Truth, Lies and Work

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.🎙 Meet This Week’s Guest: Steve CarseWhat if work was actually fun? Steve Carse didn’t just ask the question—he built an entire business around it.After being laid off in 2009, Steve didn’t follow the traditional career path. Instead, he founded King of Pops, an Atlanta-based ice pop brand that’s grown into a $10 million empire. His approach to business is refreshingly simple: when work is enjoyable, people perform better, customers stay loyal, and businesses thrive.Now, he’s sharing his insights in his new book, Work Is Fun—a playbook for building happier, more successful workplaces.💡 Key Takeaways from Steve Carse✅ Why workplace happiness isn’t just about free snacks – Steve explains why companies often fail at creating a great culture and how he designed a business strategy where fun and profitability go hand in hand.✅ Turning a layoff into a $10M success story – The lessons Steve learned after losing his corporate job and how he made a roadside ice pop stand into a beloved brand.✅ Making ‘fun’ a business advantage – Why workplace enjoyment leads to better retention, productivity, and customer loyalty—and how to actually implement it.✅ The reality of entrepreneurship – It’s not all smooth sailing. Steve shares the challenges of scaling a company, balancing growth with culture, and why LinkedIn success stories rarely tell the full truth.If you’re a business owner trying to build a more engaging workplace or someone stuck in a soul-crushing job, this conversation is full of real-world advice you won’t want to miss.📌 Where to Learn More📖 Pre-order Steve’s Book: Work Is Fun (Out April 1st!)📍 Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/Work-Fun-Successful-Company-Meaningful/dp/1637746253🍡 Learn more about King of Pops:🌐 Website: https://www.kingofpops.com/💼 Follow Steve on LinkedIn & more:🌐 Personal Website: https://www.stevecarse.com/🎧 What’s Next?📅 Next Tuesday:Join us for This Week in Work—your go-to for workplace news, a spicy hot take, and our world-famous Workplace Surgery, where Leanne answers your toughest work dilemmas.💡 Enjoyed this episode? Send it to one person who needs to hear Steve’s story!📢 Subscribe now so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

🎙 What’s in This Episode?🔹 Why nearly half of employees are turning down promotions – The data says more people than ever are rejecting leadership roles. Is it a work-life balance issue, a generational shift, or are companies just making leadership too unattractive?🔹 Is DEI doing more harm than good? – Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, says corporate diversity policies are backfiring, and Sarah Gashier’s hot take suggests he might have a point. Is performative DEI causing more problems than it solves?🔹 Workplace Surgery: A listener’s ex-partner is now their boss. How do you stay professional when your new manager is someone who knows way too much about your personal life?That’s all coming up on Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.🗞 This Week’s Headlines📌 BoomerAsking: Gen Z is Asking for What Boomers Never Dared To What is 'Boomerasking'? - Researchers Alison Wood Brooks (Harvard) and Michael Yeomans (Imperial College London) define BoomerAsking as when someone asks a question but isn’t actually interested in your answer—they’re just waiting to jump in with their own story. Read more: https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/improve-your-conversation-skills-ditch-boomerasking 42% of employees are rejecting promotions – A Randstad survey found that workers are saying no thanks to leadership roles, with work-life balance and low pay increases as the top reasons. Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylrobinson/2025/02/17/why-nearly-50-of-employees-are-turning-down-promotions-what-leaders-can-do/ Jamie Dimon says DEI is failing – The JP Morgan CEO slammed corporate DEI initiatives, calling them performative and blaming incompetent advisers for pushing businesses in the wrong direction. Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/13/jp-morgan-boss-attacks-incompetent-advisers-that-pushed-dei/ 🔥 Hot Take of the Week: Sarah Gashier on Why DEI Might Be BrokenSarah Gashier is an award-winning Workplace Wellbeing Consultant, Registered Nutritionist, and Psychological Safety Practitioner. She’s worked with top organisations and was even recognised by the Mayor of London for her work.But Sarah has a controversial take on DEI: Most DEI initiatives do more harm than good.📢 Find more from Sarah Gashier: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgashier/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahgashier/ 💡 Workplace Surgery: When Work Gets Personal My Ex Is Now My Boss – A listener’s former partner just got promoted to be their direct manager. Top Performer or High-Functioning Alcoholic? – A star employee is crushing their targets, but their drinking is becoming a problem. The Secret Slack Channel – A manager discovered their team has a private Slack group where they discuss work, projects, and management decisions—without including leadership. 🎧 What’s Next?📅 This Thursday:We’re bringing you an incredible founder story—Steve Carse, the man who turned a redundancy in 2009 into a $10M ice pop empire.General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.🎙 Meet This Week’s Guest: Eric StoneLeadership is broken in many workplaces. Eric Stone has spent almost 30 years figuring out what actually works.A former Regional Vice President at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Eric built and led high-performing teams across the U.S., managing thousands of employees and navigating leadership in one of the most customer-obsessed, competitive, and fast-paced industries.But unlike many corporate leaders, Eric’s focus wasn’t just on hitting targets—it was about creating workplace cultures where employees thrived. Now, as an author, speaker, and consultant, he’s helping businesses build leadership systems that actually work—without the toxic nonsense.💡 Key Takeaways from Eric Stone✅ Why most leadership advice is outdated – Leaders are still being trained for workplaces that don’t exist anymore. Eric shares what’s changed and how to lead effectively in 2025 and beyond.✅ Fear in the workplace isn’t always bad – Used correctly, a healthy level of fear can drive performance. But when does it cross the line into toxic leadership?✅ How to bridge generational divides – From Boomers to Gen Z, today’s workplace spans multiple generations. Eric explains how to adapt leadership styles to bring out the best in everyone.✅ The biggest mistake leaders make with remote work – Why mandating RTO (return to office) might backfire, and how to balance flexibility with accountability.✅ How to create a culture people actually want to work in – Forget ping-pong tables and free snacks—Eric breaks down what really builds engagement and keeps top talent from leaving.📌 Where to Learn More📖 More about Eric: https://clearpathventures.com/📖 Buy Eric's Book: https://clearpathventures.com/💼 Follow Eric on LinkedIn: Eric StoneWant to support the podcast? Mention us on LinkedIn! Just post something like:"Just listened to Truth, Lies & Work with Eric Stone—game-changing insights on leadership!"🎧 What’s Next?📅 Next Tuesday: Our This Week in Work episode with the biggest workplace news stories, a spicy hot take, and our world-famous Workplace Surgery, where Leanne answers your toughest work dilemmas.📢 Subscribe now so you don’t miss it!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Tuesday, we bring you This Week in Work—your go-to for workplace news, a hot take from an industry expert, and our world-famous workplace surgery, where Leanne answers your toughest work dilemmas.🎙 Intro: What’s Coming Up This Week?🔹 Is International Women’s Day focusing on the wrong thing?🔹 Do you work in the civil service? Are you afraid of losing your job?🔹 When ‘Bring Your Whole Self to Work’ goes too far…🗞 News Roundup:1️⃣ UK Civil Service Faces a ‘Trumpian’ Overhaul Labour plans to introduce performance-based pay, faster dismissals, and structural reforms to make the civil service more like the private sector. Critics argue this is just a backdoor attempt at mass job cuts, while supporters claim it’s necessary for efficiency. 📖 Full story: The Guardian 2️⃣ AI in the Workplace: Micromanagement or Productivity Boost? A new 27,000-person study from the University of Valencia reveals that AI-driven performance monitoring is: ✅ Increasing stress levels by 50% ✅ Reducing collaboration by 1.5x ✅ Raising workplace accidents by 70% 📖 Read the full research study: LinkedIn PDF Report3️⃣ ‘Micro-Retirements’ Are Replacing Traditional Career Paths Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly choosing planned career breaks rather than waiting for traditional retirement. 📖 Read more: RTÉ Brainstorm 🔥 Hot Take of the Week: Rachel Vecht on Why Workplace Equality Starts With Supporting DadsThis week’s hot take comes from Rachel Vecht, founder of Educating Matters, who has spent nearly 30 years advising companies on how to better support working parents. But her focus isn’t just on flexibility for mums—she argues that real workplace equality starts with supporting fathers.📢 Find more from Rachel Vecht: Follow Rachel Vecht on LinkedIn to engage in daily conversation about parenting and work-life integrationFor organisations: Top Tips to Support Working Parents & Carers Find out more about Educating Matters For individual parents: FREE MASTERCLASS to raise children to thrive Check out our blog for more parenting tips 💡 World-Famous Workplace Surgery:📌 Q1: “Authentic Self” or Authentically Unhinged?A company encouraged employees to bring their whole selves to work—but one employee took this to mean sharing conspiracy theories in meetings.📌 Q2: “Anonymous” Feedback or CEO Spy Mission?A company introduced an anonymous feedback system—but their CEO is obsessed with finding out who wrote what.📌 Q3: AI-Powered Cheating or Workplace Innovation?A remote team is exceeding KPIs—but it turns out they’re using AI to do most of their work.💡 Enjoyed this episode?Post about it on LinkedIn and tag us! Let us know what surprised you the most from this conversation.📢 Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Thursday, we bring you a brand-new interview with an expert guest who knows how to create great workplace cultures.🎙 This Week’s Guest: Vince Sanderson, Management & Leadership Expert In today’s episode, we sit down with Vince Sanderson, a management, leadership, and team consultant with over a quarter of a million followers on social media. Vince has built a career helping businesses develop effective leadership skills and build exceptional teams.Vince's journey began in teaching before transitioning into management consulting, giving him a unique blend of practical experience and real-world insights. His approach is refreshingly honest and focuses on creating environments where teams can thrive.🧠 What We Covered: First 30 Days as a Manager: Meet your team and key stakeholders, including IT, HR, and lateral managers. Build relationships that extend beyond your vertical team to avoid siloed working. 30 to 60 Days: Shift from learning to refining processes. Identify where there are gaps between what the business says is important and where time is actually spent. 60 to 90 Days: Assess whether you have the right people in the right roles. The impact of the "Bad Apple" experiment: how one person can decrease team productivity by 30-40%. Key Takeaway: Managers should create an environment where others can excel, focusing on clarity of purpose and emotional intelligence. Vince’s mantra: "Leadership isn't built in a day; it's built daily." 📌 Where to Learn More: Vince Sanderson on Social Media: TikTok: @VincentSanderson Instagram: @VincentSanderson YouTube: Vincent Sanderson Channel LinkedIn: Vince Sanderson 🎧 What’s Next? 📅 Next Tuesday:We’re back with This Week in Work—covering the latest workplace news, a hot take from an industry expert, and your work dilemmas answered in our World-Famous Workplace Surgery.💡 Enjoyed this episode?Post about it on LinkedIn and tag us! Let us know what surprised you the most from this conversation.📢 Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Dr. Elaine Smith, a Clinical Psychologist and Business Wellbeing Consultant, joins the discussion on compassionate leadership. She dives into Asda's controversial bonus cuts and their effects on morale, contrasting it with the tech industry's flexible approaches. The conversation shifts to the importance of vulnerability in leadership, revealing how addressing mental health can enhance workplace connections. Elaine also offers insights on transitioning from friend to boss, emphasizing empathy and communication for effective managerial relationships.

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Thursday, we bring you a brand-new interview with an expert guest who knows how to create great workplace cultures. And this week’s guest didn’t hold back.🎙 This Week’s Guest: Dr. Enya Doyle, The Harassment Doctor Our guest today is Dr. Enya Doyle, aka The Harassment Doctor—a specialist in harassment, inclusion, and workplace culture. Her job? Helping leaders, managers, and business owners avoid the legal and ethical pitfalls of modern workplaces.This episode is a masterclass in handling the awkward, messy, and legally risky situations that many managers are afraid to ask about.🔥 Key Topics We Covered: 💡 When physical contact at work is unavoidable—what’s the right approach?💡 Is it sexist for female managers to refuse meetings with male co-workers?💡 Why attractive people sell more—and is it fair?💡 Should you comfort a crying colleague or keep your distance?💡 Is following employees on Instagram inappropriate?💡 Why are some managers obsessed with telling women to wear lipstick?💡 What do you do when your workplace is full of "banter" and swearing?💡 Is it okay to comment on an employee’s appearance if they look unkempt?💡 The truth about why taller people get paid more—does bias play a role?📌 Where to Learn More 🔗 Dr. Enya Doyle’s website: www.enyadoyle.com📸 Instagram (@TheHarassmentDoctor): www.instagram.com/theharassmentdoctor💼 Connect with Dr. Doyle on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/enya-doyle🎧 What’s Next? 📅 Next Tuesday:We’re back with This Week in Work—covering the latest workplace news, a hot take from an industry expert, and your work dilemmas answered in our World-Famous Workplace Surgery.💡 Enjoyed this episode?Post about it on LinkedIn and tag us! Let us know what surprised you the most from this conversation.📢 Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Tuesday, we bring you This Week in Work - your go-to for workplace news, a hot take from an industry expert, and our world-famous workplace surgery, where Leanne answers your toughest work dilemmas.🗞 News Roundup: 1️⃣ Meta Layoffs vs. Exec Bonuses: What’s Really Going On? Is Meta redefining corporate leadership, or is this just another case of profits over people? Full story 2️⃣ Task Masking: The New Workplace Resistance Movement Employees are "task masking"—faking productivity to push back against return-to-office mandates. Full article 3️⃣ The 4-Part Framework for Finding Meaning in a Chaotic World Feeling overwhelmed by political drama, layoffs, and toxic work cultures? A quick self-check can help you realign & reconnect. Full guide 🔥 Hot Take of the Week: Veerle Numan on The Future of Learning & AI Veerle Numan, Senior Learning Solution Partner at Valamis, challenges outdated workplace training and explains how AI is changing learning & development.📌 Why Most L&D Fails: Throwing content at employees isn’t learning—it’s just information overload.📊 How AI & Data Can Transform Learning:AI can measure engagement, analyze training effectiveness, and predict skill gaps.💡 Key Takeaway:AI can’t magically fix learning cultures—but it can make training more effective & personalized. 📢 Connect with Veerle & Valamis: Veerle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veerle-van-kersen-numan/ Valamis website: https://www.valamis.com/ 💡 World-Famous Workplace Surgery: 📌 Q1: My Boss Keeps "Adding Context" (But They're Wrong) A manager keeps interrupting during meetings to correct a listener—but he’s often wrong. How do you push back without making it awkward? 📌 Q2: My Top Performer is Toxic A high-achiever delivers 40% of the team’s output—but is horrible to work with. Should you risk losing them by addressing behavior—or keep tolerating the chaos? 📌 Q3: My Employee Disclosed Their Depression—Now What? A listener’s team member is struggling with mental health but wants to keep it private. How do you support them while balancing team performance? 🎧 What’s Next? 📅 This Thursday:We’re joined by Dr. Enya Doyle, aka The Harassment Doctor, to tackle some of the trickiest workplace dilemmas: Can liking a colleague’s Instagram posts be harassment? Should you ban swearing if just one person is offended? How do you comfort a crying coworker without HR knocking on your door? 💡 Enjoyed this episode?Tag us on LinkedIn & say you’re loving the podcast—we’ll send you something nice!📢 Subscribe now so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Thursday, we bring you a brand-new interview with an expert guest who knows how to create great workplace cultures.🎙 This Week’s Guest: Skye Waterson Our guest today is Skye Waterson, founder of Unconventional Organisation, where she helps late-diagnosed ADHD professionals thrive at work—without burning out.🔬 Skye’s approach is completely research-backed—she turned her own surprise ADHD diagnosis during her PhD into a mission to develop evidence-based strategies that actually work.📈 With over 250,000 article readers, a top-rated ADHD podcast (ADHD Skills Lab), and experience advising organizations like the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, Skye is changing the conversation about ADHD in the workplace.🔥 Key Takeaways from Skye Waterson: 💡 ADHD is NOT a productivity killer—it’s a different way of thinking that, when harnessed, can be a superpower.💡 Why workplace support for ADHD is failing—and what companies need to change.💡 The biggest misconceptions about ADHD at work (hint: it’s not just about being "distracted").💡 Practical, research-backed strategies to create focused, balanced workdays (whether you have ADHD or not).💡 How ADHD brains solve problems in a completely different—and often more creative—way.📌 Where to Learn More 🔗 Skye’s website: www.unconventionalorganisation.com📸 Instagram: @unconventionalorganisation💼 Connect with Skye on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/skye-waterson-026286204🎧 What’s Next? 📅 Next Tuesday:We’re back with This Week in Work—covering the latest workplace news, a hot take from an industry expert, and answering your questions in our world-famous workplace surgery.💡 Enjoyed this episode?Post about it on LinkedIn and tag us! Let us know your biggest takeaway from Skye’s interview.📢 Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.Every Tuesday, we bring you This Week in Work - your go-to for workplace news, a HOT TAKE from an industry expert, and our world-famous weekly workplace surgery, where Leanne answers your trickiest work dilemmas.🗞 News Roundup: 1️⃣ JP Morgan CEO’s Gen-Z Rant Leaks Jamie Dimon loses it over remote work, Gen-Z, and "work-from-home Fridays." Full article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/14/lazy-gen-z-get-back-office-or-get-new-job-jp-morgan-boss/ 2️⃣ Career Catfishing & Office Ghosting: The Gen-Z Job Market Hacks "Career Catfishing" is the workplace version of dating app lies—exaggerating skills, experiences, and qualifications to land better jobs. Full article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/02/02/career-catfishing-and-office-ghosting-gen-zs-no-show-work-trends/ 3️⃣ Science Says Short Breaks Boost Learning (And Why Grinding Might Be Hurting You) A new NIH study found that the brain actually learns faster during breaks—not while practicing. Full study: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-shows-how-taking-short-breaks-may-help-our-brains-learn-new-skills 🔥 Hot Take of the Week: Anna Reddy’s READY Method for Staying Energized Anna Reddy, founder of Leap Health, shares her READY framework—5 simple steps to maintain energy, focus, and resilience at work.🛠 The READY Method:✅ R – Rest, Recovery, Recharge (Sleep & downtime matter)✅ E – Eating well (Fuel your brain like a Ferrari)✅ A – Activity (Movement boosts productivity & creativity)✅ D – Distraction Management (Filter out negative noise)✅ Y – You (Define your long-term purpose, not just work goals)📢 Find Anna’s work at: Website: www.leaphealth.co.uk Podcast: Leap Health Workplace Podcast LinkedIn: Anna Reddy 💡 World-Famous Workplace Surgery: 📌 Q1: Our Friendly Culture Has Become Too Friendly... Way Too FriendlyCasual chats have turned into toxic gossip. How do you scale a startup’s culture without losing the informal vibe?📌 Q2: The Work After-Hours Club That I Just Can't JoinWeekly "optional" after-work drinks are not so optional—but some employees (like parents) feel excluded. How do you keep team bonding fair?📌 Q3: Is My Employee Really This Unlucky, or Am I Being Played?A staff member has constant personal emergencies—flat floods, family crises, sick pets. How do you balance empathy with accountability?🎧 What’s Next? 📅 This Thursday:We sit down with Skye Waterson, one of the top experts on adult ADHD. If you're a leader, manager, or employee who wants to understand ADHD in the workplace, this is a must-listen.General Support with Mental Health and Well-beingIf you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)Connect with Al and LeanneJoin the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanneEmail: Hello@truthliesandwork.comBook a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat