Truth, Lies and Work

This week’s guest is Carolina Lasso — a former Google and AmEx high-flyer who, on her 34th birthday, realised she had everything she'd ever worked for… and felt absolutely nothing. What followed was a six-month sabbatical, a solo trip around the world, and a radical redefinition of what it means to be successful. Let’s get into it. 🔑 Key Takeaways 📌 When achievement becomes identity Carolina opens up about using her accomplishments to feel loved, and how this deep-rooted drive masked real emotional needs — until her health and happiness collapsed. 📌 “I am busy” isn’t a flex She explains why constantly saying you're “too busy” might be a warning sign, not a badge of honour — and how to start replacing output obsession with genuine wellbeing. 📌 Flourishing isn’t about being happy all the time Forget peak performance. Carolina’s idea of success is being able to say, “I am well,” even when things aren’t perfect — and she shares how to get there. 📌 Your ego isn’t your enemy In a surprising twist, Carolina reframes the ego as a protective force. When it’s chasing achievement, it’s often trying to secure love and belonging. 🔗 Resources & Links Explore Carolina’s work:🌐 https://www.carolinalasso.com Follow her journey on Instagram:📸 https://www.instagram.com/carolinalasso_/ Connect on LinkedIn:💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinalasso 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: ⁠mind.org.uk/information-support – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email ⁠jo@samaritans.org 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work – Al Elliott: ⁠linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: ⁠linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: ⁠hello@truthliesandwork.com – Book a call: ⁠savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

This is Episode 2 of our Summer Sessions — and this week, we’re going global. After visiting nearly 50 countries together, we’re spilling the tea on where to go, where to avoid, and how to actually get work done without melting, buffering, or losing your mind. From long-stays in Southeast Asia to one-night stands in Northern Europe, we’re unpacking the joy and chaos of remote work around the world. Expect real talk, surprising tips, and at least one mosquito-related meltdown. 🔥 What We Cover 📌 Best countries for remote working Where Wi-Fi, weather, and work-life balance all hit that sweet spot (hint: not Bali). 📌 Holiday vs. Nomad: don’t get it twisted Why not every dreamy destination is cut out for your inbox. 📌 Places we’ll never return to (for work) Loud, cold, lonely or just plain awkward — the countries that didn’t make the cut. 📌 The unexpected winners Countries we didn’t expect to love as a base… but it totally surprised us. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – 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

This week we’re breaking down the science behind switching off — and how to finally reclaim your holidays. From boundary-setting to return-to-work anxiety, clinical psychologist Dr. Elaine Smith shares what it really takes to disconnect (without guilt). 🔥 What We Cover 📌 Email addiction is realDr. Elaine explains why our brains are wired to check messages — even on holiday — and how to break that cycle with simple psychological strategies. 📌 Setting better boundaries at workFrom crystal-clear out-of-office messages to handling pushy colleagues, Elaine lays out exactly how to protect your time off without burning bridges. 📌 Toxic holiday culturesWe hear from a listener who was told to check emails daily while on leave — and got angry messages when they didn’t. Elaine breaks down what’s really happening in these workplaces and how to respond. 📌 The secret to a smooth returnWhy your return-to-work inbox shouldn’t ruin your last two days off — and Elaine’s practical plan for managing the emotional spike that comes with coming back. 🎧 Want more from Dr. Elaine Smith? Explore her work: www.drelainesmith.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-elaine-smith-creating-compassionate-workplaces/ Try her Holiday Headspace masterclass:https://www.drelainesmith.com/beat-annual-leave-anxiety Use code truthlieswork20 for 20% off (normally £39) 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – 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

This week we’re diving into our biggest professional disasters — and the personal embarrassments we still think about in the shower. From losing £103k on a failed business to being demoted out of a dream job, these are the moments that shaped us. And the ones we usually keep quiet. Recorded poolside with a gin in hand, this is the first of our Summer Sessions — stripped-back, slightly tipsy, and very real. 🔥 What We Cover 📌 Leanne’s first big management flop The dream promotion that turned into a living panic — and what she learned about boundaries, leadership, and starting again after being publicly demoted. 📌 Al’s bankruptcy at 26 The booze delivery startup that collapsed under licensing laws — and the brutal lessons in risk, resilience, and recovering from £103k of debt. 📌 Public fails and poolside humiliation Leanne’s wedding faceplant in Thailand. Al’s Tesco meat counter catastrophe. We relive the awkward moments that taught us more than any win ever has. 📌 Why failure is worth sharing We talk honestly about panic attacks, identity crises, and the long tail of shame — and why we still believe in taking big swings. 🎧 Want more from Truth, Lies & Work? – Website: https://truthliesandwork.com – 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 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

Andrew Palmer has spoken to the head executives form Stripe, Netflix, LinkedIN, Google, Toyota - and he's uncovered the counterintuitive leadership lessons from all of them! 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 is your Thursday deep-dive with a workplace expert. 🎙️ This Week’s Guest: Andrew Palmer Bartleby columnist and senior editor at The Economist, Andrew is also the host of Boss Class — a podcast that goes behind the scenes with the leaders of some of the world’s most admired companies. From Toyota to Netflix, IKEA to Unilever, Andrew’s spent the last year asking one deceptively simple question: What makes a better boss? In this conversation, he shares the themes that kept coming up — and the surprising patterns that didn’t. 💡 Key Takeaways from Andrew Palmer Great bosses know when to shut up. The best leaders don’t try to win the room. They create the space for others to think — and listen before they speak. Trust is built slowly — and breaks fast. The CEOs who lead well focus less on controlling people and more on designing systems that earn trust every day. There’s no ‘one way’ to lead. From the founder of Patagonia to the CEO of Toyota, the styles vary wildly. But what they share is a clear sense of purpose — and an ability to reflect on their own behaviour. Being a boss means learning constantly. The best leaders aren’t finished products. They’re works in progress who stay curious, ask questions, and remain open to being wrong. 🔗 Find out more Andrew Palmer on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-palmer-a3012a3/⁠ Boss Class podcast: ⁠https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class⁠ 🎧 Enjoying the show? Follow, share, and leave us a review — and don’t forget to catch Tuesday’s episode for the latest workplace news, hot takes, and real listener dilemmas. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: ⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/⁠ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email ⁠jo@samaritans.org⁠ – Mental Health at Work: ⁠https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/⁠ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work – 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

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 is your Tuesday news round-up, workplace surgery, and expert take — all in one. 🔥 This Week’s Stories 📌 1. The Intruder Paradox: Is imposter syndrome actually a workplace problem?New research says it’s not always your confidence that’s the issue — it’s your environment. We explore the study behind a new term: the intruder paradox — and what it means for inclusion at work. 📰 Source: https://asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/medu.15741 🗞️ Commentary: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/matt-smeed-b6033922_intruder-paradox-activity-7346916286867681281-O3Kv 📖 Read more: https://medium.com/@truthlieswork/imposter-syndrome-isnt-your-fault-it-s-a-workplace-problem-c2e00fbe67df 📌 2. How to hire an A-player: Tough love or recruitment theatre?A viral hiring post lays out a bold approach: multi-hour interviews, deep reference checks, and a “hard truths first” philosophy. But does this really help you hire better — or just scare off the best people? Al and Leanne unpack the thinking behind this controversial method and explore what hiring top talent really takes. 📌 3. Return-to-office rules are harming wellbeing — even before they’re enforcedA new Hays poll finds that just the threat of stricter office policies is denting morale. We unpack the anticipatory anxiety building across the UK workforce. 🗣️ Featuring insight from SWAA’s December 2024 data and Hays UK research. 🔥 Hot Take: Should you talk openly about quitting? Guest: Becky Simms (CEO, Human First Collective) It’s the workplace conversation nobody wants to have — until it’s too late. Becky explains why talking about career moves before they happen could be the secret to better retention, stronger trust, and less awkward exits. 📬 Register your interest to support Aspiration Digital: https://forms.gle/qFSqSurv1soNF4sL8 📱 Follow Aspiration Digital on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspirationdigital/ 📱 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aspirationdigital 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we’re joined by experts from The Curve Group to answer 3 complex HR dilemmas: ❓ “How do you handle a workplace complaint when one employee wants to make amends — and the other wants them gone?” 🎧 Response from: Catherine Coggins – Head of HR & Legal at The Curve Group ❓ “Are job boards still worth it for small businesses?” 🎧 Response from: Liam Reed – Head of Recruitment Operations at The Curve Group ❓ “How do bank holidays work for compressed hours?” 🎧 Response from: Catherine Coggins – Head of HR & Legal at The Curve Group 🎧 Enjoying the show? Follow, share, and leave us a review — and don’t forget to join us Thursday as we’re joined by Boss Class host and The Economist senior editor Andrew Palmer for a deep dive on leadership lessons from the world’s best-run companies. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being– Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org– Mental Health at Work: https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne– LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work– 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

Tim Lupinacci is the CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, a renowned U.S. law firm. He talks about his innovative leadership approach that emphasizes vulnerability and service over control. Tim reveals how he fosters a culture of trust and transparency, especially in the high-stress legal sector. He shares insights on the significance of empathy, emotional intelligence, and authentic relationships in leadership. By challenging outdated norms, Tim inspires leaders to embrace humility and prioritize their teams' well-being.

Rameez Kaleem, founder of 3R Strategy, discusses the critical need for pay transparency in today's workplaces, especially for Gen Z. He highlights the outrageous tale of an engineer who earned a million dollars through an elaborate overemployment scheme, raising ethical questions about remote work. The conversation dives into the concept of 'empathsplaining,' where leaders fake empathy without action, and explores how discrepancies between words and actions can erode trust. Kaleem emphasizes that authentic leadership is key to fostering team morale and engagement.

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 is your Thursday deep-dive with a workplace expert. 🎙️ This Week’s Guest: Steve Roest What do you do when you’re leading people who are smarter than you? This week, we’re joined by Steve Roest, CEO and co-founder of PocDoc — one of the UK’s fastest-growing health tech startups. Steve leads a team of scientists and engineers developing cutting-edge diagnostics — despite not being a scientist or an engineer himself. In this episode, Steve shares how he turns that so-called “weakness” into a leadership superpower. You’ll hear how he builds high-performance teams, handles ego, and keeps world-class experts aligned without stifling innovation. 💡 Key Takeaways from Steve Roest You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room.Steve explains how leaders can succeed by focusing on vision, coordination, and culture — not technical control. Confidence isn’t the same as competence.Hiring for collaboration skills is just as important as technical ability. Steve shares how PocDoc screens for ego and team fit. Brilliance needs boundaries.The best ideas often come from freedom — but only when that freedom is shaped by clear goals and customer needs. 🔗 Resources & Links Website: https://pocdoc.co/Steve Roest on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveroest/Steve’s podcast – The Health Tech Hour: https://open.spotify.com/show/5pZb65BCLauYxbJrbzDQfP 🎧 Enjoying the show?Follow, share, and leave us a review wherever you listen — and don’t forget to check out our Tuesday news round-up for the latest in people, culture, and the science of work. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-beingMind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org 📬 Connect with Al & LeanneTruth, Lies & Work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work/Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliottLeanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: hello@truthliesandwork.comBook 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 is your Tuesday news round-up, workplace surgery, and expert take — all in one. 🔥 Stories Covered 📌 1. BrewDog says it’s all about wellbeing nowAfter years of scandal and staff walkouts, BrewDog is trying to clean up its act — training 200 mental health first aiders and rolling out a new leadership charter. But are we buying it? And what does real culture change actually look like? 📰 Source: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/brewdog-leaves-punk-era-behind-to-focus-on-staff-wellbeing-d03xht2rx 📌 2. NatWest starts thinking like a tech companyFrom giving back nearly half a million staff hours to killing off bad ideas fast, NatWest’s COO is leading a culture shift inside one of the UK’s biggest banks. Is this the future of large-scale transformation? 📰 Source: https://www.strategy-business.com/article/The-new-way-NatWest-Group-is-making-work-better 📌 3. Stuck employees act out — and here’s the science behind itNew research finds that career plateaus don’t just hurt motivation — they drain people’s mental energy and make them more likely to break rules, disengage, or behave badly. Not because they’re unprofessional… but because they’re burned out and stuck. 📄 Study: Zhao, Chen & Xie (2025), Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 🔗 https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.12532 🔗 Follow-up: ⁠https://medium.com/@truthlieswork/stuck-in-a-dead-end-job-youre-more-likely-to-lash-out-2de4f22ccdca 🔥 Hot Take: Matt Smeed on Why Wellbeing Leaders Are Held to Impossible Standards Matt Smeed — Business Psychologist and co-founder of the Working Well Community — joins us to ask a simple question: why do wellbeing leaders have to be perfect? Other departments are allowed to try, fail and iterate. But when it comes to wellbeing, the bar’s sky-high. Matt argues it’s time to ditch the perfectionism and make space for progress. More from Matt Smeed:🌐 Website: www.workingwell.community🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-smeed-b6033922/ 👨‍💼 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@workingwellcommunity 💬 Workplace Surgery ❓ Do investors care about culture — and how do you prove it?A founder gearing up for their first funding round wants to show off their strong team culture. But will investors actually value it — and how do you make it measurable? ❓ Should I tell my boss I’m burnt out — or just push through?They’ve been the fixer, the firefighter, the one who holds it all together. Now they’re running on empty. But will honesty help… or backfire? ❓ I’ve been asked to gather peer feedback — but no one wants to talk to meTheir boss wants them to be the “culture go-between.” They feel awkward, underqualified, and unsure how to do it. Is it OK to push back? 🎧 Enjoying the show?Follow, share, and leave us a review wherever you listen — and don’t forget to join us Thursday for a masterclass in managing people who are smarter than you (yes, really). 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work/Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliottLeanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat