Truth, Lies and Work

Most founders pride themselves on being “high-capacity”.

But there’s a point where that strength quietly becomes the problem.

In this episode, Al and Leanne are joined by Dustin Hillis, a serial entrepreneur and executive coach who has led businesses from early-stage chaos through to $100m-plus scale, and is now building again at a much bigger level.

Dustin’s core message is simple, but uncomfortable:
what gets you to your first milestone will not get you to the next one.

Unless leaders change how they work, think, and let go, they become the bottleneck that holds everything back.

This is a long-form, honest conversation about growth, power, systems, and the emotional reality of leadership that rarely gets talked about.

🔍 What you’ll learn in this episode

Why working harder eventually stops working, and what replaces it

How leaders unintentionally burn out their best people by turning them into “catch-alls”

Why systems don’t kill creativity, but reduce fear and create capacity

What actually changes at £1m, £10m, £100m and beyond

The power dynamics that quietly derail teams as money and authority increase

Why “pruning” underperformance is painful but essential for healthy cultures

How to stop being the centre of everything without losing control

Dustin acts as a guide through the messy middle of growth, grounded in lived experience rather than theory.

📘 About the book

Dustin is the author of Capacity: Building Your Business Bigger Than You, a practical exploration of how leaders build organisations that no longer depend on them to function.

🔗 Connect with Dustin

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

Website: https://dustinhillis.com

💬 Connect with the hosts

Al Elliott
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alelliott/

Leanne Elliott
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneelliott/

🎧 Connect with Truth, Lies & Work

Website: https://truthliesandwork.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work

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

Have a workplace dilemma or question? Get in touch — it may feature in a future episode.

🧠 Mental health support

If this episode brings up difficult feelings, support is available:

UK: Samaritans — call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org

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

Elsewhere: https://findahelpline.com

January blues are back — but is Blue Monday actually real?

If the start of the year feels heavy, flat or strangely exhausting, you’re not alone. Instead of pushing harder, this week we ask a different question: what if slowing down is the smarter response?

🔥 Stories Covered

Word of the Week: Wintering

Links:
https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/january-blues-cure-wintering-tkxhxwksk
https://katherine-may.co.uk/wintering
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/472162/the-gifts-of-winter-by-fitzgerald-dr-stephanie/9780241779576

When is it really time for a career pivot?

Link:
https://www.fastcompany.com/91462109/how-tell-time-career-pivot

Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie

Links:
https://corporate.mattel.com/news/barbie-introduces-the-first-autistic-barbie-doll-championing-representation-for-children-through-play
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-cygielman-7a912412/

🧠 Truth or Lie: Is Blue Monday real?

Every January, we’re told there’s a single Monday that’s the most depressing day of the year. It sounds scientific. It feels believable. But does it stand up to evidence?

We break down where Blue Monday came from, what research actually says about winter mood, money stress, Mondays and post-holiday crashes — and where the idea falls apart.

Verdict:

💬 Workplace Surgery

This week we answer:

What actually works in a company culture diagnostic beyond satisfaction surveys?

How do you build a genuinely high-performance team without burning people out?

If your policies support work-life balance but staff say otherwise, what’s missing?

🎧 Coming up Thursday

A brand-new expert interview with Beth Sherman, comedian and seven-time Emmy Award-winning writer, on how humour builds trust, rapport and confident decision-making at work.

📬 Get in touch with the show

Have a question for Workplace Surgery or feedback on the episode?

LinkedIn (Show): 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]

Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/

💚 Mental wellbeing support

If you or someone you know is struggling, confidential help is available:

Samaritans (UK & Ireland): 116 123

Mind (England & Wales): 0300 102 1234

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): Call or text 988

Find A Helpline (Global): https://findahelpline.com/

This week on Truth, Lies & Work, Al and Leanne sit down with Dr Matt Poepsel, Marine veteran, author and the self-proclaimed Godfather of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index. In a world shaped by burnout, uncertainty and rapid AI disruption, Matt argues that many organisations are facing a “hope crisis” – and it is quietly draining performance, motivation and leadership effectiveness.

What We Cover

Matt explains why hope is not fluffy positivity but a measurable psychological skill linked directly to job performance, resilience and team culture. Drawing on Snyder’s Hope Theory, he shows how two components – agency (belief you can influence outcomes) and pathways (seeing the concrete steps to succeed) – determine whether people stay engaged or slip into autopilot.

We also explore why so many teams are struggling: years of instability, constant change and leaders who unknowingly remove autonomy or fail to explain the path forward. Matt shares practical ways leaders can rebuild hope by creating clarity, showing people where they fit, and setting ambitious but achievable goals.

The conversation moves into modern leadership, where AI automates admin but heightens the importance of human connection, psychological safety and real alignment. Matt introduces his concept of Enlightened Leadership – a shift away from outdated command-and-control approaches toward a more selfless, purpose-driven model that balances technology with humanity.

If you lead people, manage teams or want to stay ahead in a rapidly changing workplace, this episode offers concrete actions to build engagement, performance and wellbeing in 2026 and beyond.

Why hope predicts job performance as strongly as intelligence

How burnout, bureaucracy and unclear goals quietly erode hope

The difference between hope, optimism and positivity

Why new beginnings generate motivation and why post-achievement crashes happen

How leaders can use agency and pathways to rebuild engagement

Why AI makes human leadership a competitive advantage

What Enlightened Leadership looks like in practice

How to measure hope inside your organisation

Why hope becomes contagious when leaders model it

Connect with Matt Poepsel

🌐 Website: https://mattpoepsel.com

Connect with Al & Leanne

LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork

Mental Health Support

Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123
Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988
Find A Helpline (Global) – https://findahelpline.com/

This week, we're sharing a special feed drop from Great Mondays Radio! Our very own Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Leanne Elliott, takes the guest chair as host Josh Levine (Work Futurist, author, and culture consultant) interviews her on creating amazing workplaces.

In this candid conversation, Leanne and Josh dismantle the myths around company culture and redefine it as a strategic, business-critical system rooted in behavioral science. If you're tired of treating culture as a "nice-to-have" or a collection of perks, this episode is a must-listen for business leaders, managers, and HR professionals.

🧠 What We Cover:

A Clear Definition of Culture: Leanne shares her preferred definition of culture by John Amaechi: "The worst behaviors tolerated." This makes culture behavior-based and is a living, breathing thing that everyone can be responsible for.

The Biggest Misunderstanding: Why do business leaders mistakenly think culture is something physical (like a cool office, ping-pong table, or the general vibe around the place) rather than something psychological and scientific?

Moving Beyond Fluff: All the data and science show that building an awesome workplace is fundamentally good for business. It's great for the bottom line, customers, and growth trajectory.

The Right Data: Leanne advocates for collecting data on psychosocial risk factors (relationships, control over work, trust, resources, change management) because they are transactional elements that directly impact how people think, feel, and behave.

Innovation vs. Efficiency: An organization's strategy (e.g., chasing efficiency vs. relying on innovation) dictates which psychosocial factors to prioritize. For example, innovation requires nurturing psychological safety to allow people to make mistakes safely.

Building Internal Capability: Building internal capability for people and culture is critical for survival in the next decade due to increasing complexity and the rate of change. A C-level leader must own this responsibility.

🛠️ Practical Resources

Oblong Consultancy (Leanne Elliott's Company)

Website: https://oblonghq.com/

HSE Management Standards (UK Health and Safety Executive)

Leanne recommends this completely free resource for understanding and measuring key psychosocial risk factors at work.

Website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work)

LinkedIn (Show): 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

Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/

Connect with Josh Levine (Guest Host):

Connect with Josh Levine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akajoshlevine

Follow Josh on Instagram: @greatmondays_culturedesign

Great Mondays website: https://greatmondays.com

Great Mondays Radio: https://radio.greatmondays.com

Great Mondays YouTube: https://youtube.com/@GreatMondays

Get the book "Great Mondays" at greatmondays.com

💚 Mental Health Support Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services:

Samaritans (UK & Ireland) - Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7.

Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7)

Mind (England & Wales) - Advice and support for mental health problems.

Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based) - Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis.

Call or Text: 988 (24/7)

Find A Helpline (Global) - Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide.

Website: https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work. This is part two of our Predictions 2026 series, where we ask leaders, researchers and thinkers what they believe is coming our way next year. If part one was warm and reflective, part two brings the heat!

🧠 What We Cover: The Big Predictions for 2026

Hybrid Will Fracture Before It Settles – Professors Ina Purvanova & Alanah Mitchell

The authors of The New Workplace predict deeper relational fractures across hybrid teams. As employees split across offices, homes and third spaces, meaningful connection weakens and culture becomes harder to sustain. Expect more intentional design, stronger tech integration and a rising demand for purpose and meaning as AI reshapes traditional work.

More of the Same… but With More Pressure – Danny Wareham

Danny sees 2026 as a magnified version of 2025: tighter budgets, rising expectations and leaders forced to think smarter rather than scale bigger. His hope? A shift toward evidence-based people practices — job analysis, behavioural data and hiring decisions that finally move past “gut feel”.

Unionisation Will Surge – Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca predicts a new wave of unionisation across industries. As job insecurity rises and workers feel increasingly squeezed, collective bargaining will gain momentum. Anti-union stigma is fading, and younger generations will be the ones to push workplaces toward shared power.

AI Will Break Management Before It Fixes It – Vince Sanderson

Vince foresees a period of chaos where leaders delegate too much emotional labour to AI — and employees do the same. AI responding to AI, while real connection disappears. The result? Frustrated teams, resentful managers and widening distrust. But he also predicts a competitive edge for companies that stay human-first.

The Death of Assimilation – Sonia Thompson

Sonia says the old norm of “fit in at all costs” is over. Employees are less willing to hide their identities to succeed, and organisations must adapt. The future belongs to brands that embrace difference rather than smooth it out. Inclusion is shifting from compliance to cultural courage.

AI Will Become a Dealbreaker for Candidates – Becky Simms

Becky predicts top talent will increasingly judge companies on their approach to AI. If tools are outdated, restricted or slow, candidates will simply move on. Transparency, experimentation and a clear AI strategy will become as important as salary or flexibility.

A Reality Check for Leaders – Jeanette Ramsden

Jeanette highlights a growing disconnect between what leaders think they are communicating and what people actually hear. Feedback fatigue, message overload and constant change will demand a new level of clarity, groundedness and empathy if leaders expect teams to follow them.

🔗 Connect with the Contributors

Danny Wareham – ⁠https://firgun.co.uk/⁠Rebecca Taylor – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccataylor2/⁠Vince Sanderson – ⁠https://www.vincentsanderson.com/⁠Sonia Thompson – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaethompson/⁠

⁠www.frictionlessgrowthlab.com⁠

⁠www.frictionlessgrowthlab.com/roadmap⁠Jeanette Ramsden – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-ramsden-0946a83/⁠Becky Simms – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyreflectdigital/⁠Alanah Mitchell – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanah-mitchell/⁠Ina Purvanova – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-purvanova/⁠

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

LinkedIn (Show): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork⁠

💚 Mental Health Support

Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988Find A Helpline (Global) – ⁠https://findahelpline.com/⁠

Welcome back to a very special edition of Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This episode features Part 1 of our annual Predictions for 2026.

Join Leanne and Al as they speak to top experts who share their contrasting views on how AI, leadership, identity, and productivity are about to fundamentally shift the world of work.

🔮 Your Panel of Experts: Prediction Headlines

Phill Agnew (The Nudge Podcast): AI Must "Show Its Working" & the Rise of Text Speak. Find Out More: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/

Meghan French Dunbar: AI Will Advance Humanity & Job Creation Trumps Destruction. Find Out More: https://www.meghanfrenchdunbar.com/book

Erica Breuer: Identity Deviates from Work: Explore Over Optimize. Find Out More: https://www.ericabreuer.com

Anthony Taylor: Clarity and Middle Managers are the New Superpower. Find Out More: https://www.aqrconsulting.co.uk/

Georgia M. Hodkinson: Clarity is the New Productivity Metric (Not Time). Find Out More (Event): https://www.psychbizinc.com/eventpage and (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-hodkinson-gmbpss/

Josh Levine: The Death of the Resume: Relationships are the New CV. Find Out More: https://greatmondays.com/

🗓️ Coming Up Next

The next episode is Part 2 of our Predictions for 2026 and will be released on New Year's Day (January 1st).

💚 Mental Health Support Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to one of the following confidential services:

Samaritans (UK & Ireland): Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope, available 24/7. Call: 116 123 (Free, 24/7)

Mind (England & Wales): Advice and support for mental health problems. Phone: 0300 102 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US-based): Confidential, free, 24/7/365 support for those in crisis. Call or Text: 988 (24/7)

Find A Helpline (Global): Connects users to over 1,600 free and confidential support resources worldwide. Website: https://findahelpline.com/

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne (Truth, Lies & Work)

Do you have your own prediction for 2026? A question for the Workplace Surgery segment? Or a comment on the episode?

Podcast Website: https://truthliesandwork.com/

LinkedIn (Show): 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

Merry Christmas! And welcome back to This Year in Work!

Today we’re back with Part 2 of our 2025 highlights series, and this time it’s all about our guest interviews.

If you’re new here, welcome along. This is Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.

⭐ Our Favourite Guest Interviews of 2025

Steve Carse — Work Should Be Fun

Episode 181: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/181

We kicked things off with King of Pops founder Steve Carse, who turned a layoff into a $10M ice-pop empire built on one radical belief: work should be fun.

Andrew Palmer — Fall in Love With the Problem

Episode 217: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/217

Then came an absolute pinch-me moment for both of us: talking to Andrew Palmer, senior editor at The Economist and host of the Boss Class podcast.

Episode 189: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/189

Al’s pick was James Hawkins, co-founder of PostHog — the dev tools company that ditched managers and meetings in favour of tiny autonomous teams.

Episode 171: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/171
TEDx talk link: “Crossing the River: Resilience in the Age of AI” - https://youtu.be/JEdr2cvHF5M?si=OB07KHvgSjldYKmg

Leanne’s pick was Dr MH, who reframed resilience as a state — not part of your personality. It moves, fluctuates, and can be strengthened through movement, nutrition, sleep, and relationships.

💬 Listeners’ Choice Award 2025

Elina Teboul — Feminine Intelligence and the Future of Leadership

Episode 197: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/197

Your messages, comments and LinkedIn posts made this one clear.
Elina Teboul, executive advisor and author of Feminine Intelligence, challenged assumptions about power, masculinity, intuition, balance and the psychological patriarchy. Whether listeners agreed or disagreed wasn’t the point — the episode sparked reflection everywhere, which is exactly what great conversations do.

🥇 Most Downloaded Expert Episode of 2025

Dr Enya Doyle — The Workplace Rules No One Explains

Episode 175: https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/175

No surprises here.

This was a true masterclass in navigating messy, awkward and sometimes frightening management moments.

🎧 Episodes Mentioned Today

Ep 181 — Work Should Be Fun with Steve Carse
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/181

Ep 217 — Andrew Palmer on Better Bosses
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/217

Ep 189 — James Hawkins: Autonomous Teams & Faster Delivery
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/189

Ep 171 — The Science of Resilience with Dr Marie-Hélène
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/171

Ep 197 — Feminine Intelligence with Elina Teboul
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/197

Ep 175 — The Workplace Rules No One Explains with Dr Enya Doyle
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/175

Support Links:

Connect with us:

Welcome to This Year in Work!

As we countdown to Christmas, we’ve pulled together the standout moments from our Tuesday episodes across 2025 — the stories, segments and listener questions that defined the year.

From new workplace vocabulary to tech scandals, CEO tantrums and the wildest listener dilemmas, this episode is a celebration of everything that made TWIW what it is.

Word of the Year: Duck Shuffler

Our unanimous pick. A perfect term for those colleagues making a lot of noise on the surface while quietly shuffling chaos underneath. Straight from Episode 202 — and yes, the Bosnia-and-Herzegovina reference still makes sense in context.

Stories of the Year:

Big Toddler Energy

When we first discussed CEOs behaving like overgrown toddlers, we didn’t expect the avalanche of DMs, confessions, and even a YouTube thumbnail featuring us as actual toddlers. From Episode 196.

Rule-Bending Leaders

From Episode 200, the unforgettable debate on rule-breaking founders… including Al’s confession about his beer-delivery business days.

The Great Employment Heist

Episode 214 gifted us one of the wildest workplace stories of the year: a single engineer secretly working for 22 startups and earning over $1m without doing the work.

Hot Take of the Year: Gossip is Good

Rebecca Taylor argued that workplace gossip isn’t just normal — it’s useful. One of our most talked-about segments of the year (Episode 194).

Truth or Lies of the Year:

The triangle that never was. From Episode 240, the myth-busting moment that sent LinkedIn into meltdown.

Workplace Surgery Question of the Year:

My Ex is My New Boss!!

From Episode 180 — still one of the most awkward, gripping dilemmas we’ve ever received.

🎧 Episodes Featured

Duck Shuffler – Ep 202
http://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/202-divorce-disruption-and-the-death-of-the-watercooler-plus-are-you-a-duck-shuffler-with-kristyna-hawkett-this-week-in-work-3-rd-june-2025

Big Toddler Energy – Ep 196
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/196-does-your-ceo-have-big-toddler-energy-plus-touching-grass-accidental-bullies-and-hiring-mistakes-with-stuart-mace-this-week-in-work-13th-may-2025

Rule Benders – Ep 200
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/200-rule-benders-quiet-quitting-and-the-dei-dilemma-plus-is-happiness-overrated-with-julian-hayes-ii

The Great Employment Heist – Ep 214
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/214-the-wildest-overemployment-scam-in-tech-history-plus-fake-empathy-nepo-hires-and-salary-secrets-with-rameez-kaleem

Gossip at Work – Ep 194
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/194-secret-jobs-leadership-mic-drops-and-spotify-s-remote-gamble-plus-the-case-for-gossip-at-work-this-week-in-work-6th-may-2025

Maslow’s Hierarchy – Ep 240
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/240-starbucks-ceo-fail-toxic-superstars-and-dubai-s-wolf-of-wall-street-plus-is-maslow-s-hierarchy-a-myth

My Ex Is Now My Boss – Ep 180
https://truthliesandwork.com/episodes/180-my-ex-is-now-my-boss-and-other-toxic-promotions-plus-dei-is-doing-more-harm-than-good-with-sarah-gashier

🎧 Coming Up Thursday

Part 2 of our highlights special: the best interview moments of 2025, including Steve Carse, Elaina Teboul, and our most downloaded guest of the entire year.

🧠 Support with Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work. Today we’re doing something a little different for the Christmas break. We’re sharing an episode from our friend Jeremy Cline’s podcast Change Work Life, where Al joined him to reflect on Jeremy’s first year as a full-time coach.

This conversation marks Jeremy’s 200th episode, and instead of interviewing someone else, he turns the spotlight on himself. It’s a rare, honest look at what actually happens when you leave a stable career after 20 years and try to build something new from scratch. No glossy “quit and make six figures” narrative — just the real, messy middle that most founders and coaches quietly go through.

Al and Jeremy dig into the emotional, financial and identity shifts that come with starting your own business, what surprised Jeremy the most, and why meaningful conversations — not logos or websites — became the backbone of his first year.

If you’re thinking of going out on your own, supporting someone who is, or you're simply curious about what a year of reinvention looks like behind the scenes, this is the perfect listen for the quieter days of December.

🧠 What We Cover: The Reality of Year One

Life after a 20-year career
Jeremy left a long legal career to become a coach, and the biggest challenge wasn’t logistical — it was the identity shock of asking “who am I now?”.

Self-employment and the fear of the first step
Instead of hiding behind planning, Jeremy forced himself into real conversations — the uncomfortable kind that actually move a business forward.

The messy middle of reinvention
Testing ideas, discarding bad ones, refining offers, working through insecurities — the emotional work was bigger than the strategic work.

Why conversations matter more than ever
Despite global connectivity, genuine, real-time conversations are becoming rare. Jeremy argues that this is where opportunity lives.

Opportunities come from putting yourself out there
Jeremy explains how reaching out to people — including Al — created unexpected relationships, support and new directions for his business.

The truth about coaching as a business
He talks candidly about client work, self-doubt, capacity and the grind of turning passion into something that pays the bills.

🔗 Connect with Jeremy

🌐 Episode page & resources: https://changeworklife.com/one-year-in-lessons-from-my-first-year-as-a-full-time-coach/

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

LinkedIn (Show): https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork

💚 Mental Health Support

Samaritans (UK & Ireland) – 116 123
Mind (England & Wales) – 0300 102 1234
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Call or text 988
Find A Helpline (Global) – https://findahelpline.com/

Welcome back

This is Truth, Lies and Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Al and Leanne break down the biggest stories shaping the way we work, with practical insights for founders, leaders and anyone trying to build a better workplace.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Escape The City launches its ‘Top 1 Percent Employer’ certification

Escape The City has introduced a new accreditation designed to spotlight genuinely progressive employers. The audit covers pay, inclusion, leadership, wellbeing, flexibility and anonymous employee feedback. Positive News highlighted four featured organisations:

It raises a bigger question: if we claim a workplace is “great”, what exactly should be measured?

Links:

2. Apple’s leadership shake-up

Apple has lost four senior leaders in quick succession, including its VP of Human Interface Design to Meta. Rumours of Tim Cook preparing to step aside continue to grow. Meanwhile, competitors are accelerating AI releases as the Vision Pro struggles to find momentum. Investors are calling for clarity on Apple’s AI strategy as the tech landscape shifts.
Link: edition.cnn.com/2025/12/06/tech/apple-tim-cook-leadership-changes

3. Supporting veterans in civilian careers

New research by James Hardie, guided by Dr Hayley Lewis, explores the transition challenges faced by UK veterans. Themes include identity loss, misunderstanding of collective leadership skills, culture shock around workplace politics and additional barriers for female veterans.

🧠 Truth or Lie: Is the Christmas spirit real?

Al and Leanne unpack the research behind seasonal mood shifts. Studies show Christmas can raise wellbeing through connection, ritual and nostalgia — but stress, comparison and financial pressure can weaken the effect. The “Christmas spirit” exists, but only when the conditions are right.

💬 Workplace Surgery

This week’s dilemmas:

🧠 Mental Health Support

Mind UK: mind.org.uk/information-support

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork

🎧 Coming up Thursday

We kick off our Christmas and New Year specials — highlights of 2025, expert predictions for 2026, and two feed-drop interviews.

P.S. You still have time to enter the competition offered by last week's guest, Rob Kalwarowsky, for a chance to win six weeks of coaching or his book. Go to robkalwarowsky.com/reason to get the Find Your Reason tool and enter the draw before Christmas Day 2025.