The Not So Breakfast Show

Send us Fan Mail
Episode 265
In this episode, Ish and Sacha unpack some of the worst leadership advice that often gets dressed up as wisdom.
They start with the classic “don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions” and explore why that can shut down useful thinking if people haven’t properly defined the problem first. From there, they take aim at advice like “treat everyone the same,” “leave your emotions at the door,” “the customer is always right,” “never let them see you struggle,” “a good leader is always available,” and the ever-sparkly “pressure makes diamonds.”
Along the way, there are stories about birthday awkwardness, conference bands, zebra crossings with actual zebras, gym equipment that definitely did not shake body fat away, open-door policies that sound drafty, and Sacha’s ongoing four-year battle with sugar.
The real message? Leadership advice is rarely one-size-fits-all. A phrase might contain a useful idea, but if you apply it without thinking, it can quickly become lazy, unhelpful, or even harmful. Better leaders don’t just repeat advice; they test it, adapt it, and make it useful for the people and situation in front of them.
If you haven’t come across it yet, Working Genius is one of the simplest, most practical models I’ve seen for helping teams understand how they actually get work done. Not personality. Not fluff. Just clarity on where people thrive — and where they get frustrated.
 If you’re planning your next team day, offsite, or work event, I’d love to bring this to your crew. 
Find out more at IshCheyne.com

Send us Fan Mail
Episode 264
Ever sat in a meeting and heard a very vague, slightly passive-aggressive comment float across the room… then spent the next ten minutes wondering, “Was that aimed at me?” Same!
In this episode, Ish and Sacha unpack the weird little phrases we use at work to soften, dodge, delay, delegate, or quietly scream into the void. From “let’s circle back” to “as per my last email,” it turns out workplace language often says a lot more than the words on the page.
This week, Ish and Sacha dive into the hidden meanings behind common workplace phrases and corporate jargon, the stuff we all say, the stuff we all pretend to understand, and the stuff that can create a whole lot of unnecessary grey.
Ish kicks things off with a meeting moment where a vague general comment left everyone wondering who it was actually aimed at. Sacha connects that to the classic leadership trap of addressing the whole room when you really need to speak directly to one or two people.
From there, they translate some of the greatest hits of office language: “let’s circle back,” “let’s park it,” “I’ll leave that with you,” “as per my last email,” “no worries if not,” “thanks in advance,” and the always ominous “quick chat.”
Along the way, they talk about clarity, passive-aggressive communication, managing up, why examples matter, and why “don’t be a dick” sometimes lands better than a beautifully structured leadership framework. There is also a side quest involving Sacha climbing unfinished apartment buildings, perimenopause email rage, and Ish reviewing The Mandalorian and Grogu with the enthusiasm of a man deeply committed to Star Wars.
Key Learnings
1. Vague messages create unnecessary anxiety
2. Corporate jargon often hides the real message
3. Say what you mean before people have to decode it
4. If you need action, give context
5. Cut-through beats corporate polish

Send us Fan Mail
Episode 263
In this episode, Ish and Sacha unpack the joy and occasional lumpiness of working with people who have different styles to your own. The conversation comes from real life, as they have recently been building a project together and noticing the little differences in how they think, plan, create, communicate, and get things over the line. 
They talk about the difference between co-presenting, where they already have an easy rhythm, and co-creating, where the work is messier because both people are shaping the thing at the same time. Ish likes to see the structure and the steps. Sacha often wants to think, talk, shape the words, and polish closer to the deadline. Neither approach is wrong, but they do require conversation, trust, and the occasional grown-up check-in.
They also explore what happens when collaboration is not optional: project teams, clients, suppliers, banks, doctors’ surgeries, and the general life admin circus. There is a great thread about frictionless experiences making us less resilient, plus a very practical reminder that a little bit of rub is not always a bad thing.
The big takeaway? Working well with others is not about finding people who are exactly like you. It is about understanding what the work needs, what the other person needs, what you need, and being honest enough to bridge the gaps before everyone quietly loses their mind.
Key Topics
1. Different working styles are not the problem; unspoken expectations are
2. Co-creating needs a different kind of trust
3. A little friction can be useful
4. Use “I” statements when collaboration gets tricky
5. Sometimes the problem is you, and that is useful to know

If you haven’t come across it yet, Working Genius is one of the simplest, most practical models I’ve seen for helping teams understand how they actually get work done. Not personality. Not fluff. Just clarity on where people thrive — and where they get frustrated.
 If you’re planning your next team day, offsite, or work event, I’d love to bring this to your crew. 
Find out more at IshCheyne.com

Send us Fan Mail
Episode 262
Ever had one of those moments where your mouth starts speaking before your brain has properly joined the meeting? Ish has. And, to be fair, most of us have. Especially when being quick, responsive, and “good in the moment” is part of what people value us for.
In this episode, Ish and Sacha get into fast brains, slow brains, gut instinct, airport security rage, AI-generated waffle, and why sometimes the smartest thing you can do is not answer straight away. Also, Japan, sheep detectives, and a movie recommendation that very nearly becomes something else entirely.
In this episode of The Not So Breakfast Show, Ish and Sacha explore the difference between fast thinking and slow thinking, inspired by Daniel Kahneman’s work on how our brains process information. Fast brain is the stuff we can access instantly: pattern recognition, quick decisions, instinct, and those answers that seem to appear without effort. Slow brain is where reflection, judgement, deeper thinking, and better decision-making live.
The conversation kicks off with Ish’s Japan trip, where Tokyo navigation somehow worked better than Auckland navigation, despite accidentally paying to enter the same temple twice. From there, the hosts move into how memory, attention, and environment shape the way we think.
They dig into how workplaces often reward speed, even when the situation actually needs clarity, reflection, or better preparation. Sacha raises the risk of AI giving us volume rather than judgement, while Ish reflects on how being valued for quick responses can sometimes lead him to answer before he has done the thinking.
Plus: emotions as data, not instructions; why walking can unlock better thinking and why laughter might be one of the best brain resets around. 
Key Learnings
1. Fast thinking is useful, but it is not always wise
Fast brain helps us recognise patterns, respond quickly, and make decisions in the moment. But it is also where bias, emotion, and assumptions can sneak in before we have properly checked what is going on.
2. Slow thinking creates clarity, not more noise
Deep thinking is not about producing four pages of thoughts. It is about getting to cleaner judgment, better questions, and more precise action. As Sacha points out, AI can give you volume, but it cannot replace your humanity or judgement.
3. Your environment shapes the quality of your thinking
If you are trying to do deep work in the same space where you answer emails, react to questions, and get interrupted every five minutes, your brain will probably stay in fast mode. Sometimes better thinking starts with changing state: booking a room, going for a walk, putting on headphones, or physically moving.
4. Gut instinct is trained, not random
A good instinct often feels instant, but it is usually built through repetition, experience, and reflection. Whether it is a firefighter sensing danger, a sportsperson reacting to a ball, or a leader handling a tricky moment, the fast response is often powered by slow learning done earlier.
5. Emotions are data, not instructions
Feeling angry, anxious, or frustrated gives you information, but it does not have to decide your behaviour. Leaders need the pause between feeling something and acting on it — especially when the airport security tray situation is really testing everyone’s personal development.

If you haven’t come across it yet, Working Genius is one of the simplest, most practical models I’ve seen for helping teams understand how they actually get work done. Not personality. Not fluff. Just clarity on where people thrive — and where they get frustrated.
 If you’re planning your next team day, offsite, or work event, I’d love to bring this to your crew. 
Find out more at IshCheyne.com

Send us Fan Mail
Episode 261: How to Stop Sounding Vague at Work
Ish and Sacha talk about how to stop sounding vague at work and start communicating with more intention, confidence, and cut-through.
They explore why people waffle, why fear makes us soften our opinions, and why “I was kind of thinking maybe…” rarely helps anyone make a good decision. Ish introduces practical ways to prepare before a conversation, including knowing your point before you walk into the room and practising the words out loud before the stakes are high.
Sacha brings real-world examples, from reading 200 AI-generated cover letters that all sound suspiciously the same, to a fantasy Super Rugby competition where winning the yellow cap and receiving the wooden spoon both come down to being willing to make a bold call. There’s also a glorious rant about uniforms, opinions, leadership, and the burden of actually having to decide.
They also talk about clearer emails, including the RDR framework: Recommendation, Decision, Risk. Simple, practical, and much better than burying the actual point somewhere after three paragraphs of “hope you had a great weekend.”
Clarity is not about being cold or blunt. It’s about knowing what you mean, saying it in a way people can use, and giving others something solid to respond to. Transcript source: 
Key Learnings
1. Know your point before you start talking
If you do not know what you are trying to say, there is a very good chance nobody else will either. Before a meeting, email, or important conversation, take a moment to work out the actual point you want to land.
2. Practise hard conversations before you have them
When conversations are emotional or awkward, it is easy to get swept away and start softening, over-explaining, apologising, or escalating. Saying the key sentence out loud beforehand helps you arrive at a clearer message and less verbal panic.
3. Have an opinion and attach it to a fact
A useful opinion is not just “I reckon.” Sacha makes the case for pinning your view to the fact or assumption you are relying on, so the conversation becomes about weighing evidence rather than trading vibes.
4. Vagueness often comes from fear
Sometimes we waffle because we do not want to be wrong, judged, or held accountable. But teams make better decisions when people are willing to put a view on the table, even if that view gets challenged or changed.
5. Clear emails are a gift to busy people
People do not need more polished waffle. They need to know what you recommend, what decision is required, and what the risk is if nothing happens. RDR — Recommendation, Decision, Risk — is a simple way to make your emails more useful right away.
If you haven’t come across it yet, Working Genius is one of the simplest, most practical models I’ve seen for helping teams understand how they actually get work done. Not personality. Not fluff. Just clarity on where people thrive — and where they get frustrated.
 If you’re planning your next team day, offsite, or work event, I’d love to bring this to your crew. 
Find out more at IshCheyne.com