Truth, Lies and Work

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. In this episode of This Week in Work, we tackle the overwhelm of 2026, explore a "hallucination-free" AI tool, and investigate if women are being set up for failure in leadership. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. Reclaiming Your "Psychological Sovereignty" Feeling overwhelmed by the 2026 news cycle and the breakneck speed of life? Leanne introduces the concept of Psychological Sovereignty, based on the work of Dr. Emma Seppälä. It’s about regaining control over your attention and agency rather than being pulled by external chaos. The Big Mistake: Believing you just have to "push through". The Dos: Quiet your nervous system twice a day, move your body, hydrate, and protect your sleep. The Don’ts: Don’t run on empty, overschedule, or stay glued to negative news 24/7. Source: Emma Seppälä, PhD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/) | Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/202603/5-foolproof-ways-to-protect-your-sanity-in-a-crazy-world) 2. NotebookLM: Your Personal AI "Mike Ross" Al shares his "love letter" to NotebookLM, a free tool by Google that acts as a personal assistant that never hallucinates. By grounding the AI only in your uploaded documents, you can synthesize months of notes in minutes, create study guides, or even generate a podcast "Audio Overview" of your reports. 3. Inclusion or Insult? The Pink Ice Cream Maker Fiasco A law firm’s International Women’s Day gift of pink ice cream makers has sparked a debate on "performative inclusion". DEI expert Catherine Garrod weighs in on why gimmicks fail and how to move toward real impact—like parental leave and fair progression—instead of branded kitchen appliances. Source: Catherine Garrod on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinegarrod/) 🧠 Truth or Lie: The Glass Cliff Is it true that when women finally break the glass ceiling, they are handed leadership roles that are already failing? The Evidence: Research from the University of Exeter suggests that companies are more likely to appoint women to boards following periods of poor share price performance. The Verdict: TRUTH. While real-world corporate data is complex, experimental evidence consistently shows a tendency to select women for precarious roles—often as a signal for change or, more darkly, as a potential scapegoat. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we answer three listener dilemmas: The Undermining Friend: How do you manage a close friend who now reports to you and has started making dismissive jokes in meetings? The Cash Resentment: Should you be worried if your team sees the company has healthy cash reserves? The Benefits Balance: How do you strike the balance between being a good employer (wellbeing days, stipends) and keeping the business sustainable? 📬 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we’re diving into the high-stakes world of recruitment. If you’ve ever hired someone who looked perfect on paper but failed on day one, this episode is for you. Most businesses are making hiring decisions based on fundamentally broken data: the CV. This week, we are joined by Kate Young, Head of People Science at Sapia.ai. As an occupational psychologist, Kate is on a mission to move recruitment away from "gut instinct" and toward a valid, fair, and defensible science. We dive into the "painful" reality of traditional job analysis—like Kate’s 6:00 AM flight to Munich to shuffle cards with 30 stakeholders for eight hours—and how AI has condensed that process into 90 minutes of high-precision data. In this episode, we explore: The Job Analysis Revolution: Why "measuring what matters" is the only way to avoid doubling down on hiring errors. The Death of the CV: Why Sapia.ai prefers "blind" chat interviews where every candidate gets an equal shot to tell their story. De-biasing the Process: How to strip "ableist" and majority-group language out of job descriptions to find the best talent. The "Human in the Loop": Why AI isn't replacing psychologists, but rather acting as an amplifier for better, fairer decisions. Candidate Experience: How an automated process can actually achieve a 9/10 satisfaction rate, even for neurodiverse candidates. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Job Analysis is Non-Negotiable: If you don't define what a person actually does all day (the tasks and behaviors), no hiring tool can save you. Standardization = Fairness: Unstructured interviews default to the "loudest voice in the room." Using the same questions for every candidate is the simplest way to reduce bias. No More Ghosting: Using AI at the top of the funnel allows you to provide feedback to every candidate, protecting your employer brand. Connect with Kate Young & Sapia.ai Website: https://www.sapia.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-young-1359483/ 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. Part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Over the past few years, the world of work has shifted. Layoffs are rising, AI is reshaping industries, and career paths that once felt like solid ground now feel uncertain. But beyond the headlines, something quieter is happening: professionals everywhere are questioning whether the careers they’ve built actually align with who they are today. In this special LinkedIn Live panel discussion, hosts Al & Leanne Elliott are joined by three industry experts to explore whether we are seeing a temporary reaction to economic uncertainty or a deeper, structural shift in how we think about our professional lives. 🎙️ Meet the Panel Che Ugwuala: Global Lead for Android Marketing Strategy at Google and LinkedIn creator exploring ambition and the realities of modern professional life. Connect with Che: https://www.linkedin.com/in/che-ugwuala-mba-1749ab21/ Kelly Garthwaite: Former Red Bull Media House leader turned founder and co-host of The Naked Room podcast. Connect with Kelly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-garthwaite/ Erica Breuer: Creative and go-to-market strategist working at the intersection of culture, creativity, and strategy. Connect with Erica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ 🔥 Key Themes Explored The Identity Crisis: For many, work is tied closely to identity. What happens when the job you built your life around no longer fits? Stability vs. Purpose: Is "purposeful work" a realistic goal for everyone, or have we over-romanticized the idea of a dream career? The Reality of Reinvention: What does a major career shift actually look like in practice, beyond the "idealized" version? The Role of Leaders: How can managers support teams through career uncertainty without overstepping or pretending to have all the answers? The Future of Work: Is the "Great Career Re-evaluation" a temporary blip or the new normal? 📬 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re deconstructing the "cockroaches of the employment world," exploring a new AI tool that helps you nail your next interview, and digging into the data to see if hiring for "culture fit" is actually a good idea. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. The $75 Lunch That Beats Any Exit Interview Headhunter Nick Corcodilos calls exit interviews the "cockroaches" of the employment world—they serve little purpose, yet they never die. Because departing employees often fear burning bridges, they give safe, generic answers. The Alternative: Wait six months after an employee leaves and invite them to a casual lunch. The Benefit: Time changes the dynamic. Former employees are more objective and willing to provide grounded feedback for the price of a meal. Source: Inc. Magazine - https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/the-75-lunch-that-beats-any-exit-interview/91319277 2. Stop Guessing, Start Coaching: HowToJob & Interviewly Al explores HowToJob, an all-in-one platform built by HR veteran Milo Sevelj to help candidates navigate a brutal job market. Interviewly: A standout feature that generates role-specific interview questions and provides structured feedback on your recorded answers. The Impact: It moves beyond practicing in a mirror by giving candidates real-time data on what landed and what didn't. Connect with Milo Sevelj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milosevelj/ 3. The Power of Intergenerational Teams New research suggests that age diversity isn't just something to "manage"—it’s a competitive advantage. The Findings: Older workers feel more employable and capable when they regularly interact and share knowledge with younger colleagues. The Key: It’s not just about sitting next to each other; it’s about a two-way flow of experience and new skills. Source: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology - https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.70061?af=R 🧠 Truth or Lie: You Should Hire for Culture Fit Around 80% of employers prioritize "culture fit," but Leanne digs into the evidence to see if it actually predicts success. The Truth: Fit does predict job satisfaction (19%) and organizational commitment (26%). The Lie: It is one of the weakest predictors of actual job performance, accounting for less than 1% of the variance. The Verdict: "Culture fit" is often a subjective "airport test" that lets bias in the back door. Instead, look for "Culture Add." 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three tough listener dilemmas: The Policy Trap: How do you enforce a 5-day return-to-office mandate when you don’t believe in it yourself? The Complicity Crisis: If your employer treats you well but treats others poorly, are you complicit by staying? Scaling Culture: How do you move from "being the culture" to building a culture that works without you as the team grows? 📬 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Listen to all the shows here: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

Fifteen years ago, Jeffrey Fermin co-founded OfficeVibe, one of the world's first employee pulse survey platforms. Since then, the HR tech market has exploded with over 200 similar tools, yet global employee disengagement remains stubbornly high. In this very honest episode, Jeffrey joins Al and Leanne to explain why the industry he helped create hasn't solved the problem it promised to fix. We dive into the "subscription economy" traps of HR Tech, the rise of "job hugging" in 2025/26, and why your fancy engagement dashboard might actually be making things worse. 🔥 What we cover this week: The "Vitamin" vs. "Painkiller" Problem: Why most engagement tools only show you the problem but provide no help in actually fixing it. The Ethics of AI in HR: How AI should act as an "amplifier, not a replacement" for human relations by removing manual tasks and surfacing contextual themes. Job Hugging: Why employees are clinging to roles out of fear in the current market, and why this is actually the best time for employers to double down on culture. Stop Building for the Dashboard: Jeffrey’s biggest regret from his early startup days and why we need to stop building for HR metrics and start building for the employee experience. The Difference Between Engagement & Relations: How to distinguish between general culture "vibes" and serious employee safety or compliance issues that require platforms like AllVoices. 🎙️ Guest Information Jeffrey Fermin is the Head of Demand Generation at AllVoices and the host of the People First podcast. He is a pioneer in the people analytics space and a vocal advocate for ethical, actionable HR technology. Email: jeffrey@allvoices.co Website: www.allvoices.co LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jfermin Social Media (IG, TikTok, Youtube, Threads): @fermintalkswork Podcast (YouTube): People First Podcast 📬 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 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines — https://findahelpline.com Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we’re diving into the "Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale," exploring why a university degree might be holding your hiring back, and debunking the toxic productivity of the 3:50 AM wake-up call. 🔥 Stories Covered 1. The Science of "Corporate Bullshit" Leanne introduces the Corporate Bullshit Receptivity Scale, a real psychological study from Cornell University. The Definition: "Corporate Bullshit" is defined as semantically empty jargon used in a functionally misleading way. The Finding: Research shows that people who find vague, jargon-heavy statements profound often score lower on analytical thinking and decision-making. The Impact: In the workplace, rewarding this language leads to worse decisions and a culture of performance over substance. 2. The Rise of "New-Collar" Jobs Al explores a term coined by the former CEO of IBM: New-Collar jobs. Skills over Degrees: These are highly skilled, well-paid roles in AI, cybersecurity, and tech that don't require a traditional university degree. The Stats: It's predicted that 60% of new jobs created between 2020 and 2030 will be "new-collar." The Barrier: Despite the talent shortage, 60% of employers still reject candidates with the right skills simply because they lack a degree. 3. Would You Walk Out of a Messy Interview? A viral Reddit story sparks a debate on candidate experience. The Red Flag: A senior professional ended their application process after a recruiter failed to show up for the first interview and was late for the second. The Lesson: Your hiring process is a direct signal of your company culture. If communication is messy before day one, candidates assume it’s messy on the inside. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Are Morning People More Successful? Is the 5:00 AM (or 3:50 AM!) alarm truly the secret to success, or are we just glorifying sleep deprivation? The Truth: Studies show "Larks" often earn 4-5% more than "Owls" and perform better in school. The Lie: This isn't because morning people are more disciplined. It’s because the world (schools and 9-5 offices) is built for their biology. The Cost: Forcing an "Owl" into a "Lark" schedule leads to Social Jetlag, higher cortisol levels, and increased risk of depression. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three listener dilemmas: The "Silent" Meeting: How do you handle it when the same two people dominate every conversation? Leanne shares tips on balancing participation without it feeling forced. Check out our deep dive on meetings here: What if meetings were the best part of your day? The Overwhelmed Founder: Transitioning from "doing the work" to "leading others." The Toxic High-Performer: What to do when your top talent is quietly damaging team morale. 📬 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com

Bill Yost, a people analytics leader who ran Google’s Googlegeist and now leads analytics at Netflix. He explains why many engagement surveys waste goodwill and how to design surveys that drive change. Short takes on dashboards vs exploration, confidential vs anonymous feedback, pulse survey trade-offs, and spotting response bias.

Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. In this episode: We explore why "Brand Well-being" is the new secret to a 47% ROI, why a Silicon Valley startup is banning "tech bros" in favour of over-50s, and why the coworking dream is being replaced by the "proworking" revolution. Plus, we debunk the multitasking myth and solve your workplace dilemmas. 🔥 This Week in Work: The News Round-Up Brand Well-being: The Competitive Advantage Is your brand just a logo, or a healthy ecosystem? Leanne introduces "Brand Well-being"—the idea that success depends on the health of employees, internal culture, and customers. With research showing a 47% ROI on well-being programmes and the Work Wellbeing 100 outperforming the market, we ask: why is this still treated as an optional extra? Fast Company Article: https://www.fastcompany.com/91474208/what-is-brand-well-being-and-can-it-give-you-a-competitive-advantage-leadership-brands-well-being The Silicon Valley "Anti-Tech-Bro" Shift Startup Snowcap Compute is flipping the script by hiring a team with an average age of over 50. In a hardware industry where one mistake costs nine months of progress, CEO Mike Lafferty argues that "veteran" skepticism beats "youthful" trust in models. We discuss why deep experience is becoming a primary competitive advantage. Inc Article: https://www.inc.com/kevin-haynes/tech-bros-need-not-apply-a-silicon-valley-hiring-twist/91313738 The Death of Coworking & The Rise of "Proworking" Is the "Bromad" era over? Al explores why serious professionals are quietly leaving open-plan coworking spaces. As home becomes the default for many, the office must offer something better: quiet, privacy, and "proworking" spaces that offer a door that actually shuts. Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/12/15/the-private-office-revival-why-professionals-are-quietly-leaving-coworking-behind/ 🧠 Truth or Lie: Can Some People Genuinely Multitask? We put the "supertasker" under the microscope. While 2.5% of the population might handle heavy cognitive loads more efficiently, for the other 97.5% of us, multitasking is just expensive "task switching." We also look at how AI isn't making us better at juggling—it’s just taking some of the balls out of the air for us. 🏥 The Workplace Surgery The "Zero Ambition" Contributor: Is it a problem if a top performer just wants to do their job and go home? Leading Hard Conversations: Advice for HR pros and managers on staying neutral when things get emotional. Podcast ROI: Is starting a business podcast in 2026 a smart growth strategy or a vanity project? 📬 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 Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com

Tom LeNoble, author, leadership coach, and Facebook’s employee #57 who survived multiple life-threatening illnesses. He recounts interviewing with a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg and building early Facebook support. He shares living and working through repeated terminal diagnoses, leading layoffs with dignity, and blending identities from executive suits to performing as Rita Dayworth.

They explore the rise of friction-maxxing, where people choose slower, more effortful work to preserve judgment. They discuss massive AI-driven layoffs at Block and the debate over blunt honesty about automation. They unpack how late-night leader emails create a climate of constant connectivity and collective exhaustion. They also examine twin-study findings on whether leadership is genetic or shaped by experience.