Better At Work with Cathal Quinlan

Laura Gassner-Otting (Wall Street Journal bestselling author) joins Cathal in the London studio to challenge everything we think we know about success.

This is Laura's UK/Ireland podcast debut, recorded at Christmas after a mulled wine with incredible energy.

IN THIS EPISODE:
The Four Horsemen of Success (and why they drive Laura batty):

1. "I'll be happy when..." - Life is short. Refuse to not be happy NOW.
2. Purpose - Your job doesn't need a white hat to have purpose.
3. Follow your passion - The "live, laugh, love" tattoo of career advice.
4. Balance - We need alignment, not balance. Code-switching is exhausting.

Need to Make vs Want to Make Numbers:
We all have two numbers. Need to make: bills, food, school. Want to make: Claridge's vs Holiday Inn, Rolls Royce vs Hyundai. In between are the sacrifices you'll make.

Caroline's Story:
Laura wanted to promote her to VP. Caroline said no thank you. She'd just had a baby and wanted to be present. Three years later, she got promoted. Still with the firm 10 years after Laura sold it.

Eleanor Roosevelt: "We would worry much less about what other people thought about us if we realised how seldom they did."

Whose Goal Is This?
We define success at 17-18 before our frontal lobe is fully formed. Laura dropped out of law school - it was her fourth grade teacher's goal, not hers. Give yourself grace to change.

Work-Life Alignment > Balance:
You're friends with coworkers on social media. It's already integrated. Stop separating work and life. Find alignment instead. Code-switching is exhausting.

Feeling Seen vs Feeling Loved:
Laura's therapy revelation: She felt loved transactionally (got grades = we love you). But did she feel seen? Could she have said "I don't want law school, I want to be an artist"?

Key Insights:
"I refuse to not be happy NOW. They retire and have heart attacks."

"Follow your passion is the live, laugh, love tattoo of career advice."

"I think we're not too busy. We're too busy doing things that don't matter to us."

"When you find alignment, you just move from one to the other pretty seamlessly."

ABOUT LAURA GASSNER-OTTING:

Author of "Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path" and "Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn't Feel Like It Should."

20 years as executive recruiter, sold her firm, now speaker/consultant. Regularly on Good Morning America.

Website: lauragassnerotting.com

Submit your career dilemma: betteratwork.net

Better at Work - Making work better, one conversation at a time.
New episodes every Thursday.

Hosted by Cathal Quinlan

Q&A episode with Annette's top takeaways from Russell Beck + critical advice for dealing with burnout at work.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Annette's 3 Takeaways from Russell Beck:

1. The Rise of Artist Engineers (STEM → STEAM)
Why creativity and art matter more than ever in the future of work. Drawing as a tool for thinking.

2. One Size Fits One
Managers need to understand how each person works best while balancing the team's needs.

3. Work as a Friend Factory
Why having friends at work isn't just nice—it's critical for engagement, retention, and culture.

Listener Question: Burnout at a Major Organisation

Ellie asked: How do I get out of a toxic workplace without destroying my career?

Cathal's advice:
- You need at least 2 months off to recover
- Consider consulting/contract work instead of another corporate role
- Get back to the work you love (not just management drama)

Annette's practical daily tactics:
- 10-minute morning meditation (Calm app)
- Mammalian dive reflex for grounding (2-min exercise)
- Schedule 20-min coffee with work friends
- Weekend self-care: massage, sauna, nature walks
- Career counseling or coaching
- Bill Cowan's career transition process

Key Insights:

"Work can be a friend factory." - Aisha Bousaid

"Employees with a best friend at work are 7x more likely to be fully engaged." - Gallup

"We take jobs for the salary. We quit because of culture." - Bruce Daisley

"Burnout is really real. The longer it goes on, the harder it is to pull back out." - Annette Sloan

Resources:

Books: "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards, "Building a Winning Career" by Bill Cowan
Apps: Calm (meditation)
Better at Work: Better Careers modules at betteratwork.net

Submit your career dilemma: betteratwork.net

Next Episode: Laura Gassner-Otting on "Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody and Carve Your Own Path"

Better at Work - Making work better, one conversation at a time.

New episodes every Thursday.

Hosted by Cathal Quinlan & Annette Sloan

You won't lose your job to AI in 2026. You'll lose it to someone who knows how to use AI better.

Russell Beck (author of "The World of Work to 2030" - Leadership Book of the Year) breaks down what's changing in the workplace and how to stay ahead.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Why AI collaboration beats AI competition
- How technology democratizes work by destroying skills, not jobs
- The 3 skill buckets for 2030: creativity, self-efficacy, leadership
- The JFK janitor who said "I'm helping put a man on the moon"
- Why your manager impacts your mental health as much as your partner
- Active listening: the skill most people aren't using

Russell's key insight: "I'm not worried about whether AI is thinking. I'm worried about whether humans are thinking."

Russell Beck has worked in 25 countries, was European Head of Talent at Yahoo, and now helps organisations future-proof their people strategies.

Book: "The World of Work to 2030" by Russell Beck
Website: imaginethinkdo.com

Submit your career question: betteratwork.net

Better at Work - Making work better, one conversation at a time.
New episodes every Thursday.

Our final episode of 2025! Cathal and Annette wrap up the year with takeaways from last week's Smart Conflict episode - plus Annette has a hilarious problem: she can't stop saying the word "problematic."

In this Christmas special, we review key lessons from Alice Driscoll and Louise van Haast's brilliant conversation, thank our amazing community, and ask for your help with Annette's vocabulary crisis.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Christmas catch-up with Cathal and Annette
- Why last week's Smart Conflict episode is perfect for family gatherings
- Annette's 3 takeaways from Smart Conflict
- The 5 R's framework: Reflection, Regulation, Readiness, Response, Repair
- Singles tennis to doubles tennis: Shifting from adversarial to collaborative
- Annette's "problematic" word problem - we need your help!
- Why "problematic" has become problematic
- Thank yous to the team: Phoebe, Harrison, Grace
- Thank yous to listeners: Angela Collins, David Monroe, Linda Menos, Jesse
- Preview: Russell Beck on World of Work to 2030 (first episode back January)
- Christmas wishes and 2026 excitement

ANNETTE'S 3 SMART CONFLICT TAKEAWAYS:

1. The 5 R's Framework - Reflection, Regulation, Readiness, Response, Repair. If you're short on time, focus on REPAIR.

2. Singles Tennis to Doubles Tennis - Move from adversarial (me vs you) to collaborative (us vs the problem together).

3. The Decision Tree - Should I have this hard conversation? The book has a decision tree that helps you work through it.

THE "PROBLEMATIC" CHALLENGE:

Annette has banned herself from using the word "problematic" after realizing she says it constantly. She needs a replacement word that isn't "aligned" (already banned), isn't too rude, and works professionally.

Help Annette! What should she say instead?

RESOURCES:

Smart Conflict Book: How to Have Hard Conversations at Work
Authors: Alice Driscoll and Louise van Haast
Last Week's Episode: Smart Conflict with Alice and Louise
Website: betteratwork.net
Instagram: @betteratwork

ABOUT BETTER AT WORK:

Making your work life better, one conversation at a time. New episodes every Thursday.

We're back in January 2026 with Russell Beck discussing the World of Work to 2030.

Submit your career dilemma: betteratwork.net

Thank you for an incredible 2025! See you in January 2026.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Cathal, Annette, and the Better at Work team!

Louise van Haast and Alice Driscoll, co-authors of Smart Conflict: How to Have Hard Conversations at Work, join Cathal in-studio for a masterclass in navigating workplace conflict.

This is our first in-studio episode with 4-camera setup - and it looks stunning.

If you've ever avoided a difficult conversation, taken feedback too personally, or struggled to speak up at work, this episode is for you.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Where their passion for conflict work began
- How they met and decided to write a book together
- The two main conflict styles: harmony-seeking vs goal-focused
- "Get curious, not furious" - the principle that changes everything
- Alice's story: "Feedback isn't that I don't like you"
- Ripcord phrases to exit conversations gracefully
- Louise's lesson: "Just because you're good at it doesn't mean you enjoy it"
- The Conflict Style Quiz (both individual and team)
- Practical scripts for hard conversations

KEY INSIGHTS:

"Get curious, not furious. Whether you're someone who avoids conflict or someone who charges straight in, this principle applies. When you notice you're getting furious, pause and get curious instead." - Louise and Alice

"Every time I heard feedback, I was collapsing it into 'you're not good enough.' Then someone finally said: 'You know this feedback isn't that I don't like you, right?' It was a light bulb moment." - Alice Driscoll

"Just because you're really good at something doesn't mean you enjoy it. And just because other people think you should keep pursuing it doesn't mean you should have to." - Louise van Haast

"I wasn't expecting to have this conversation. I need some time to reflect so I can give you a considered response." - Ripcord phrase for exiting conversations

ABOUT LOUISE VAN HAAST AND ALICE DRISCOLL:

Louise van Haast and Alice Driscoll are executive coaches, conflict specialists, and co-authors of Smart Conflict. They help leaders and teams navigate difficult conversations with confidence and skill.

Louise started her career in advertising where she witnessed high conflict and big egos. She became passionate about finding better ways to navigate workplace tension.

Alice grew up as the hyper-aware child analysing family dynamics. She went on to work in human rights NGOs where conflict was constant. Through painful self-awareness moments, she learned how to navigate difficult conversations effectively.

Together, they've created practical frameworks for handling workplace conflict without avoiding it or escalating it.

RESOURCES:

Book: Smart Conflict - How to Have Hard Conversations at Work
Website: thepowerhousecompany.com
Conflict Style Quiz: thepowerhousecompany.com/quiz
Individual and team versions available
Coaching Programs: thepowerhousecompany.com

ABOUT BETTER AT WORK:

Making your work life better, one conversation at a time. We tackle the real challenges of modern work with practical advice you can use immediately.

New episodes every Thursday.
Guest interviews and listener Q&A episodes.

Website: betteratwork.net
Instagram: @betteratwork
Submit Your Question: betteratwork.net

NEXT EPISODE:
Listener Q&A with Annette - Takeaways from this Smart Conflict conversation

Submit your career dilemma: betteratwork.net