Talking is not the same as connecting. If leaders don’t learn the difference, psychological safety falls through the cracks.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with Mitch Wallis about real conversations and why connection is the core leadership capability we all need.

Mitch Wallis is a psychology thought leader with a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and founder of Real Conversations. After several years working at Microsoft, he now works with organisations around the world through keynotes and programs that build connection, strengthen leadership and boost psychological safety at work.

In this conversation, we unpack the difference between talking and truly connecting, explore the five leadership blind spots that can block psychological safety, and discuss what it means to “sit in the mud” and stay calm when others aren’t. Mitch also shares simple, practical tools to help leaders shift from fixing to listening and build real connection at work.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who’s feeling stuck having the hard chats at work or unsure how to support someone who isn’t OK.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with connection, not just conversation.

Connect with Mitch:

www.mitchwallis.com

Linkedin.com/in/mitchwallis

Instagram.com/mitch.wallis

Real Conversations Book

When your inner critic takes the wheel, it can derail your confidence, cloud your decisions and fuel burnout. It shapes how we think, lead and show up at work, often without us even realising it.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m talking with Mark Jones about what happens when your inner critic wins and how to rewrite the script.

Mark is a motivational speaker, mindset strategist, journalist and author who helps leaders overcome self-doubt by rewriting the stories they tell themselves. His latest book, The Story Code, shares how leaders can use storytelling to build resilience and influence.

What we cover:

- How the inner critic and limiting beliefs hold us back

- Why self-talk is the hidden pillar of self-care

- Simple tools to challenge and reframe your inner voice

- The link between mindset, burnout and psychological safety at work

Mark also shares his personal story of burnout - a turning point that inspired his book The Story Code and how storytelling techniques can transform how you lead, connect and care for yourself and others. We explore the unspoken pressures that drive burnout, why open conversations about mental health matter, and how leaders can help create safer, more human workplaces.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to quiet their inner critic and lead with courage.

Connect with Mark Jones 👇

www.markjones.au

www.linkedin.com/in/markhjonesimpact

The Story Code Book

Pushing through might look productive, but it’s draining our energy and fuelling burnout. It’s a habit so many of us fall into, thinking it proves our dedication, yet it’s one of the biggest barriers to sustainable performance and wellbeing.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with Lizzie Williamson about why powering through is burning us out and what to do instead.

Lizzie Williamson is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker and the “excuse buster from Down Under”. Drawing on her own rock-bottom moment and years of workplace education, Lizzie helps teams close the gap between knowing and doing with small, sustainable actions that reset energy and build a healthier workday.

In this episode, we talk about why powering through often leads to burnout and how small, intentional breaks can make a big difference. Lizzie shares how simple two-minute pit stops can boost energy, sharpen focus and spark creativity, along with easy shifts any worker or leader can make to build healthier, more sustainable workdays.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who’s feeling stretched thin, running on empty, or looking for practical ways to bring more energy and wellbeing into their day.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to swap burnout for balance.

Connect with Lizzie 👇

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠LinkedIn⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Lizzie's Book⁠

Inclusion is meant to bring people in, yet too often it leaves the very people it’s designed to support feeling invisible. This conversation looks at why that happens and what leaders can do differently.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with Cameron Carr about when inclusion leaves you out. Cameron is a retired Paralympian, speaker, and Director of Perception Performance. Drawing on his sporting career in wheelchair rugby and his transition into corporate life, he shares what real inclusion looks like day to day and how it connects to performance.

Cameron Carr is a former national wheelchair rugby player who represented Australia for more than a decade. After sport he entered the corporate world, including a graduate role with Anglo American at 41. Now as Director of Perception Performance, he helps leaders create environments where all workers can perform at their best.

This conversation looks at why performative diversity and inclusion (D&I) erodes trust and creates psychosocial risk, and how inclusion should be a genuine leadership mindset reflected in daily actions. Nicole and Cameron talk about the danger of labels, the importance of relationships, and what it takes to design inclusion programs that are meaningful, supported and measurable. They also discuss how inclusion links to safety, creativity and performance – and how to move beyond checkbox diversity to create lasting change.

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to make inclusion real in their workplace.

Connect with Cameron 👇

perceptionperformance.com.au

[email protected]

LinkedIn

Narcissistic leadership leaves a trail of hidden costs - to people, culture and performance. This episode explores what it looks like, how it harms, and how leaders can choose courage over control.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with Jane Phipps about the cost of narcissistic leadership.

Jane Phipps is a heart-centred leader, resilience advocate and former COO turned consultant. A single mum who carved her path through male-dominated industries, workplace bullying and corporate politics, she wrote The Heart-Centered Leader to open the conversation and help others lead with trust, empathy and respect.

We unpack how narcissistic and command-and-control behaviours show up at work, the toll they take on people and culture, and the hidden price leaders rarely count - disengagement, turnover and lost innovation.

Jane shares the personal impact of toxicity including hypervigilance, anxiety and physical symptoms, and the slow steps that helped her recover with therapy, community and practical self-care.

We also explore what heart-centred leadership looks like in practice - respect, trust, transparency, vulnerability and genuineness - and how to build fear-free teams where workers can think independently, challenge with facts and collaborate for purpose, not ego.

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with more heart and less fear.

Connect with Jane 👇

🔹Website

🔹Instagram

🔹LinkedIn

🔹Amazon

Alcohol is often woven into workplace culture, from casual drinks after hours to formal events and celebrations. While it can feel like a way to connect or unwind, the reality is that regular drinking has hidden impacts on safety, wellbeing and performance at work. By looking more closely at how alcohol shows up in our workplaces, we can start to create safer, healthier and more supportive environments for everyone.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull and today I’m chatting with Sarah Connelly about alcohol, safety and work.

Sarah Connelly is a grey area drinking and lifestyle coach, speaker and educator. She helps professionals and organisations rethink their relationship with alcohol so they can lift wellbeing, safety and performance in the workplace. Drawing on her own story and client results, Sarah makes a complex topic practical, relatable and stigma-free.

In our conversation, Sarah explains how alcohol undermines impulse control, emotional regulation and clear thinking, and how this filters into safety, productivity and culture. We discuss why many high-performing workers may actually be operating well below their best, and how alcohol can act as an invisible hazard underpinning conflict, absenteeism and poor wellbeing.

We also explore what organisations can do differently. From reducing alcohol-centred functions and offering genuine alcohol-free alternatives, to supporting staff with challenges and educating leaders to model non-drinking as a positive choice, there are practical steps that can create healthier workplaces. Sarah also highlights the strong links between drinking, anxiety and women’s health in perimenopause, and why rethinking alcohol is both a personal and organisational priority.

This episode is a powerful reminder that there is no downside to creating space for workers to thrive without alcohol.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to rethink the role of alcohol in their workplace.

Want to learn more or get in touch with Sarah?

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube

Menopause is a normal stage of life, yet it continues to be misunderstood and overlooked in workplaces. The lack of awareness, support, and empathy has a real cost that affects women, their teammates, managers, and the business itself.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I'm your host, Nicole Turnbull and today I’m chatting with Deidre Lekas, founder and facilitator at No Pause Menopause, about the silent cost of menopause at work.

Deidre has been a passionate educator and facilitator for more than 35 years. Her own menopausal experience revealed the knowledge gaps, lack of workplace support, and absence of empathy faced by many women. This led her to establish No Pause Menopause, creating a path to improve education, build understanding, and help workplaces respond with care.

In this episode, Deidre explains why she founded No Pause Menopause and the gaps she discovered in education and support. She explores the three C’s of menopause in the workplace – cost, care, and compliance and breaks down how unmanaged menopause impacts workers, teammates, managers, and productivity. Deidre also shows the financial cost of inaction compared to the benefits of support, and she outlines the first steps any workplace can take to become menopause friendly.

If you’re looking for practical steps to create a menopause-friendly workplace, this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to build a safer, more supportive workplace.

Want to learn more or get in touch with Deidre?

Website: nopausemenopause.com.au

Connect on LinkedIn

Follow on Facebook

Most workplaces treat emergency planning as a compliance task. They run a yearly fire drill, appoint a few fire wardens, and tick the box. But when a real emergency happens, that ticked box is not enough to keep people safe.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with David Laarhoven, founder of Get Fire Training.

David is a firefighter, emergency trainer and assessor, and a strong advocate for putting people at the centre of emergency planning. He brings decades of frontline experience across emergency services, disaster recovery and trauma support, and he’s on a mission to change how workplaces prepare for the unexpected.

David explains why emergency planning should not be one-size-fits-all. His team works with businesses of all sizes to create Person-Centred Emergency Plans (P-CEP) that account for the diversity and vulnerability of every worker on site. From wheelchair users and older workers to those with trauma histories or communication needs, David believes no one should be left behind when things go wrong.

You’ll also learn what the acronym F.I.R.E. really stands for, why fire is actually one of the least common emergencies in a workplace, and what it means to build a culture of calm, confident and capable ECO leaders.

If you’ve ever thought “we’ll deal with it if it happens,” this conversation will change your mind. The time to prepare is before the alarm sounds.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who's thinking more about how their workplace handles emergencies.

Want to learn more or get in touch with David?

Website

LinkedIn

YouTube

AI is here but are we using it the right way?

From lifeless emails to generic marketing, workplaces are jumping on AI to save time. But without a human-first approach, we risk losing trust, connection and credibility.

In this episode of Under the Rug at Work, host Nicole Turnbull sits down with Leanne Shelton, Global AI Coach and CEO of HumanEdge AI Training, to talk about the tension between panic and power in the age of AI.

Leanne knows the impact of AI firsthand. When ChatGPT disrupted her long-standing copywriting business, she pivoted fast. She has since trained thousands of professionals on how to use AI ethically, effectively and with their humanity intact. Her book AI Human Fusion is now guiding leaders around the world to do the same.

We explore the AI productivity trap and what it’s costing workplaces, why over-reliance is eroding human connection, and what a human-first approach really looks like in action. Leanne shares how to train AI tools to reflect your voice, values and context, offers practical tips for staying secure, transparent and ethical, and explains what leaders need to know about the future of AI agents.

This conversation is for anyone navigating the blurred lines between tech and humanity in the workplace. Whether you’re hesitant, hopeful or somewhere in between, Leanne brings clarity, direction and warmth to a rapidly changing space.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube and share this episode with someone who's rethinking how they use AI at work.

Want to learn more or get in touch with Leanne?

Website

LinkedIn

YouTube

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. In this episode, host Nicole Turnbull speaks with Lisa George, the Remote Team Queen and CEO of Momentum Rehab, about why return-to-work mandates often fail and what leaders should be doing instead.

Lisa has been running her business remotely since 2004, long before flexible work became mainstream. What began in her garage in South West Sydney has grown into a thriving health services team built on trust, flexibility and deep respect for the people behind the work.

We cover why return-to-work mandates often backfire, what leaders get wrong about productivity, how trust outperforms surveillance, practical ways to lead and connect with remote teams, and why culture isn’t built by bums on seats.

This episode is packed with practical advice and hard truths for anyone navigating the tension between flexibility and control. If you want to lead remote teams with purpose, trust and impact, this conversation is a must.

Don’t forget to subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube and share this episode with someone who's exploring new ways to lead remote teams.

Connect with Lisa:

LinkedIn

www.momentumot.com.au⁠