Truth, Lies & Work is the UK's #1 Management Podcast.
Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, this award-winning podcast is where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, the show has reached #2 in the UK Business Podcast Charts and consistently ranks as a Top 10 trending business podcast globally.
With a unique blend of evidence-based insight and lived experience, Leanne and Al simplify the science of people and culture to help leaders attract, engage, and retain great talent.
Episodes drop twice a week. Tuesdays feature a global people and culture news round-up, a hot take from an emerging or established voice, and the world-famous Workplace Surgery—where Leanne answers real listener questions with practical advice. Thursdays dive deeper with expert guests from across the business and psychology worlds, sharing fresh perspectives and actionable strategies.
Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a large team, Truth, Lies & Work delivers the tools, thinking, and inspiration to build thriving, toxic-free workplaces that prioritise well-being and drive sustainable growth.
Also, the hosts are married—so expect unfiltered honesty, occasional banter, and a real-life lens on work and life.
All content for Truth, Lies and Work is the property of HubSpot Podcast Network and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Truth, Lies & Work is the UK's #1 Management Podcast.
Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, this award-winning podcast is where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, the show has reached #2 in the UK Business Podcast Charts and consistently ranks as a Top 10 trending business podcast globally.
With a unique blend of evidence-based insight and lived experience, Leanne and Al simplify the science of people and culture to help leaders attract, engage, and retain great talent.
Episodes drop twice a week. Tuesdays feature a global people and culture news round-up, a hot take from an emerging or established voice, and the world-famous Workplace Surgery—where Leanne answers real listener questions with practical advice. Thursdays dive deeper with expert guests from across the business and psychology worlds, sharing fresh perspectives and actionable strategies.
Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a large team, Truth, Lies & Work delivers the tools, thinking, and inspiration to build thriving, toxic-free workplaces that prioritise well-being and drive sustainable growth.
Also, the hosts are married—so expect unfiltered honesty, occasional banter, and a real-life lens on work and life.
240. Starbucks’ CEO fail, toxic superstars and Dubai’s Wolf of Wall Street? PLUS! Is Maslow's hierarchy a myth?
Truth, Lies and Work
47 minutes
1 month ago
240. Starbucks’ CEO fail, toxic superstars and Dubai’s Wolf of Wall Street? PLUS! Is Maslow's hierarchy a myth?
Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, every Tuesday we unpack the biggest workplace news stories, decode the psychology, and tackle real listener dilemmas.
🔥 This Week’s Stories
🍞 Breadcrumbing at WorkA new HR buzzword has arrived. Originally a dating term, “breadcrumbing” describes when managers hint at promotions, raises, or development opportunities but never follow through. In a shaky economy where pay rises and mobility are stalling, leaders may be tempted to keep talent with vague promises — but the psychology shows this kills trust and motivation.
Source: Cangrade, “2025 HR Buzzwords”https://www.cangrade.com/blog/talent-management/24-hr-buzzwords-to-know-in-2025/
☕ Starbucks’ “Fabricated Empathy” ProblemNew CEO Brian Nichol’s “Back to Starbucks” plan mandates scripted customer interactions — eye contact, cup messages, four-minute service times — alongside tighter dress codes and reduced remote work. The goal: revive sales. The risk: forcing fake connection and alienating both staff and customers.
Source: Minda Zetlin, Inc.comhttps://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/starbucks-just-announced-a-new-policy-its-a-failure-of-leadership/91243638https://x.com/mindazetlin
📞 The Dubai Sales MachineWould you make 100 calls a day for £24,000 a year? A London firm is hiring trainee wealth managers in Dubai with brutal daily quotas and little base pay. They call it “resilience.” We break down why high pressure without autonomy or purpose can wreck motivation.
Source: Louis Goss, The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lk-lo/louis-goss/
🧠 Truth or Lie
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is on every business school slide, but is it actually true? We dig into the real history — including the missing “sixth level” Maslow added — and what modern psychology says about human motivation.
💬 Workplace Surgery
What do you do when your top performer is destroying team morale?
How can you keep remote teams genuinely connected?
And how do founders protect their wellbeing when the business never switches off?
🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being
– Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
– Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
📬 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
Truth, Lies and Work
Truth, Lies & Work is the UK's #1 Management Podcast.
Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, this award-winning podcast is where behavioural science meets workplace culture. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, the show has reached #2 in the UK Business Podcast Charts and consistently ranks as a Top 10 trending business podcast globally.
With a unique blend of evidence-based insight and lived experience, Leanne and Al simplify the science of people and culture to help leaders attract, engage, and retain great talent.
Episodes drop twice a week. Tuesdays feature a global people and culture news round-up, a hot take from an emerging or established voice, and the world-famous Workplace Surgery—where Leanne answers real listener questions with practical advice. Thursdays dive deeper with expert guests from across the business and psychology worlds, sharing fresh perspectives and actionable strategies.
Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a large team, Truth, Lies & Work delivers the tools, thinking, and inspiration to build thriving, toxic-free workplaces that prioritise well-being and drive sustainable growth.
Also, the hosts are married—so expect unfiltered honesty, occasional banter, and a real-life lens on work and life.
