Truth, Lies and Work

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week is a very special "cross-over" episode as we are joined by Alexis Zahner and Sally Clarke, hosts of the Live+Work More Human podcast. Together, we tackle the "bums on seats" myth, the stress of AI limits, and why being a "vulnerable" leader is more nuanced than you think.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. The "Sh*tcut": When Speed Kills Quality
Leanne introduces a new term from James Hardie: the sh*tcut. While a shortcut is a disciplined way to save time while protecting quality, a shtcut* is moving faster by skipping the essential thinking and checks. We discuss why businesses fall into this trap and how to use the C Method (Clarity, Checks, and Consequences) plus Courage to avoid it.

Read more here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/really-shortcut-shtcut-james-hardie-rouye/?trackingId=aTyABh%2F%2BTgCbctmdoTx97w%3D%3D

2. The 4:30 PM Empty Office
Sally shares a viral story of an Indian tech professional in Sweden who was stunned to find her office completely vacant by 4:30 PM. In Sweden, the emphasis is on quality of work over "warming a chair." We dive into why the "always-on" badge of honor is a recipe for burnout and why recovery must be treated as a professional norm.

Watch the video: https://www.google.com/search?q=viral+video+of+swedish+office&oq=viral+video+of+swedish+office&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRiPAtIBCDQzNDlqMGo5qAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:d0449930,vid:iMc8VrcsfQs,st:0

Read the story: https://www.ndtv.com/feature/empty-office-at-4-30-pm-indian-techie-highlights-swedens-work-culture-11275625

3. Token Anxiety: The New AI Stress
Al reveals a bizarre new workplace stress: Token Anxiety. Whether it's watching your daily AI allowance creep up or feeling guilty that your AI isn't "working" while you sleep, it's a very modern FOMO. Interestingly, research shows that even AI models start to produce "sloppy code" and cut corners when they near their context limits—just like an overworked human on a Friday afternoon.

🧠 Truth or Lie: Does Vulnerability Make You a Better Leader?

Alexis puts the "vulnerability" gospel to the test. While popular, the research shows it’s a double-edged sword.


The Truth: Sharing critical feedback about your own performance builds psychological safety.


The Lie: "Willy-nilly" oversharing without strategy signals incompetence.


The Verdict: Leadership vulnerability only works when paired with discernment, humble self-assessment, and a clear plan for growth.

💬 Workplace Surgery

Our panel of four experts answers your burning questions:


Leading through your own burnout: How do you support a team when you’re running on empty? Sally suggests seeking outside help pronto and putting on your own oxygen mask first.


Leading culture "uphill": What to do when the organization rewards speed but you want to protect your team? Lex discusses creating a "micro-culture" and using the language of business to defend boundaries.


The "Hiring Like Me" Trap: Why hiring for "culture fit" often leads to groupthink and how to move toward "culture add."

📬 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: [email protected]
– Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Connect with our Guests
– Alexis Zahner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiszahner/
– Sally Clarke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyclarkeevolve/
– Website: https://liveandworkmorehuman.com/

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.

Ken Blanchard was told in college he couldn't write. His graduate professors said he lacked academic ability. When he finished The One Minute Manager, his colleagues warned him it would embarrass him professionally. It went on to sell 15 million copies and become one of the most influential business books ever written.

In this episode, we sit down with Martha Lawrence — editor, novelist, and the woman who spent 22 years working directly alongside Ken Blanchard. Martha recently wrote his biography, Catch People Doing Things Right, and she's here to share what she learned about the man, the philosophy, and why his ideas matter more than ever in today's leadership landscape.

📖 What We Discuss with Martha Lawrence

1. The Book That Broke the Rules
In 1982, business books were dense, academic, and hundreds of pages long. Ken Blanchard wrote a 100-page parable — and invented an entirely new category. Martha explains how a chance meeting at a cocktail party led to one of the most counterintuitive publishing decisions in history, and why Ken's colleagues thought it would ruin his reputation.

2. Leading With Love — What It Actually Means
"Leading with love" sounds soft. It isn't. Martha unpacks what Ken really meant: getting yourself out of the way so other people can be magnificent. She explains why this philosophy is harder to execute than command-and-control leadership — and why it produces better results.

3. EGO = Edging Good Out
In a world of loud, aggressive, title-obsessed leaders, Ken had a different definition of ego. Martha shares how his father's advice on the day he became seventh grade class president shaped his entire leadership philosophy — and why people follow leaders they trust, not leaders with impressive job titles.

4. What He Did With a Tape Recorder
Two stories from Martha's biography that stop you in your tracks: what Ken did when an employee's widow visited the office, and what he did the night his own father was dying. Both reveal the difference between someone who talks about values and someone who actually lives them.

5. The 9/11 Test
After 9/11, the Blanchard organisation was losing millions. The leadership team discussed layoffs for the first time in company history. What Ken did next is one of the most striking examples of transparent, human leadership you'll hear — and it ended with the whole company in Maui.

🔗 Connect with Martha Lawrence

Website: https://www.marthalawrence.com

Ken Blanchard's books: https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com

Blanchard organisation: https://www.blanchard.com

📬 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: [email protected]

Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

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 podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. This week, we are joined by special guest Dr. Jake Tuber, an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and founder of Ticon Advisory, recently named one of the Leadership Center for Excellence’s 40 Under 40.

In this episode, we explore the surprising power of "Londonmaxxing," why hustle culture might be a young person's game, and whether money is actually the best way to get your team to perform.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Is "Londonmaxxing" the Secret to Rapid Growth?
Some UK entrepreneurs are moving back into the office—but not for the reason you think. "Londonmaxxing" is the practice of being in close physical proximity to other ambitious, high-growth businesses to accelerate your own success. We look at an office block in Southwark where 13 companies are collectively turning over £150 million simply by sharing a kitchen and a vibe.

2. Is Hustle Culture Just a Young Person's Game?
We’ve all heard the "rise and grind" mantras, but research suggests that after 40, your "capacity" hasn't changed—your stakes have. We discuss why mid-life professionals often trade intensity for sustainability and why "running out of juice" is actually just a sophisticated risk assessment by your brain.

🧠 Truth or Lie: Is Money the Best Motivator?

Dr. Jake Tuber leads us through a deep dive into the psychology of compensation. While performance-based pay can drive results, it isn't always the "best" way to inspire your team.


The Pro: Money increases perceptions of fairness and works well for simple tasks with a clear line of sight.


The Con: For knowledge work and creative tasks, performance-based pay can actually lower motivation if it feels controlling or manipulative.


The Verdict: It's a "hygiene factor." You need enough to mitigate dissatisfaction, but true flourishing comes from autonomy, meaning, and recognition.

💬 Workplace Surgery

This week, Al, Leanne, and Dr. Jake tackle three tough listener questions:


AI Skills vs. Experience: Should you follow Reddit’s lead and hire graduates because they are "AI-native," or is judgment still king?


Disappearing Values: What do you do when your company’s EDI commitments quietly vanish from the website and the lead role isn't replaced?


The "Accidental Manager" Trap: Why do 82% of managers get promoted without any training, and how do you navigate performance issues and conflict when you've been left to figure it out alone?

🤝 Connect with Dr. Jake Tuber


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaketuber/


Website: www.ticonadvisory.com


Podcast (Forces at Work): https://forcesatwork.transistor.fm/

Special Offer: Dr. Jake is offering our listeners six months of free access to his Substack, Workwise. Use this link to claim: https://workwise.substack.com/1e481d0b

📬 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: [email protected]
– Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Mental health supportUK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.orgUK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.ukUS — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.orgAustralia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.auGlobal helplineshttps://findahelpline.com

Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

Welcome back to a special live edition of Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. This episode is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.

In this panel discussion, hosts Leanne Elliott (Chartered Occupational Psychologist) and Al Elliott (Business Owner) are joined by two industry titans to discuss the "doom and gloom" currently permeating the global workforce.

Joining the conversation are:


Christian Turner: CEO of TK Talent Group, HR veteran with over 100,000 hires under his belt, and Harvard-educated organizational psychologist.


Jeffrey Fermin: Employee engagement expert, founding member of Officevibe, and current lead at All Voices.

🔥 Topics Covered

1. The "Job Hugging" Phenomenon
Low turnover doesn't always equal high engagement. We explore why employees are "hugging" their current roles out of fear rather than loyalty. Christian explains why disengaged employees might give high survey scores just to "not rock the boat" while secretly planning their exit.

2. Redefining Engagement Metrics
Is your expensive employee survey actually telling you anything? The panel discusses why leaders should focus on two "acid test" metrics:


Hiring Metrics: If you can’t attract talent easily, your organization may no longer be attractive.


Glassdoor: Why ignoring your "TripAdvisor for work" is a fatal mistake for HR teams.

3. The Commercial Case for Culture
Investing in people is a commercial necessity. Research shows organizations in the top 25% of engagement scores enjoy 22% higher profitability and 21% higher productivity during economic recoveries compared to those at the bottom.

4. AI: Amplifier or Replacer?
We tackle AI anxiety head-on. Jeffrey argues that AI should be a tool to automate manual tasks so humans can get back to "human skills" like empathy and critical thinking. Christian warns that in a world of "AI gobbledygook," your "super skill" is what keeps you relevant.

🧠 Key Takeaways for Leaders


The "Canceller" Habit: One of the fastest ways to trigger "quiet quitting" is for managers to consistently cancel weekly one-on-ones.


HR is Marketing: Your employees are an extension of your consumer brand. If your internal culture is toxic, your external product will eventually suffer.


Open the Gags: 90% of companies over 50,000 people lack an employee advocacy program. Trusting your people to use their own voice on LinkedIn pays dividends.

🎙️ Guest Connections

Christian Turner
– Website: https://tktalentgroup.com/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristienturner/

Jeffrey Fermin
– Website: https://www.allvoices.co
– Socials: @fermintalkswork (IG, TikTok, YouTube)
– LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jfermin

🤝 Credits

A special thanks to our Associate Producer, Georgia Hodkinson.
– Connect with Georgia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-hodkinson-gmbpss/

📬 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: [email protected]

– Find out how we can support you: https://oblonghq.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. Today, April 2nd, 2026, marks World Autism Day. Statistically, if you have 70 employees, at least one is likely autistic—whether they have disclosed it to you or not.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Laura Dean, a chartered occupational psychologist, President-Elect of the British Psychological Society, and a leading expert on neurodiversity. Laura explains why building a workplace that works for autistic employees isn't just about "being nice"—it’s about high-performance system design that makes work better for everyone.

🧠 What We Discuss with Dr. Laura Dean

1. The "Canary in the Coal Mine"
Laura introduces a powerful framing: autistic employees are the "canaries" of the workplace. The environmental stressors that cause burnout in autistic people—such as ambiguous instructions or rigid social rules—impact the efficiency of your entire workforce; they just impact neurodivergent individuals first.

2. Moving Beyond the "Superpower" Narrative
While it’s often intended as a compliment, framing autism as a "superpower" can be damaging. It reduces people to their "usefulness" to capitalism rather than seeing them as whole human beings. Laura explains why we should value people for who they are, not just for their pattern recognition or logical skills.

3. The Myth of the Empathy Deficit
One of the biggest lies about autism is that autistic people lack empathy. Laura breaks down the difference between Cognitive Empathy and Affective Empathy, explaining why autistic people often have a heightened sense of justice and care.

4. System Design vs. Special Treatment
Inclusion shouldn't be hidden behind a diagnosis. Laura argues for Universal Design: clear written instructions, flexible hours to avoid "sensory hell," and quiet spaces for decompression. These aren't "special favors"—they are the hallmarks of a well-run business.

🚀 Three Takeaways for Leaders


Stop Gatekeeping Support: Don't wait for a formal disclosure to help your team. Ask everyone what they need to do their best work.


Fix the Environment, Not the Person: Predictability and sensory-friendly spaces make your whole team more effective and less likely to burn out.


Drop the Superpower Label: Framing autism as a superpower reduces people to their utility. Focus on creating environments where they can simply be themselves.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Laura Dean


LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauradean1/⁠

📬 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: [email protected]
– 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.