infamous 70% imposter syndrome statistic under the microscope and answer questions about poor management setups, bad hires, and wellbeing allowances in the Workplace Surgery. 🔥 Stories covered The rise of the "Larper" in the workplace Have you ever met someone who talks like an expert but lacks the actual experience? Leanne breaks down new Gen-Z/Alpha lingo highlighted by Zak Asgard in The Times. Originating from "Live Action Role-Player", calling someone a LARPer means they are pretending to adopt a persona or lifestyle that doesn't match reality—from sommelier wannabes to fake chefs. In the context of work, as youth unemployment figures rise, many young people adopt the identity of a role when actual career opportunities remain hard to reach. Source: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/larper-larping-t9tm0vmkt The job nobody stays in Why do certain roles in an organisation have a revolving door? Al discusses an op-ed by robotics founder Matthew Chang, who targets turnover before looking at factory machines. When multiple people leave the exact same role after a few months, the common factor isn't bad hires or flawed recruitment—it's the structure, status, and design of the job itself. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-trying-retain-employees-changrobotics-k4xce/ McKinsey partner demoted after LinkedIn row over the "Glass Cliff" A senior partner with 27 years at McKinsey has been stripped of his leadership roles following a public dispute on LinkedIn with author Julia Carreon. After dismissing the "glass cliff" phenomenon—where women are appointed to leadership roles during periods of crisis—as "a very convenient way to always be a victim in the rain", McKinsey launched a conduct review over comments that fell short of firm standards. Source: https://truthliesandwork.com/288/ | Julia Carreon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-c-carreon-8318674/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: Do 70% of us have imposter syndrome? This week we examine the wildly popular statistic that 70% of people suffer from imposter syndrome. Leanne clarifies that psychologists refer to it as the "imposter phenomenon" rather than a clinical syndrome. While studies in high-pressure environments (like neurosurgeons and healthcare workers) yield figures over 60–90%, broader career-spanning data, survey selection biases, and moving diagnostic cut-offs show that the true figure across the general population remains uncertain. Sources: Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., Cokley, K. O., & Hagg, H. K. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1 Gravois, J. (2007, November 9). You’re not fooling anyone. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/youre-not-fooling-anyone/ Hill, A. P., & Gotwals, J. K. (2025). A meta-analysis of multidimensional perfectionism and impostor phenomenon. Journal of Research in Personality, 118, Article 104639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2025.104639 Omar, Y. M., Khattab, Y. A., Abdelmageed, A., Messak, M., Mandour, Y., Shabeeb, A. E., Zakaria, A. M., & Abouelmagd, M. E. (2026). The impostor phenomenon construct in medical education: A meta-analysis of its prevalence and a critical appraisal of its measurement. Advances in Health Sciences Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-026-10513-3 Price, P. C., Holcomb, B., & Payne, M. B. (2024). Gender differences in impostor phenomenon: A meta-analytic review. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 7, Article 100155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100155 Sakulku, J., & Alexander, J. (2011). The impostor phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1), 75–97. https://doi.org/10.14456/ijbs.2011.6 Salari, N., Hashemian, S. H., Hosseinian-Far, A., Fallahi, A., Heidarian, P., Rasoulpoor, S., & Mohammadi, M. (2025). Global prevalence of imposter syndrome in health service providers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychology, 13, Article 571. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02898-4 Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale: https://www.clanceimpostorphenomenonscale.org/ 💬 Workplace Surgery This week we tackle three listener dilemmas: • Am I a bad manager, or is the role set up to fail? Dealing with role conflict, responsibility without authority, and competing priorities from leaders. • Did I hire a great interviewer rather than a great employee? How to spot candidates who "talk the talk" during selection and avoid likeness bias. • What would you spend a £100-a-month wellbeing allowance on? Ideas across physical, psychological, social, and financial wellbeing—from cleaners to experiences. 📬 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 15, 202652 min

345. Values don’t spread. Stories do. With Matthew Hook and Caroline Keylock

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. In this episode, hosts Al Elliott and Leanne Elliott are joined by Matthew Hook and Caroline Keylock, co-founders of Look Up, a storytelling consultancy that helps companies clarify big problems and align culture. If your business is scaling, you might be falling into the "Founder’s Trap." In the early days, a founder's story, passion, and personal brand are your greatest assets to win investors, land initial customers, and stand out. But as you grow, relying solely on one person’s narrative can bottleneck decisions, burn out the founder, and devalue your business. Matthew and Caroline unpack how to transition a business narrative from founder-centric to team-owned, why values fail when launched top-down, and what investors really look for when evaluating scalability. 🔥 What We Cover in This Episode The Founder's Trap Explained How the origin story that got you started can eventually constrain your team, create operational bottlenecks, and cap your company's growth potential. Why Main Character Energy Backfires The fine line between healthy entrepreneurial drive and creating a cult-like dependency where employees feel powerless without the founder in the room. Values Don't Spread, Stories Do Why corporate values written behind closed doors fail, and how collaborative storytelling builds an authentic, scalable workplace culture. The Investor’s Perspective on Concentration Why relying on one key personality reduces company valuation and limits exit opportunities. Practical Steps to Step Back Practical strategies for founders to evolve their role, empower senior leadership, and test if the business can thrive without them. 💡 Top Takeaways for Leaders 1. A business that depends on one person's story is worth less. Investors and acquirers fear concentration above all else. If your operations, sales, and reputation rely entirely on you, your business valuation drops. 2. Sketch what it takes for your business to exist without you. Test your current story landscape. Do you have storytellers at multiple layers in your organization, or does every pitch require the founder in the room? 3. Build a story with your team, don't launch it at them. Documented values fail when they don't reflect daily reality on the ground. Culture needs to be organic, collaborative, and continually reframed as you grow. 🔗 Guest Links Matthew Hook LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewhook/ Caroline Keylock LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/caroline-keylock-02254314 Look Up Website: ⁠www.wearelookup.com 📬 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 13, 20261 hr 7 min

344. More tech Layoffs, OpenAI Culture Crisis and Small Business Burnout PLUS Should You Chase A-Players?

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, the audio destination for business professionals. This week, Al and Leanne are joined by friend of the show Dr. Jake Tuber to evaluate a major tech company's layoff announcement, unpack high-stakes safety concerns in A.I., and examine the true economic cost of toxic workers. 🔥 Stories covered A tech company announces 660 layoffs: What does the CEO’s memo tell us? The company has announced it is cutting approximately 660 jobs (about 7% of its workforce). The CEO released a detailed memo explaining that the move is driven by a strategic pivot toward customer outcomes and AI, flattening management layers, and creating agile teams—rather than direct AI productivity replacements or simple cost-cutting. The team breaks down the public memo and gives their verdict on how these layoffs are being managed. But WHO IS IT???? Leanne reveals all OpenAI safety insider quits over broken culture David Robinson, a safety report lead at OpenAI for three and a half years, has resigned and gone public in The Atlantic, claiming the company's "iterative deployment" culture is broken. He warns that a move-fast-and-break-things mindset is dangerous when applied to powerful AI systems, comparing the required safety mindset to nuclear power plants and commercial aviation. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/03/openai-safety-employee-resigns-claiming-the-companys-culture-is-broken/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: Should you chase A-players or eliminate toxic workers first? Conventional wisdom tells leaders to spend their time and resources hunting for top-tier "A-players". However, a landmark 10-year study analyzing over 58,000 workers reveals that avoiding or removing a toxic employee saves an organization roughly $12,500—more than double the economic value generated by upgrading an average worker to a top 1% star performer ($5,300). Read the full study here: https://dash.harvard.edu/entities/publication/73120379-08e0-6bd4-e053-0100007fdf3b 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, Dr. Jake Tuber joins Al and Leanne to answer three pressing listener questions: • Burnout & Small Business: What do you do when the small business you've built is physical, consuming 60-hour weeks, and burning you out? • Autonomy vs. Island Feeling: How do you support a team that feels "on an island" without overcorrecting into micromanagement? • AI Performance: How do leaders know if AI is genuinely improving team quality or just helping produce mediocre work faster? 📘 Want to upgrade your leadership game? Dr. Jake Tuber’s new book The Deliberate Manager is almost here! Head over to https://www.deliberatemanager.com/ to take the free manager assessment tool and pre-order your copy today. More from Dr. Jake Tuber • Website: workwise.substack.com • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jaketuber • Assessment & Book: https://www.deliberatemanager.com/ 📬 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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

October 8, 202649 min

343. How to disagree at work (without taking a chair to someone's head), with Rt Hon Steve Baker and Paul Dolan

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we explore how to build a team that can disagree safely before things blow up, what to do when tension boils over, and how to create a culture of "tolerance by design." We are joined by two guests who disagree on almost everything: Steve Baker (former Conservative minister, Brexit negotiator, and aerospace/software engineer) and Paul Dolan (Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and author). Despite their political differences, they teamed up during COVID lockdowns and founded The Provocation People, a consultancy helping organisations break out of groupthink. What We Cover in This Episode Why Silence is More Dangerous Than a Row Companies like Kodak, Blockbuster, and HBOS fell victim to groupthink, proving that a quiet room where everyone nods along is actually a major red flag. The Question Every Leader Should Ask Steve shares the exact question he used to close meetings: "Has anything not been said because it would be inconvenient to me?" How to Handle Dissent Employees watch how you treat dissenters outside of meetings rather than inside them, making real-world follow-through essential. Hiring for Culture Fit vs. Culture Challenge Hiring for "culture fit" often leads to hiring for agreement, whereas leaders should focus on introducing true diversity of thought. The EMBRACE Framework Paul breaks down his 7-part checklist to design tolerance into your workplace culture—covering Environment, Mistakes, Bonding, Reason, Affect, Collection, and Exposure. De-escalation & Psychology Learn what happens to your physiology when conflict erupts, why managing your blood pressure comes first, and how to rebuild trust after a blowout. Guest Links & Resources Fighting for a Free Future (Steve Baker's Newsletter) https://www.fightingforafreefuture.com/ Steve Baker on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebakerfrsa/ Beliefism by Paul Dolan https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beliefism-discriminate-against-disagree-difference/dp/0349128693/ Paul Dolan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-dolan-a018691b/ The Provocation People https://www.theprovocationpeople.com/ 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com – 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