260. This Year in Work 2025 (Part 1) - Featuring Bosses, Benders and Big Toddler Energy

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 202
  http://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 196
  https://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 200
  https://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 214
  https://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 194
  https://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 240
  https://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 180
  https://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 jo@samaritans.org

📬 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