Truth, Lies and Work

• 245. How to dress for success: The surprising psychology of workwear, with Style Coach, Angela Foster

  In today’s episode, Leanne and Al are joined by Angela Foster, an expert in the fashion and beauty industry with over 20 years of executive experience.Angela empowers high-achieving women to craft wardrobes that radiate confidence and align with their professional and personal goals. Through her SPARK method, Angela has transformed how her clients think about fashion, helping them dress for success and feel their best every day. In this episode, we explore: Do first impressions really count? The science of enclothed cognition and how clothing influences confidence, cognition, and perceptions. Why what we wear at work matters: How professional attire affects leadership perceptions and workplace dynamics Crafting your signature look: From tailored staples to bold accessories, Angela shares tips to define a personal brand that’s unforgettable. Navigating modern dress codes: Striking the balance between inclusivity, professionalism, and personal style in today’s workplaces. Angela’s SPARK method: A five-step guide to understanding your body shape, building versatile wardrobes, and curating a style that works for you. Key Takeaways: Dress for Success: First impressions are formed in seconds, and attire plays a huge role in shaping them. Create a Signature Look: Stand out with a style that reflects your personality and professional brand. It’s Not About Buying More Clothes: Angela emphasizes starting with a strategy before shopping. Professionalism and Confidence: Learn how the right wardrobe can boost your workplace confidence and enhance others' perceptions. Inclusivity in Dress Codes: Angela shares practical advice for employers crafting dress codes that are fair, clear, and aligned with organizational values. Angela’s Free Gift: Take Angela’s Body Shape Quiz to discover the styles and silhouettes that suit you best. Visit ⁠AngelaFoster.co/Leanne⁠ to get started! Connect with Angela: Website: ⁠Angela Style Coach⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Angela Foster⁠ Instagram: ⁠@AngelaStyleCoach⁠  Support with Mental Health and Well-being If any of the topics in this episode have affected you, or if you need mental health support, please reach out to one of the following resources: UK: ⁠Mind⁠ offers mental health support and information. For those in distress, call Samaritans at 116 123 or email [email protected]. US: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Rest of the World: Visit ⁠Befrienders Worldwide⁠ to find a helpline in your country. Connect with Truth, Lies & Work YouTube: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work YouTube Channel⁠ TikTok: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work TikTok⁠ Instagram: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work Instagram⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Truth, Lies & Work LinkedIn⁠ Connect with Al Elliott: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Connect with Leanne Elliott: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Email: Reach out at [email protected] Book a Meeting: Schedule a meeting with Al & Leanne ⁠here⁠.

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• 244. Waitrose axes autistic volunteer, A.I. clones and managing hiring chaos. PLUS! Are first born children natural leaders?

  Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this week’s stories dig into workplace trust, exploitation, and the psychology of staying too long. 🔥 This Week’s Stories 🛒 Waitrose Under Fire for Axing Autistic VolunteerA 27-year-old man with severe autism was reportedly “sacked” after his family asked if he could be paid for some of his work. After volunteering at Waitrose for four years and clocking up more than 600 hours unpaid, his placement was suddenly suspended. We explore the line between inclusion and exploitation — and what true inclusive employment should look like. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15211181/Autistic-volunteer-sacked-Waitrose-family-asked-start-paid-years-stocking-shelves-free.html 🧠 AI Clones Are Coming for Your CoworkersTwo co-founders from the $2.1B AI recruiting startup Eightfold just raised $35M for a new company, Viven — an AI “digital twin” of every employee that lets coworkers message your clone when you’re offline. We unpack the privacy risks, ethical dilemmas, and whether this is innovation or invasion. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/15/eightfold-co-founders-raise-35m-for-viven-an-ai-digital-twin-startup-for-querying-unavailable-coworkers/ 📅 The 3-Month Notice Period ProblemThree-month notice periods used to be for senior executives. Now they’re everywhere — from middle management to entry-level jobs. We ask whether forcing people to stay longer is about succession planning or control — and what it’s doing to motivation and trust. Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/jobs/career-advice/working-three-months-notice-period-drain/ 🧩 Truth or Lie: Are Firstborn Children Natural Leaders? Firstborns dominate CEO lists and political leadership — but is it nature or nurture? We explore decades of research showing that while firstborns do have a statistical advantage, it’s more about parental attention and early responsibility than genetic destiny. 💬 Workplace Surgery “How do I manage chaos when hiring without spending a fortune?” “My manager invited me to lunch — do I have to go?” “Can I opt out of birthday collections at work without looking antisocial?” 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: ⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/⁠– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email ⁠[email protected]⁠ 📬 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

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• 243. What if leadership didn't need a leader? With Psychologist and Author, Danny Wareham

  Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. This week, Al and Leanne talk to Danny Wareham, organisational psychologist and author of Constellation Leadership: Reimagined for a Connected Age, about why leadership might not need a single leader at all. From Navy SEALs to small business teams, Danny’s research explores what happens when you remove the leader from the room — and discover that, in the right conditions, performance can actually increase. 🔥 What We Cover 📘 What is Constellation Leadership?Danny introduces his model — a flexible, culture-driven approach where leadership shifts based on context and capability, not hierarchy or titles. 🧭 Why culture can replace hierarchyLearn why clear purpose, shared trust and behavioural norms can guide teams more effectively than top-down control. 💡 The North Star principleBefore defining roles, policies or perks, Danny says every organisation must answer one question: why do we exist? That North Star then becomes the anchor for every decision. ⚙️ How small organisations have a natural edgeDanny’s research shows that companies under 150 people — below Dunbar’s number — perform best when they keep teams small, autonomous and purpose-led. 💬 The Navy SEAL mindsetWe unpack “mission command” — how elite teams rotate leadership fluidly, with the person best equipped for each situation taking charge in real time. 🧠 The psychology of trust and autonomyFrom imposter syndrome to cultural alignment, Danny explains what it really takes to create teams that lead themselves. 🎧 Want more from Danny Wareham? – Website: dannywareham.co.uk– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-wareham/– Constellation Leadership: https://dannywareham.co.uk/constellation-leadership/ 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 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

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• 242. Amazon sacks HR, bosses blame Gen Z and new-job red flags. PLUS! Does your vibe really attract your tribe?

  Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this week’s headlines dive into generational friction, AI disruption, and Amazon’s latest layoffs — plus the psychology behind “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” 🔥 This Week’s Stories 🧃 Gen Z vs Everyone Else The Telegraph says Gen Z are ruining the workplace — dodging phone calls, dressing down, demanding safe spaces, and setting firm boundaries. But is this generational chaos or cultural evolution? Leanne breaks down what’s really going on when work expectations clash across age groups. 📰 Source: The Telegraph – Six ways Gen Z are “ruining” the workplace 🤖 40 Jobs AI Might Replace (and 40 It Can’t) Microsoft analysed 200,000 Copilot conversations to rank which jobs are most at risk from AI. Translators top the list at 98%, coders at 90%, and even DJs at 74%. But the real story isn’t about job loss — it’s about job evolution. Al explores how automation could actually create more work, not less. 📰 Source: Sky News – The 40 jobs most at risk from AI 📦 Amazon’s AI-Fuelled Layoffs Amazon is reportedly cutting up to 15% of its HR division as CEO Andy Jassy doubles down on AI investment. Fortune reports that the People Experience & Technology team (PXT) is bearing the brunt. We unpack what happens to trust, culture, and psychological safety when “learn AI or be left behind” becomes company policy. 📰 Source: Fortune – Amazon plans new round of layoffs 🧠 Truth or Lie: “Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe” Does your energy really shape the people around you — or is it just another social media myth? Leanne examines the science behind attraction, similarity, and social mirroring. From the “chameleon effect” to homophily, find out what really draws people together (and what pushes them apart). 💬 Workplace Surgery A remote employee might secretly be working two full-time jobs — what should you do? How do you motivate your team to actually upskill? You’ve started a new job full of red flags — do you fix it or flee? 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 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

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• 241. What if meetings were the best part of your day? (Yes, really!). With Mamie Kanfer Stewart

  Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode is a masterclass on one of the most dreaded parts of working life: meetings. Our guest is Mamie Kanfer Stewart — host of The Modern Manager podcast, author of Momentum, and founder of Meeteor — who has dedicated her career to transforming meetings from time-wasting nightmares into spaces for decision-making, creativity, and genuine collaboration. 🔥 What We Cover 📌 Why most meetings failMamie shares how growing up in a culture that encouraged open, challenging conversations gave her a unique perspective — and why most organisations get the fundamentals of meetings wrong. 📌 Feedback conversations that don’t implodeLearn Mamie’s frameworks for difficult one-to-one meetings, including how to give feedback to someone more senior without tanking your reputation. 📌 Group decision-making without the chaosFrom dominant voices to silent stakeholders, Mamie explains how to prepare for and run complex meetings that lead to real decisions instead of endless back-and-forth. 📌 The “zero to five” strategyMamie reveals a simple but powerful technique that turned a potentially hour-long battle into a 15-minute consensus — and how you can use it too. 📌 When meetings should be emails — and when they really shouldn’tWe tackle the internet’s favourite complaint. Mamie explains the real issue behind “this could’ve been an email” and why the answer isn’t fewer meetings, but better ones. 🎧 Want more from Mamie Kanfer Stewart?– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamiekanferstewart/– Meeteor: https://www.meeteor.com/– The Modern Manager: https://www.themodernmanager.com/– Mamie KS: https://www.mamieks.com/ 🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being – Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ – Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected] 📬 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

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