Truth, Lies and Work

When you don’t know the answer to a problem at work, what is your immediate reflex? Do you search for a quick answer from an AI chatbot, or do you pick up the phone to ask a colleague?

In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, we dive deep into the hidden cultural cost of digital convenience. While artificial intelligence is incredible for cutting through administrative noise and streamlining corporate tasks, it is quietly automating away the most critical asset your business has: human connection.

Our guest today is Sean O'Shea, the brilliant mind behind Craft Your Culture and Locon. Sean spent a fascinating decade working at Microsoft, sandwiched perfectly between the leadership of Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella. He witnessed firsthand how a radical shift in corporate mindset and the intentional removal of rigid, performance-stifling systems could skyrocket a company's share price from $30 to over $540.

Now, through his data-driven work at Locon, Sean is on a mission to measure the "relationship gap" between team members. He breaks down the phenomenon of "messy moments"—those vulnerable, slightly awkward, but entirely essential human interactions that act as the true engine for workplace psychological safety, team learning, and high performance.

If you are a business leader, founder, or manager trying to navigate remote-first challenges, return-to-office mandates, or AI integration, this conversation will completely change how you design your team interactions tomorrow morning.

Key Takeaways From the Episode


The Trap of the Frictionless Workplace: AI onboarding bots and agents are fast, non-judgmental, and always available. However, by relying on them exclusively, employees bypass the vulnerable moments of asking a peer for help—the exact moments where corporate trust is built.


The High Cost of the "Relationship Gap": High performance isn’t just an aggregate of individual talent. It is directly limited by how well your people actually know each other. Loneliness and disconnection don't just hurt morale; they actively cost businesses billable hours.


The 3 Pillars of Accelerated Trust: How do you build genuine, bulletproof workplace relationships when everyone is short on time? Sean reveals the three non-negotiable ingredients: vulnerability, shared emotionally significant experiences, and active, empathetic listening.


Overcoming the "Eye of Sauron" Management Style: Reflecting on his time under Steve Ballmer's mid-year review process, Sean highlights how defensive corporate cultures destroy innovation. True leadership requires getting your ego out of the way and letting your team collaborate without you always being in the loop.


The 6 Pillars of Team Effectiveness: Sean breaks down the core framework measured by Locon: psychological safety, accountability, connection, learning, clarity, and adaptability.

Episode Timestamps


00:00 – Cold Open: Are chatbots silently killing your team's natural human connection?


01:15 – Meet Sean O'Shea: The mission to turn people potential into business performance.


04:20 – What is a "messy moment" and why are modern teams hiding from healthy conflict?


07:30 – The 3 critical elements needed to fast-track real human relationships at work.


10:45 – The AI paradox: Why a small business champion is incredibly worried about the rise of perfect tech.


15:10 – Designing connection: How leaders can architect micro-moments of collaboration instead of boring, packed agendas.


23:15 – The Train Experiment: The fascinating behavioral science proving we are terrible at predicting social interactions.


30:30 – Lessons from Microsoft: The real story behind Satya Nadella's growth mindset revolution.


39:45 – Quantifying wasted time: The data showing how many hours your team loses each month by not collaborating.


45:10 – The story of Locon: Using six-week experimental sprints to give teams true agency over their culture.

Connect with Our Guest

To learn more about Sean's work, access his data diagnostics, or follow his daily insights on corporate culture, use the links below:


Craft Your Culture Website: www.craftyourculture.co.uk


Locon Website: www.locon.co.uk


Sean O'Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshea7/

About Truth, Lies & Work

Truth, Lies & Work is the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Al Elliott and Leanne Elliott, a chartered occupational psychologist, we are here to help you simplify the science of work, boost employee engagement, and build high-performing teams.

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

📬 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, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

This week, hosts Al Elliott and Leanne Elliott unpack the sleep science taking over TikTok, a massive shift in how Google interviews tech talent, and the ethical dilemma of corporate accountability after a major cyberattack. Plus, we dive deep into the data to see if "years of experience" actually matters on a CV, and answer community questions from the experts at The Business Psycho.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Word of the Week: Dark Showering

Imagine a simple way to wind down your body and brain after a hard day at work using something you already do every day. Leanne introduces "dark showering"—the practice of showering in a completely dim or pitch-black bathroom as part of a bedtime routine. Far from just a social media trend, sleep researchers explain that the rapid cooling of your body post-shower mimics natural circadian signals, while the darkness stimulates melatonin production and lowers cortisol.


Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/dark-showering-improved-sleep-experts-debunk

2. Google Embraces AI in Job Interviews

While most companies are actively trying to ban candidates from using AI during interviews, Google is leaning all the way in. Starting later this year, software engineering candidates will be allowed to use Google's Gemini AI assistant during code comprehension interview assessments. Instead of testing rote memory, interviewers will explicitly evaluate "AI fluency," including prompt engineering, output validation, and debugging skills.


Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/google-job-interview-software-engineers-ai-assistant-coding-2026-5

3. The M&S Cyberattack: Who Pays for Corporate Failures?

Following a massive cyberattack that wiped £131.3 million off annual profits and dropped market value by 12%, UK retailer Marks & Spencer made a sweeping decision: no employee bonuses will be paid this year. This affects 63,000 workers, from the shop floor straight up to the CEO. While leadership "sharing the pain" equally sounds noble, it raises major workplace culture questions.


Source: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/m-and-s-cyberattack-wipes-131m-off-annual-profits-xrlldf7lb

🧠 Truth or Lie: Is Experience the Best Predictor of Job Performance?

We have all seen job postings demanding "5 to 10 years of experience". It feels like the safest metric for hiring managers. But does a century of organisational psychology actually back this up?

💬 Workplace Surgery – Special Edition with 'The Business Psycho'

This week, Al and Leanne take a trip into the online community forum The Business Psycho—a hub founded by Mary Luu for business psychologists, HR leaders, and curious professionals. Leanne tackles three brilliant questions submitted straight from the community members:


Can business and occupational psychology skills be applied outside work and in everyday life?


What is the single hardest workplace problem Leanne has ever had to solve as a Chartered Occupational Psychologist?


Is work-life balance actually realistic in highly competitive industries?


Connect with Mary Luu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trambaoluu/


Check out the community forum: thebusinesspsycho.framer.website/forum

📬 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.

As artificial intelligence accelerates and automation becomes a fixture in our workplaces, a massive shift is happening. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs data maps out the skills that will define the next five years, and the top of the human skills list reads less like a traditional training catalogue and more like a description of a great therapist: empathy, active listening, resilience, and the ability to influence without authority.

This week, we are joined for a third time by management and leadership coach Vince Sanderson. With 14 years of coaching experience and millions of likes on social media, Vince’s mission is to teach leaders the vital human-centric skills they very often never get formal training on.

In this episode, we break down these "soft skills" into actionable workplace behaviours, discuss why a manager has more impact on an employee's life satisfaction than a therapist, and identify the single "multiplier" skill that will define successful leadership this decade.

🔑 Key Takeaways from the Episode


The Shift from "Soft" to "Core" Skills: The term "soft skills" originated in the 1960s US Army to differentiate human capabilities from equipment hardware. Today, framing them as human-centric or core skills is vital to demonstrating their financial and operational importance to a business.


Complexity Translation & Pattern Recognition: Analytical thinking in leadership isn't just about data; it’s about taking strategic plans and translating them into meaningful language so individual team members see how their role fits into the bigger picture.


The 4 Levels of Listening: Most people operate in conversational listening (waiting for their turn to talk). True leadership requires active listening—employing silence, reflection, and simple coaching questions to let employees uncover their own clarity.


Influence vs. Manipulation: Social influence is the ability to move people without relying on positional authority. The difference between influence and manipulation comes entirely down to intent—true influence serves the collective good, built on the law of reciprocity.


The Power of Emotional Regulation: To foster a resilient and psychologically safe team culture, managers must first master their own emotional regulation and be willing to role-model vulnerability and setbacks.

🎙️ Meet the Guest

Vince Sanderson is a highly sought-after management coach, keynote speaker, and content creator dedicated to helping corporate leaders bridge the training gap.

Connect with Vince:


Website: www.vincentsanderson.com


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-sanderson-9957a5254/


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincent_sanderson/


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vincentsanderson


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vincentsanderson460

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

Truth, Lies & Work is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Help us simplify the science of work by connecting with us below!


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

If you or someone you know is struggling with workplace burnout, stress, or mental health challenges, please reach out to these free and confidential resources:


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 podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture.

This week, hosts Al and Leanne Elliott are joined by returning guest, organisational psychologist Dr. Jake Tuber! Together, they tackle the biggest news in business, bust media myths, and solve your trickiest management dilemmas.

This Week: Restroom Lurking, Firing HR and The Sales Promotion Trap. PLUS, Does Gen Z Actually Care About Purpose?

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Restroom Lurking: The New Workplace Space Crisis

Leanne reveals the latest viral workplace trend: "Restroom Lurking." A Kickresume survey found that 44% of workers admit to using office restrooms to regain composure when overwhelmed. We discuss the deeper issue—the lack of quiet spaces in modern office design.

Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2026/05/22/restroom-lurking-on-the-rise-as-workers-seek-refuge-from-job-stress/

2. Tech Firm Fires Entire HR Department

Al breaks down the shocking news from checkout software company Bolt, which laid off its entire HR department. The CEO defended the move, claiming HR "creates problems that don't exist." We discuss why this "smoke alarm" approach to policy is a catastrophic business decision that overburdens untrained leaders.

CityAM Article: https://www.cityam.com/fintech-boss-defends-sacking-entire-hr-department-for-creating-problems-that-didnt-exist/

🧠 Truth or Lie: Does Gen Z Value Purpose More Than Pay?

The media claims younger workers only care about meaningful work and ethical alignment. Dr. Jake Tuber leads this week's segment to reveal why this is actually a "life stage phenomenon" rather than something unique to Gen Z. Previous generations felt exactly the same way in their twenties—they want meaning, but they aren't willing to sacrifice financial security to get it.

Academic Resources & Studies Mentioned:

Deloitte Gen Z & Millennial Survey: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/2025-gen-z-millennial-survey.html

Gen Z Workplace Expectations Study: https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/file/32ad6bf8-a1e8-4890-8eeb-04437a1190f1/1/What%20do%20Gen%20Z%20want%20from%20a%20workplace%20-%202024%20-%20Nichols%20Smith.pdf

Understanding Gen Z Workplace Motivations: https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15010011

Generational Differences in Work Values (JMP): https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940810904385

Revisiting Generational Work Values: https://doi.org/10.1002/job.147

Generational Differences in Work Values (JoM): https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309352246

The Silent Revolution in Europe: https://doi.org/10.2307/1953494

💬 Workplace Surgery

We dive deep into your real-world workplace questions:

The Accidental Sales Manager: How do you undo a promotion without destroying confidence or your credibility? We break down the classic trap of promoting your best individual salesperson into management.

The Sustainable Business Owner: What do you do when you preach wellbeing but are secretly a workaholic hypocrite? Jake and Leanne discuss the mindset shifts required for founder-led businesses.

Loyalty vs. Honesty: How do you have the hard conversation with a loyal, 7-year employee who has stopped growing with the business? We map out a fact-finding approach to avoid an unexpected review bomb.

🤝 Connect with Dr. Jake Tuber

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

Website: http://www.ticonadvisory.com

Podcast: https://www.ticonadvisory.com/podcast

🎁 Special Offer: Get 6 months of free access to Jake's Substack, Workwise: 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: hello@truthliesandwork.com

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

Mental health support

UK/ROI — Samaritans: Call 116 123 | https://www.samaritans.org

UK — Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 | https://www.mind.org.uk

US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/text 988 | https://988lifeline.org

Australia — Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au

Global helplines: https://findahelpline.com

🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network.

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture . This week, we are tackling a massive, silent trend affecting thousands of professionals: The Great Reentry .

During the pandemic, thousands of people left their corporate jobs to seek purpose and flexibility in self-employment . But now, six years on, a quiet crisis is happening . Thousands of founders are realizing that business ownership is lonely, financially straining, and exhausting—and they are trying to return to the traditional workforce . The problem? They are drowning in shame, hiding their businesses, and navigating the job market completely wrong .

To help us simplify the science of this messy transition, we are joined by Laurie MacPherson, a brilliant career and LinkedIn mentor who specializes in helping mid-to-senior-level women find their next roles . Laurie delivers a masterclass on how to overcome the internal struggle of "going back," why the modern job market punishes founders who apply blindly, and how to de-risk yourself to recruiters .

🔥 What We Cover in This Episode:


What is 'The Great Reentry'? Laurie breaks down the stark reality behind the post-COVID freelance boom, the isolation of working from home, and the silent shame that keeps former founders from admitting they need a job .


The 437-Applicant Trap: Why firing off cold CVs to job boards is a losing battle for former business owners, and why your next role is sitting directly inside your network .


How to Handle the "Why Are You Leaving?" Question: Laurie shares her exact, bulletproof interview scripts to reframe your business history as a badge of courage rather than a failure .


The BOLD & REAL Frameworks: A deep dive into Laurie's signature acronyms designed to help you own your achievements, tailor your applications like a master tailor, and show up authentically on LinkedIn without sounding like a corporate robot .


The 100 Rejection Challenge: How flipping the script on sales outreach can completely remove the sting of "no" and accelerate your career breakthrough .

🎙️ Key Takeaway Quote from Laurie MacPherson:

"It takes courage to start a business, and it takes equal courage to recognise it's not working and make a change. Frame it as a brave chapter, not a failure. Say it, then stop talking."

🔗 Connect with Laurie MacPherson:


Website: lauriemacpherson.com


LinkedIn: Laurie MacPherson


Instagram: @_laurie_macpherson_

📬 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.