Truth, Lies and Work

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 202http://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 196https://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 200https://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 214https://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 194https://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 240https://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 180https://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

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work. Today we’re doing something a little different for the Christmas break. We’re sharing an episode from our friend Jeremy Cline’s podcast Change Work Life, where Al joined him to reflect on Jeremy’s first year as a full-time coach. This conversation marks Jeremy’s 200th episode, and instead of interviewing someone else, he turns the spotlight on himself. It’s a rare, honest look at what actually happens when you leave a stable career after 20 years and try to build something new from scratch. No glossy “quit and make six figures” narrative — just the real, messy middle that most founders and coaches quietly go through. Al and Jeremy dig into the emotional, financial and identity shifts that come with starting your own business, what surprised Jeremy the most, and why meaningful conversations — not logos or websites — became the backbone of his first year. If you’re thinking of going out on your own, supporting someone who is, or you're simply curious about what a year of reinvention looks like behind the scenes, this is the perfect listen for the quieter days of December. 🧠 What We Cover: The Reality of Year One Life after a 20-year careerJeremy left a long legal career to become a coach, and the biggest challenge wasn’t logistical — it was the identity shock of asking “who am I now?”. Self-employment and the fear of the first stepInstead of hiding behind planning, Jeremy forced himself into real conversations — the uncomfortable kind that actually move a business forward. The messy middle of reinventionTesting ideas, discarding bad ones, refining offers, working through insecurities — the emotional work was bigger than the strategic work. Why conversations matter more than everDespite global connectivity, genuine, real-time conversations are becoming rare. Jeremy argues that this is where opportunity lives. Opportunities come from putting yourself out thereJeremy explains how reaching out to people — including Al — created unexpected relationships, support and new directions for his business. The truth about coaching as a businessHe talks candidly about client work, self-doubt, capacity and the grind of turning passion into something that pays the bills. 🔗 Connect with Jeremy 🌐 Episode page & resources: https://changeworklife.com/one-year-in-lessons-from-my-first-year-as-a-full-time-coach/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyjcline/ LinkedIn (Show): 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 Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/ 💚 Mental Health Support Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988Find A Helpline (Global) – https://findahelpline.com/

Explore the new 'Top 1% Employer' certification, highlighting progressive companies with innovative workplace practices. Discuss Apple’s recent leadership losses and the potential impact on its AI advancements and innovation. Dive into the effects of Christmas on mood, from boosting wellbeing to triggering stress. Plus, gain insights into the challenges veterans face transitioning to civilian careers and how their leadership skills often go unrecognized. Lastly, tips for making the most of holiday parties and navigating complex workplace dynamics.

Rob Kalwarowsky, an executive coach and author of Capitalizing on Chaos, discusses navigating the chaos of our times. He highlights how uncertainty triggers stress and hampers leadership. Rob introduces the 'Find Your Reason' tool to combat status quo bias and encourages leaders to reassess goals amidst external disruptions. He emphasizes the importance of calm leadership in boosting team engagement and shares personal insights on overcoming fear. With predictions for 2026, he urges leaders to stabilize internally and capitalize on opportunities during turmoil.

Welcome back to This Week in Work — the show where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Generation Alpha are coming (Benenden Health report) A major new workforce study shows the 11–15 age group expect flexible careers, strong mental health support and employers who understand neurodiversity. Only 11 percent expect one career path, 77 percent want meaningful wellbeing support, and six in ten personally know someone who is neurodivergent. HR leaders admit they’re not ready. The report warns workplaces will need redesigning around manager capability, clear communication and personalised support.Link: benenden.co.uk/media/10551/bh-gen-alpha-workforce-report.pdf 2. Starbucks faces its largest strike yet Around 2,500 baristas across more than 120 US stores have walked out in the longest coordinated action in company history. Four years after the first union vote, not a single store has a contract. Workers cite pay, conditions, understaffing and stalled negotiations. Leadership churn and sliding trust sit at the core of the dispute — a lesson for any employer relying too heavily on dashboards instead of people.Link: theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/starbucks-union-strike 3. The rise of micro-joys (Forbes + The Progress Principle) Micro-joys boost resilience, support creativity, reduce cognitive load and keep teams motivated through meaningful “small progress.” For leaders, these moments are easy to design into a working day — and they compound.Links: forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2025/11/29/why-micro-joys-are-the-key-to-life-long-happiness progressprinciple.com 🔥 Truth or Lie Can power posing actually increase confidence? The viral TED claim promised hormonal shifts and bold behaviour in two minutes. Replications haven’t supported the biological claims — but the psychological effect survived. Expansive postures don’t transform you, yet contractive postures reliably make people feel worse. The verdict: a light nudge, not a superpower. 💬 Workplace Surgery New coverage of Amabile and Kramer’s work highlights why small moments matter far more than big wins. This week’s dilemmas:• “Help — I pulled the CEO for Secret Santa.”• “Can my employer challenge home-working adjustments already approved by occupational health?”• “Where do I start with a competency model that’s genuinely useful?” Referenced frameworks: • SHL Universal Competency Framework – shl.com • Handbook of Competency Mapping (Seema Sanghi) – amazon.com/Handbook-Competency-Mapping 🎧 Coming Up Thursday We’re welcoming back Rob Kalwarowsky, one of the world’s leading executive coaches. He’s sharing how to capitalise on chaos in 2026 — and offering a major giveaway to get you off to a flying start. 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being Mind UK: mind.org.uk/information-supportSamaritans: Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/truthliesworkAl: linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliottLeanne: linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a call: savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

In this engaging discussion, Aoife O'Brien, founder of Happier at Work and host of the Happier at Work podcast, delves into workplace dynamics. She shares insights on how misalignment of values is a major cause of disengagement. Aoife emphasizes the importance of autonomy, relatedness, and competence in driving employee behavior. She explains the role of childhood influences on adult workplace interactions and advocates for psychological safety as essential for thriving cultures. Practical advice is offered for leaders wanting to support their teams effectively.

Explore the toxic culture behind the COVID response that impeded timely action. Delve into the rising fears surrounding AI as leaders anticipate productivity gains, while employees feel overwhelmed. Discover why dreamers often remain stagnant, as balanced temporal focus can ignite career changes. Unravel the truth behind 'faking it till you make it'—asserting that while confidence opens doors, genuine skills are vital for lasting success. Plus, valuable insights on hiring for diversity and safely disclosing mental health at work.

Christian Laing, the passionate Co-founder and MD of Stand Out Socks, shares his inspiring journey of creating paid employment for people with Down syndrome and learning disabilities. He discusses challenging misconceptions about capability and the importance of treating everyone with respect. Christian emphasizes the need for ethical employment over charity models, advocating for fair pay and meaningful roles. The conversation highlights the emotional weight families carry and the potential for broader change in workplace culture.

This week, the hosts dive into QuitTok's return, revealing how public resignations provide vital HR insights. They discuss a surprising trend: entry-level workers feel more confident while senior leaders struggle amidst hybrid work challenges. Bizarre and memorable interview anecdotes from LinkedIn keep the laughter flowing. Lastly, they debunk the myth that high achievers need little sleep, exploring the health risks of chronic sleep deprivation and the rarity of true short sleepers. It’s a rollercoaster of workplace truths!

Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40 Company and founder of The Learning Moment, is a champion of servant leadership and psychological safety. He shares insights on creating a culture of belonging, emphasizing that when employees feel valued, they contribute more openly. Garry reframes mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures, advocating for transparency to enhance team dynamics. He also discusses the importance of humility in leadership, how to empower decision-making, and the strategic value of prioritizing people over profit.