Truth, Lies and Work

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.

Juliette Alban-Metcalfe, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and CEO of Real World Group, who builds evidence-based leadership and culture assessments. She argues behaviour matters far more than personality tests. The conversation covers why 360 feedback beats profiling, how founders become accidental managers, using assessments to build psychological safety, and two simple actions leaders can use to boost team engagement.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we explore the "silent disengagement" trend, the surprising truth about Gen Z and the office, and the psychological reason why the end of a project feels harder than the beginning. Plus, we settle the ultimate workplace debate: do people leave managers or jobs? Stories Covered 1. The Rise of "Silent Disengagement" Is office culture dying, or is it just getting quieter? We look at silent disengagement, where employees do the work but mentally pull back, speaking less in meetings and avoiding new projects. Leanne argues this isn't a new remote work problem, but a long-standing issue of employees not feeling valued or challenged. Source: Silent Disengagement: The work trend explained 2. Gen Z: Leading the Charge Back to the Office? Forget the lazy stereotypes. New data suggests Gen Z is actually leading the return to the office for social connection and development. We share the story of a 24-year-old commuting four hours a day just to be in the room. It turns out, different life stages need different work models—and flexibility increases engagement for everyone. 3. Why the "Last Stretch" Feels the Hardest Ever noticed how the final 10% of a project feels more draining than the first 90%? A new study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology explains that fatigue heightens as we become more aware of the effort we've already invested. The fix? Zoom out and frame the task as part of a bigger goal. Read the paper: More done, more drained (Zeng et al., 2025) BPS Digest: How to get through the last push Truth or Lie: Do people really leave managers, not jobs? It is one of the most common beliefs in business: "People don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers." Leanne digs into the research from Gallup, McKinsey, and Facebook to find the truth. While poor leadership dramatically increases the odds of someone quitting, we reveal the other factors that actually drive the Great Resignation. Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three tough questions from our listeners: Unlimited Holiday: Is it a brilliant trust-building exercise or a recipe for anxiety and "leavism"? Lifting Morale: How do you rebuild energy in a team that is flat after a draining year of changes and stress? The "30-Second" Interview: What do you do when you know a candidate isn't right within seconds of meeting them? 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 proud to be part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re diving into how AI is actually landing in the workplace — and what that means for managers, employees and the future of work. Our guest is Andrew Palmer, host of Boss Class from The Economist and author of the Bartleby management column. In Season 3 of Boss Class, Andrew goes hands-on with AI — not just talking about it, but living with it, testing it and asking the questions leaders need to answer as the technology transforms jobs and organisations. This episode isn’t about hype. It’s about what AI is actually good at today, what it’s still terrible at, and how leaders should think about deploying it in ways that help people — not replace them. 🔥 What you’ll learn 1) AI isn’t coming. It’s here. Season 3 of Boss Class opens with Andrew trying generative AI tools in real work routines — even asking Claude to draft his management column — and discovering both the power and the weirdness that comes with using them. 2) AI reshapes roles, not just tasks Rather than automating jobs wholesale, the most immediate workplace impact of AI is changing how work gets done — augmenting roles, compressing coordination and expanding what managers are responsible for. 3) Imperfect AI still delivers value Some AI tools don’t get things right. But when used as thinking partners — critiquing ideas, suggesting alternatives, or helping leaders make sense of complexity — they make teams more productive and innovative. 4) Leaders need AI literacy, not just tech teams AI affects strategy, priorities and people decisions — not just coding and automation. The organisations that thrive aren’t those that wait for perfect tech, but those that integrate AI intelligently into leadership and workflows. 5) Human judgement still matters Far from making humans obsolete, AI highlights uniquely human strengths: judgment, nuance, people skills and context-aware decision-making. 🧠 Why this matters for work AI is not just a tool — it’s a workforce multiplier. Leaders who understand how to harness AI can reshape productivity, culture and the role of managers in their organisations. Those who don’t risk falling behind as workplace expectations shift rapidly. 🔗 Resources & links Season 3 of Boss Class asks crucial questions about responsibility, adoption and what we truly mean by progress — and this episode brings those questions directly into your workplace context. Listen to Boss Class from The Economist — Season 3 launched January 2026 and explores AI, management and the future of work:https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class Andrew Palmer’s work: search “Boss Class” on podcast platforms or visit The Economist’s podcast page:https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class 💬 Connect with the show Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI – Samaritans Call 116 123 | http://www.samaritans.org UK – Mind Call 0300 123 3393 | https://www.mind.org.uk US – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia – Lifeline Call 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplineshttps://findahelpline.com

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we explore career motivation, generative AI for leaders and the psychology of meaningful work. Plus we put Neuro-Linguistic Programming under the microscope and answer career questions from future business psychologists. 🔥 Stories covered 1. The rise of the “career comedown”motivation, engagement and the future of work. Have you ever hit a major career milestone and felt underwhelmed? Leanne introduces the term career comedown, coined by Stefanie Sword-Williams. It describes the emotional slump that can follow promotions, pay rises and career success. Many professionals report feeling bored, stuck or disconnected once they reach the goals they worked towards. The research suggests three paths forward: • Stick — reshape your current role • Twist — change direction or reinvent your career • Tap out — reduce how much work defines your identity Source: https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/is-your-career-giving-you-the-ick/ Stefanie Sword-Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanieswordwilliams/ 2. Generative AI becomes a leadership skill These stories matter for leaders, founders and managers navigating Google has launched a Generative AI Leader certification, signalling that AI literacy is becoming a core leadership capability. The programme helps business leaders understand generative AI, identify opportunities and adopt AI responsibly. Leaders who lack AI literacy risk making strategic decisions without the full picture. Learn more: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/generative-ai-leader 3. Hope is the emotion that creates meaning at work New psychological research shows hope may be more important than happiness for creating a meaningful life. Across six studies with more than 2,300 participants, researchers found hope strongly predicts meaning, motivation and wellbeing. Seeing progress, believing change is possible and having a future direction all boost engagement at work. For leaders, clarity, visible progress and realistic optimism matter more than constant positivity. 🧠 Truth or Lie: Does NLP actually work? This week we explore Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). While NLP training can boost confidence and communication skills, strong scientific evidence for its broader claims is limited. Many techniques overlap with established psychology, but NLP itself is not considered a robust evidence-based approach. 💬 Workplace Surgery – Special edition This week’s questions come from The Business Psycho, a new platform launching for students and early-career professionals in business psychology. We discuss: • Breaking into business psychology • The real people problems inside organisations • Mistakes leaders make when trying to fix culture • Future trends in workplace psychology Follow The Business Psychohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-psycho/https://www.instagram.com/thebusinesspsycho.official Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne 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 helplineshttps://findahelpline.com 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

What happens when a small, tight-knit team suddenly starts to grow fast? This week on Truth, Lies & Work, we’re joined by Steve Kemish to talk about the most uncomfortable phase of company growth. The moment when your business moves from a handful of people to a real organisation. Steve calls it the puberty of a company and if you have ever scaled a team, you will know exactly what he means. Steve has grown a marketing agency from a small team into a business approaching 50 people. In this conversation, he shares what leaders rarely talk about when growth accelerates. The identity crisis, the culture wobble, the communication breakdowns and the leadership shifts that suddenly become unavoidable. This episode is packed with practical advice for founders, leaders and managers navigating rapid growth. Key Takeaways Why growth changes everythingMany founders assume growth is purely positive. In reality, scaling introduces new complexity overnight. Communication becomes harder. Informal processes stop working. Leaders who once knew everything now have to learn to let go. The “puberty phase” of organisationsSteve explains why the jump from around 13 to 20 employees is a major turning point. This is when businesses must move from instinct and intuition to structure and systems. Without that shift, chaos quickly follows. The leadership identity shiftThe skills that help you start a business are not the same skills needed to scale one. Founders must evolve from doers into leaders, from decision-makers into decision-enablers. Culture under pressureGrowth puts pressure on culture. New hires bring fresh perspectives, expectations and habits. Leaders must become intentional about culture rather than relying on “how things have always been.” Communication becomes the biggest challengeAs teams grow, assumptions and informal conversations stop working. Leaders must learn to communicate clearly, consistently and at scale. Why this episode matters If you are hiring quickly, planning to scale or feeling the growing pains of expansion, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating one of the most challenging phases of leadership. Connect with Steve Kemish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skemish/ Website: http://www.intermedia-global.com Connect with the show Follow Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/Follow Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Email: hello@truthliesandwork.comWebsite: https://truthliesandwork.com Mental health resources UK: https://www.mind.org.uk UK Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org US: https://988lifeline.org International: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network – the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re asking: how prepared are workplaces for real life transitions, what happens when AI becomes your colleague, and does your name secretly shape your career? 🔥 Stories covered Matrescence: the workplace transition nobody plans for Leanne introduces a word we should all know: matrescence. Similar to adolescence, it describes the emotional, psychological and identity shift that happens when someone becomes a mother. This is one of the most significant transitions in a woman’s career, yet it’s rarely reflected in performance systems, leadership pathways or job design. The question for organisations is simple: instead of asking people to return unchanged, how can we support them to grow forward? Follow the research: https://www.instagram.com/microrosie/ Follow Rose on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-soffel/ 2. The AI that called its owner while he was sleeping A developer created an AI agent that can run a computer, read emails, organise files and complete work independently. Then things escalated. Users began connecting their agents together through a platform called MoltBook, a social network for AI agents to share ideas and improve each other. If AI can do eight hours of work in minutes, what does productivity mean? And what happens when the AI isn’t the company’s tool, but your personal one? Read more:https://openclaw.ai/https://www.moltbook.com/ 3. The biggest workplace problem in 2026 isn’t pay or burnout. It’s managers. A new SHRM report based on thousands of HR leaders and employees found ineffective leadership has overtaken pay and workload as the top workplace concern. In organisations rated ineffective, job satisfaction falls to 44%. In effective workplaces it rises to 91%, and more than half of employees in poorly led organisations expect to leave within a year. Leadership development is now the top priority for HR leaders, with economic uncertainty and AI adoption adding pressure. The message is clear: workplaces don’t fail because people don’t care. They fail because leadership systems don’t support people properly. Read the report: https://www.webpronews.com/boss-bottleneck-why-leadership-tops-2026-workplace-woes/ 🔥 Truth or LieDoes your name influence your career? Nominative determinism suggests people are drawn to jobs that match their names. Early research hinted at a small effect, but larger modern studies found the link disappears when you control for demographics and chance. Verdict: Lie. Your brain loves coincidences, but your career is not written in your name. 💬 Workplace Surgery This week we tackle: • Why personality tools like DiSC remain popular despite weak evidence • Whether small businesses should hire younger workers • How to stand out when starting a career in occupational psychology 🎧 Coming up Thursday We’re joined by Steve Kemish to talk about the “puberty of organisations” and what happens when teams grow fast. 💬 Connect with the show Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans – 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – 988 https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline – 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au Global: https://findahelpline.com

Why do so many change initiatives, town halls and big launches create excitement and then fade with no real behaviour change? In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, Al and Leanne speak with Lindsey Caplan, a former Hollywood screenwriter turned organisational psychologist, about why leaders struggle to influence groups at work and what actually works instead. Lindsey shares the MOVED Model, a practical framework for driving engagement, influencing behaviour and communicating change in a way that sticks. If you lead teams, present ideas, manage projects or drive transformation, this episode explains why information alone never creates change and what does. What you’ll learn Why most workplace change fails Many organisations fall into the transmission trap: the belief that more information leads to better results. More slides, more frameworks and more meetings rarely change behaviour. Real change happens when people feel involved, motivated and emotionally connected. Informing vs influencing at work Influencing one person is very different from influencing a group. Leaders often assume employees are already motivated and aligned, but many are neutral, cautious or distracted. Real change begins with a better question: What do we need people to do differently? Not: What do we need to tell them? The MOVED Model explained Lindsey’s framework maps how leaders try to influence behaviour using two key dimensions. Push vs Pull: is change being done to people or with people? Generic vs Personalised: is the message broad or relevant to individuals? These create four outcomes: compliance, awareness, entertainment and engagement. Most organisations aim for engagement but accidentally design for compliance. What Taylor Swift can teach leaders Great performers design experiences that involve their audience. Leaders can do the same by giving people a role in the change, creating curiosity with a central question, sharing emotion as well as expertise and showing why the change matters to employees. The message is simple: perform with people, not at people. Practical leadership takeaways Decide the behaviour you want before designing the message. Pull people into change instead of pushing information at them. Stop saying “I’m excited about this change” and explain why employees should be. Resources and links Take the MOVED Model quiz: https://www.gatheringeffect.com/quiz Connect with Lindsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseycaplan/ Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Connect with the hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ Mental health support UK & ROI: Samaritans – 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – 988 https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline – 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au Global support: https://findahelpline.com

A LinkedIn Live conversation on money confidence, risk and the future of careers Over the last few years, work has quietly shifted from ambition to survival. Rising living costs, economic uncertainty, layoffs and AI have changed how people make career decisions. Instead of taking risks or pursuing meaningful work, many are staying put not because they want to, but because it feels safer to stay. The media has called this the Big Stay or job-hugging. Why these two perspectives together Louise and Ruth operate at different, but deeply connected, points in the system. Louise works at the earliest stage, where money beliefs, habits and confidence are formed in childhood and adolescence. Ruth works at the adult decision-making stage, where financial confidence shapes career risk-taking, leadership progression, entrepreneurship and long-term wellbeing. Together, they offer an end-to-end view of how money confidence shapes working lives. Why money confidence often matters more than income when it comes to career choices How financial insecurity quietly shapes promotions, leadership ambition and risk-taking Why people from less affluent backgrounds are less likely to take career risks, even when highly capable How early money beliefs follow people into adulthood and the workplace Why financial wellbeing is the most neglected pillar of workplace wellbeing What leaders and organisations can do to reduce fear-driven decision-making without being intrusive What you’ll learn in this episode This conversation reframes financial literacy not as budgeting or products, but as freedom, confidence and optionality. Money confidence influences: Who feels able to negotiate, speak up or take risks Who progresses into leadership roles Who starts businesses or new ventures Who opts out, plays safe or stays stuck Why this matters for leaders and organisations For leaders concerned about engagement, retention, wellbeing, DEI and social mobility, this episode highlights a hidden but powerful driver of workplace behaviour. About our guests Louise Hill Co-founder of GoHenry, a financial education platform helping children and young people build money confidence from an early age. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hill-5197614/ 🔗 GoHenry: https://www.gohenry.com Ruth Handcock CEO of Octopus Money, supporting adults and employees to make confident financial decisions about work, life and the future. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-handcock-obe-71b3656/ 🔗 Octopus Money: https://octopusmoney.com 🎧 Who this episode is for Leaders and managers worried about engagement, retention and risk-aversion HR and People teams focused on wellbeing, DEI and social mobility Parents thinking about the long-term impact of money conversations at home Employees feeling cautious, stuck or unable to take career risks Founders and policymakers interested in innovation and economic participation 💬 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work Website: https://truthliesandwork.com Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork Connect with the hosts Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/ Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/ 🧠 Mental health support If this conversation brings anything up for you: UK & ROI: Samaritans — 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org US: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988 | https://988lifeline.org Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com