Biz

Lying on your resume when everyone else seems to be getting ahead? Struggling with reference dilemmas when your boss left on bad terms? Or maybe you've accidentally discovered your company's secret layoff plans and don't know whether to warn your colleagues? This week, we're diving into resume ethics, reference nightmares, and the ultimate workplace moral dilemma in our season finale. What you'll learn: • Resume Ethics Reality Check: Why changing your job title from "Marketing Intern" to "Marketing Coordinator" crosses the line from embellishment to lying, plus how to showcase expanded responsibilities without fabricating your actual role • Reference Dilemma Solutions: Navigating tricky reference situations when bosses leave badly, whether you can use junior colleagues as references, and how to politely decline being someone's reference when they weren't great at their job • The Ultimate Workplace Bombshell: What to do when you accidentally discover massive layoffs are coming while your colleagues are buying houses and planning weddings - should you warn them and risk your career, or stay silent? Plus: A follow-up on sick leave rights - why Australian employees are never legally required to find their own replacement when calling in sick, even if it's written into their contract. Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions. Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous! SHOW MENTIONS:  BIZ: The Exact Script To Calling In Sick  Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks. THE END BITSSupport independent women's mediaFollow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast. HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em VernemSENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah PorgesBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being a team manager isn't just about hitting targets - it's about helping your team grow and getting them ready for what's coming next. And right now, the skill that matters most is coaching! Let's be honest - most new managers feel like they're drowning. Everything's coming at them, everyone's coming at them, and they're stuck in that old-school "delegate and instruct" mode that leaves everyone frustrated. But here's the thing: coaching isn't some mystical two-hour journey exploration. It can be a five-minute conversation with four simple questions. This week, we break down why coaching is the unlock that transforms you from a micromanager into someone who actually develops their team. They're sharing the practical, no-nonsense approach that builds trust, develops independence, and helps you step back without stepping away. What you'll learn: • Why coaching beats the old "tell people what to do" management style every time • The difference between coaching, mentoring, and managing (and when to use each) • Five game-changing questions you can use right now - no certification required • How to resist your "hero complex" and let your team actually solve problems • The art of "snap coaching" - coaching in the moment when it matters most • When NOT to coach (because sometimes you just need to give direction) Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here Resources Mentioned: Learna:'Start coaching in the moment' - Learna'Stop being the team fixer' - Learna'Empower people with coaching' - LearnaBooks: Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stainer The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stainer THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling like you need to perform "interesting" at work by cramming business news and sitting in irrelevant meetings? Wondering if there's a secret timing hack for job applications that TikTok swears by? Or maybe you're the boss's unwanted favourite and it's making your work life hell? This week, we're tackling workplace performance anxiety, job application myths, and the tricky politics of being singled out by management. What you'll learn: • The Performative Workplace Trap: Why forcing yourself to seem "interesting" through business news and irrelevant meetings is exhausting and unsustainable, plus authentic ways to stand out that actually showcase your personality • Job Application Timing Truth: Debunking the TikTok theory about the "secret 24-48 hour window" and why you shouldn't game the system, plus real strategies for getting your resume noticed through referrals and connections • Unwanted Favourite Survival Guide: How to set gentle boundaries when your boss overshares and plays favourites, managing the delicate power balance without losing your job or your colleagues' respect Plus: The shocking Microsoft study revealing we're living in the "infinite work day" - from 6am email checks to 10pm inbox raids, and why 48% of us describe our workdays as complete chaos. Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions. Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous! SHOW MENTIONS:  Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks. THE END BITSSupport independent women's mediaFollow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast. HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em VernemSENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah PorgesBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public speaking. Presentations. Speaking up in meetings. It's the stuff of sweaty palms and racing thoughts, and yet, we're all expected to be good at it. Let's be honest - most of us would rather do literally anything else than stand up and speak in front of people. The pressure to "sound confident" when you're internally screaming can feel paralysing. But here's the thing: you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to get better at this. This week, Lisa and Em get honest about the fear so many of us feel when it comes to using our voice at work. Whether it's a team meeting, a client pitch, or standing on stage with a microphone, they're sharing their own journeys - from awkward silences to the strategies that actually work. What you'll learn: • The public speaking confidence ladder - how to work your way up from "terrified to speak in meetings" to actual presentations • Why recording yourself (audio only) is genuinely life-changing practice • The "headline, proof, connection" structure that stops you rambling • How to recover when your brain completely abandons you mid-speech • Real talk on the classics: saying "um," blanking, and speaking way too fast Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here Resources Mentioned: 'Why your skills have an expiry date, and what to do about it' with Andrea ClarkeTalk like TED by Carmine Gallo 'Managing nerves when presenting' in Learna.Tell stories that stick' in Learna.How to sell ideas' in Learna.'How to structure your thoughts under pressure' in Learna.THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dealing with a colleague who clearly can't stand you? Managing a scattered team across multiple cities? Or trying to function at work while your heart is completely shattered? This week, we're diving deep into three workplace situations that test your emotional intelligence - from navigating hostile colleagues to building team cohesion across state lines, plus surviving the office when you're going through the worst breakup of your life. What you'll learn: • Hostile Colleague Survival Guide: When "kill them with kindness" isn't working, how to recognise when workplace tension crosses into bullying territory, and the exact conversation to have with HR when it's affecting your performance • Multi-City Team Management Reality Check: Why your company might be setting you up to fail, the team leader structure that actually works across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, and how to push back when you're not given the tools for success • Heartbreak at Work Handbook: The surprising difference between pre and post-COVID heartbreak recovery, why taking mental health leave for relationship breakdown is completely valid, and how being honest with colleagues can turn them into your support network Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions. Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous! SHOW MENTIONS:  Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks. THE END BITSSupport independent women's mediaFollow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast. HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em VernemSENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah PorgesBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's be honest...the leadership playbook that worked five years ago is failing spectacularly right now. The world has fundamentally changed, and clinging to the old "hero leader" approach isn't just outdated, it's actively damaging your team. This week, we're ditching the pressure to have all the answers and exploring why getting curious beats being right. From why self-aware leaders crush those who think they're perfect, to choosing confidence over certainty. We explore why thinking in loops beats linear planning, tackle the self-preservation trap making leaders hoard information, and bust the myth that good leaders always know what to do. What you'll learn: • The one question that separates great leaders from terrible ones: "What's more important - being right or solving this?" • How to use the 70/20/10 planning model when your boss still wants that impossible five-year plan • Why "seeker" leaders outperform "teller" leaders every time (and how to make the switch) • The health monitor trick that spots team problems before they explode • How to set up working agreements that stop you becoming the office firefighter Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here RESOURCES MENTIONED:  Dom Price's FREE Team Playbook Learna: 'Make Better Work Happen' Learna: 'Tell Stories That Stick' Pre-Mortem Exercise Health Monitor Exercise Andrea Clarke: 'Why Your Skills Have an Expiry Date (And What to Do About It)' Loom - Video Messaging Tool   THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem GUEST: Dom Price  SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Been thrown into running team meetings without a clue how to actually run them? Stressing about whether to mention that decade-old school captain role on your resume? Or maybe you're overthinking the "proper" way to call in sick at 3am when you're genuinely unwell? This week, we're tackling three workplace dilemmas that will have you nodding along going "yup, I've definitely been there" - from meeting management that actually works to resume anxiety relief, plus the real protocol for sick days without the guilt. What you'll learn: • Meeting Management That Actually Works: Why agendas are your secret weapon, how to assign roles so people engage instead of zone out, and the psychology trick that makes you the facilitator, not the bad guy • Resume Reality Check: What recruiters actually scan for in 2025, why you need different versions for different roles, and how to leverage LinkedIn as your detailed story while keeping resumes conversational • Sick Day Confidence Script: The timing that actually matters, how much detail to share (spoiler: not much), and why women especially need to stop feeling guilty about using entitled leave Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions. Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous! SHOW MENTIONS:  Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks. THE END BITSSupport independent women's mediaFollow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast. HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em VernemSENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges BIZ UPDATE: Sarah Davidson has been sharing her career wisdom with us, and now she's officially here to stay. She's joining BIZ Inbox full-time as co-host alongside Em Vernem and honestly, we couldn't be more excited.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's one moment that can completely transform your career trajectory, the job interview. Yet most of us approach it with outdated advice, generic answers, and crossed fingers. We rock up thinking we can wing it, hoping they won't ask about our biggest weakness and secretly panicking about whether we've done enough research. Meanwhile, there's always that one candidate who seems to have it all figured out, asking thoughtful questions and making genuine connections. What's their secret? The truth is, interviewing is a skill that can be mastered. And when you get it right, it opens doors you never thought possible. This week on BIZ, we're breaking down how to turn interview anxiety into interview advantage. Whether you're re-entering the workforce, changing careers, or climbing the ladder, this is your roadmap to interview success. Here's what we're covering: • The strategic research that sets you apart before you even walk through the door • Four powerful questions that demonstrate you're serious about the role • The simple preparation technique that calms your nerves and keeps you focused • How to transform rejection into your next opportunity • Eli Gunduz's proven "Pitch–Proof–Ping–Personalise" method that recruiters can't ignore  Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here Resources Mentioned:  • Eli Gunduz's  "Pitch–Proof–Ping–Personalise" method THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder how to coax feedback from a boss who seems allergic to giving it? Learn strategies for setting up effective feedback meetings and why peer insights can be gold. Feeling burnout creeping in? Discover how to reignite your passion for work and debunk the myth of perfect office lives on social media. Plus, if you're caught in an office gossip Slack channel, grab tips on how to gracefully exit without causing drama. It's all about navigating the quirky world of workplace dynamics!

Let's be honest...thinking you can just pick up where you left off after maternity leave is like expecting to run a marathon after taking a year off training. Everything's changed - including you. This week, we're tackling the messy, meaningful reality of returning to work after maternity leave and how to keep growing your career when your priorities have completely shifted. From navigating the emotional whirlwind of feeling like a different person at work, to mastering the art of being visible when you're working part-time. We explore why the "mental load" hits harder than anyone warns you about, tackle the confidence crisis that comes with feeling like people are doing you a favour by giving you part-time work, and bust the myth that career growth stops when you start working flexibly. What you'll learn:  How to have the pre-return conversation that prevents you from drowning in an impossible workload • The salary negotiation reality check - if you were on $100k full-time, that budget still exists for your part-time return • Why being strategic about visibility beats showing up to everything (and the PAYO method that makes every meeting count) Resources Mentioned:  Monday.com (Work Platform) Amanda Blesing  Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here THE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!  HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get: $10 e-gift card 1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber) Survey hereT&Cs here Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.