Truth, Lies and Work

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we are skipping Truth or Lie because we have a massive, jam-packed episode featuring the brilliant Cait Donovan! Cait is a culture and leadership keynote speaker, host of Fried: The Burnout Podcast, and author of an upcoming book out later this year.

Together, we tackle the existential anxiety of AI, the baffling world of employee retaliation, a hilariously disastrous federal crime, and a deep-dive workplace surgery to help you protect your energy and lead authentically.

🔥 Stories covered


Word of the Week: Circling Forward
Leanne introduces a phrase coined in an Esquire article by Kyle MacNeill exploring why so many workers feel pessimistic about the future of work. "Circling forward" is the idea that progress doesn't move in a straight line.
Esquire Article Link: https://apple.news/AqVByb5pFTsKcDzvf_F50iA


When Candour Hurts the Business (and Someone Poisons the Chocolate)
Cait brings a highly controversial Harvard Business School article by Henrico Castro-Pires to the table. The research suggests that managers are giving overinflated performance reviews to mediocre employees because they are terrified of employee retaliation—ranging from workplace gossip to an extreme case where an employee dumped ethanol into a tank of melted chocolate.
Harvard Business School Article Link: https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/when-candor-hurts-the-business-economics-of-employee-retaliation


Two Brothers, One Firing, and the Ultimate Teams Call Blunder
Al shares a wild, real-life crime story from February 2025 involving two brothers, Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, who were fired from government contractor Opexus on a joint Microsoft Teams call.
Ars Technica Article Link: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/

💬 Workplace Surgery with Cait Donovan


Question 1: How do I stop being the person everything falls on?
A listener feels completely burnt out after taking on the responsibilities of four roles without a pay raise or promotion, fearing that pushing back will make them look like they can't cope.


Question 2: Hiding the wires as a senior leader.
A executive leader admits they are burning out but feels it is unsafe to tell their team, their board, or their peers, wondering if leadership is just a sustained pretence that everything is fine.


Question 3: Trapped in a culture of meeting overload.
A leader spends three-quarters of their day in meetings, leaving them cognitively empty when it's time for strategic thinking. They’ve tried blocking out calendar time, but the culture runs on meetings as a currency of power and information.

Connect with Cait Donovan
To learn more about Cait's corporate workshops, keynote speaking, and her mission to eradicate chronic stress, visit her website or connect with her on social media. Don't forget to listen to Leanne's guest appearance on Fried: The Burnout Podcast this week!

– Website: https://www.caitdonovan.com
– BurnBold Website: https://www.burnbold.com
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitdonovanspeaks
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitdonovan

📬 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. Find more incredible business shows at https://b2b.hubspot.com/podcast-network

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture.

Have you ever wondered why some of the most brilliant people struggle to get a business off the ground? This week, we are joined by Dr. Rosenna Bakari, a psychologist, empowerment expert, and author of Seven Exits.

Rosenna’s story is a wake-up call for high achievers. After heading to Cornell at 17, earning her PhD, and building a lauded career in academia, she hit a brick wall when she tried to become an entrepreneur. She discovered that the very skills that make you "right" in a classroom—intellect, working alone, and academic rigor—can actually be the primary barriers to success in the real world.

🔥 What We Discuss in This Episode

In this episode, we dive into the psychology of "leaving where you are" and the seven exits you must take to truly grow.


The Hyper Ego: Why smart people often lean into defensiveness instead of awareness when things go wrong.


The "Right vs. Solved" Dilemma: The one question from a mentor that changed Rosenna’s life: "Do you want to be right, or do you want to solve the problem?"


The Trap of Passion and Purpose: Why treating passion like intellect can blind you to what the market actually needs.


Transitioning from Books to People: Why shifting from a high regard for knowledge to a focus on relationships is the essential "knob" to turn for business growth.


The 200-Call Challenge: Rosenna’s journey of moving from a "safe" academic facade to vulnerable, human outreach.

🧠 Key Lessons for Founders and Leaders


Your Intelligence is a Tool, Not a Passport: It can get you in the door, but it won't keep the door open. At some point, you have to change how you show up.


Check Your Ego Before You Blame the Market: When a project fails, the first question shouldn't be about the economy; it should be: "How am I getting in my own way?"


The "Respect vs. Like" Reality: If you believe it doesn't matter if people like you as long as they respect you, entrepreneurship might not be for you. Business moves at the speed of relationships.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Rosenna Bakari

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosenna-bakari-ph-d-b3120194/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr._bakari_empowerment
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosennabakari5535
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sevenexits_rosennabakari/
Website: https://rosennabakari.com
Book: https://transformation.sevenexits.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

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.

Episode 300 is here! 🥂 To celebrate this massive milestone, Al and Leanne are joined by a very special guest, Dr. Jake Tuber. In this jam-packed anniversary edition, we’re tackling the "FOBO" phenomenon, the radical 10% pay rise experiment, and the truth behind high-performing diverse teams.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. The Rise of "FOBO": Why Gen Z is Resisting AI
Move over FOMO—there’s a new acronym in town. FOBO (Fear of Becoming Obsolete) is driving a quiet backlash against AI among Gen Z workers. Leanne breaks down why younger employees are slowing down adoption as a form of self-protection against automation that threatens their long-term value.


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/mar/24/fobo-fear-of-becoming-obsolete-ai-gen-z-workplace

2. The 10% Automatic Pay Rise: A Cure for Toxic Culture?
Stockholm startup Lovable has ditched traditional performance reviews and negotiations. Instead, every employee gets an automatic 10% raise on their anniversary. We debate: Does guaranteed security make people work harder, or does a little "insecurity" keep you sharp?


Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/stockholm-startup-lovable-automatic-10-percent-pay-rise-anniversary-2024-3

3. Workplace Scandals & Economic Indicators
Jake brings two contrasting stories: a massive $1M settlement offer in a high-profile JP Morgan lawsuit and the curious case of US job cuts—which are down everywhere except in the Tech sector. Is AI really the culprit, or is it just a convenient excuse for layoffs?

🧠 Truth or Lie: Do Diverse Teams Perform Better?

It’s the claim that has dominated business strategy since the 90s, but what does the research actually say? Dr. Jake reveals that while cognitive diversity (varied skills and perspectives) consistently boosts innovation, demographic diversity alone can sometimes increase conflict and slow down coordination if not managed correctly.

💬 Workplace Surgery: The Management Edition

In honor of Jake’s upcoming book, The Deliberate Manager, we tackle three burning questions:


The Drained Team Lead: Is the first year of management always this exhausting?


The Group Chat Trap: What do you do when you accidentally see what your team really thinks of you?


Executive Presence: How do you bridge the gap between being a "great executor" and looking like a VP?

🤝 Connect with Dr. Jake Tuber


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


Website: http://www.ticonadvisory.com


Podcast (Forces at Work): https://www.ticonadvisory.com/podcast


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/subscribe?coupon=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 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 to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

Most businesses struggle with recruiting. They post jobs on Indeed, sponsor LinkedIn ads, and cross their fingers. Rachel Harris, co-founder of StriveX Accountants, does the exact opposite. She has built a multimillion-pound firm from her dining room table with a waiting list of over 200 people eager to join her team.

In this episode, Rachel reveals how she treats recruitment like a 24/7 marketing function and why her employees are her most powerful recruitment tool—even when they’re calling her a "micromanager" on social media.

🔥 What we cover in this episode:


The "Always-On" Strategy: Why Rachel never posts "we're hiring" ads and why waiting until you have a vacancy means you're already too late.


Franchising the Inside: How Rachel systemized recruitment and onboarding so the process runs itself, allowing her to focus on the human connection.


Employee Generated Content (EGC): The "no-rules" scheme where Rachel’s team earns bonuses for sharing raw, unscripted stories about their work life.


The "Micromanager" Post: How a post highlighting Rachel’s intense systems became one of their best-performing pieces of recruitment content.


Culture as Credibility: Why a lack of employee advocacy isn't a social media problem—it's a culture problem.

💡 3 Key Lessons for Leaders


Recruit Like a Marketer: Stop selling the job; start showing the life. Use day-in-the-life stories and team moments to sell the culture before a candidate ever applies.


Turn Your Team into Trusted Voices: Authenticity beats polish. Giving your team the freedom to share their real experiences without an approval process builds massive credibility with future hires.


Fix the Culture First: Rachel’s EGC scheme only works because the workplace actually delivers on its promises. If your employees won't vouch for you publicly, focus on the culture before the content.

🔗 Connect with Rachel Harris


LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachel-harris-a3192372


StriveX Accountants: https://strivex.co.uk


Instagram/TikTok: @accountant_she

📬 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

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week, we explore the shifting vocabulary of the modern office, the rise of "Gen Z entrepreneurs," and a sobering look at the prevalence of toxic leadership.

Plus, for Mental Health Awareness Month, we dig into the research behind "Bring Your Dog to Work Day" and answer three tough listener questions in a bumper Workplace Surgery.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Six Words Defining the New World of Work
Leanne introduces "dry chatting"—the practice of rehearsing emotionally charged conversations with AI before having them in real life. We also explore:


Meaning-maxxing: Optimising life around purpose rather than status.


Rage applying: Rapidly submitting job applications as a cathartic response to frustration.


False retention: When staff stay for security but aren't actually engaged.


Vibe working and the Anti-office: How AI and office design are prioritising "progress over productivity."
Source: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/how-world-of-work-changed-times-enterprise-network-t0zvf96wv

2. The Gen Z Career Ladder is Being Rebuilt
With entry-level hiring at its lowest rate since 2020 and AI automating "learn-the-ropes" tasks, Gen Z is pivoting to ownership. We discuss why "the new promise is ownership" and look at young founders who are turning down traditional internships to build their own empires.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2026/apr/25/gen-z-entrepreneurs-business-ai

3. Is Toxic Leadership the New Norm?
A new study reveals that 6 in 10 workers currently have a toxic boss. We discuss the impact on mental health and why many employees feel companies are investing more in AI than in developing their people managers.
Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91534390/6-in-10-workers-say-they-have-a-toxic-boss-study-finds

🧠 Truth or Lie: Bring Your Dog to Work Day

Does having a "fluffy colleague" actually support mental health?


The Truth: Some studies suggest dogs act as a stress buffer and increase workplace engagement.


The Lie: The evidence is surprisingly weak. Most studies rely on self-reporting, and for the 15-30% of people with allergies or phobias, a dog-friendly office can be a major source of stress.

💬 Workplace Surgery

Question 1: Are we doing more harm by asking and not acting?
We regularly survey our people and ask for feedback, but if I’m honest, we don’t always act on what comes back. Are we building trust by listening, or damaging it by not following through?

Question 2: Why isn’t anyone using our wellbeing benefits?
We offer a range of wellbeing benefits — things like support resources, initiatives, and time off — but hardly anyone actually uses them. What are we missing?

Question 3: If people keep leaving, is it really a hiring problem?
We bring in good people, but a pattern’s emerging where they leave within the first 12 months. Is this a recruitment issue, or something happening once they’re inside the business?

📬 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.