this is work

In today's episode Shell and workplace wellbeing specialist at Kinex Health Phil Wolffe explore how to avoid burnout in 2026 and what's actually helpful if you're going through it right now. They talk about why managing energy matters more than managing time, how burnout develops and what sustainable performance actually looks like at work for employees and leaders alike. 👉🏾 energy management vs...

Feeling stuck in your career or not sure of your next step? Grab your notes app or a journal cause in this popular ep from 2025, Shell shares five game-changing questions that can unlock clarity and guide you toward epic career moves. Get ready to reflect, confront your fears and dream big as you explore: 👉🏾 what you really want 👉🏿 what’s stopping you from taking action 👉🏻 the cost of stayin...

Got a tough boss? Struggling to get promoted? Feeling stuck in your job? Shell tackles your work dilemmas in this popular episode from 2025. Connect with Shell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-johnson/ If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/ Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https:...

Talking about pay can feel awkward, emotional and high-stakes but avoiding it can quietly stall your career. In this episode, Shell is joined by compensation expert Matt McFarlane to unpack what’s really happening in the job market, how to talk about money earlier (not when resentment hits), and the non-salary levers that matter just as much as dollars. 👉🏾 why the pay market feels “beige” right...

As 2025 comes to an end, Shell and Dr Amantha Imber reflect on the big (and little) learnings, mindset shifts and practical stuff that they'll be taking into the new year! They touch on: 👉🏼 energy, focus & what really drives performance 👉🏾 boundaries, rest & staying out of burnout 👉 confidence, self-belief & playing bigger 👉🏿 navigating discomfort, embarrassment & growth 👉...

In today's episode Shell shares 15 thoughts, musings and career advice that she needs you to hear loud and clear which touch on: 👉🏼 mindset shifts 👉🏾 navigating fear, discomfort & embarrassment 👉🏽 what actually holds people back in their careers 👉 confidence & self-belief 👉🏿 leadership realities most people don’t talk about 👉🏽 practical ways to show up better in your role 👉 get...

In today's Q&A Shell discusses your work questions with return guest, Steph Clarke. They chat about: 👉🏻 how do you show up with personality and still be seen as professional? 👉 is it okay to quit a job without a plan? 👉🏾 how to rebuild credibility and trust after making a mistake at work 👉🏿 how do you manage up when your boss isn’t great at communication? Connect with Steph on LinkedIn...

Shell and Rohan Dredge riff on the big topics leaders tend to avoid: 👉🏾 communicating with clarity 👉🏿 managing distractions for you and your team 👉🏻 why discipline beats desire 👉 the power of 1:1s 👉🏼 managing talented jerks, energy vampires & personality hires 👉🏽 the power of awkward honesty 👉🏾 what does vulnerability mean Connect with Rohan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/i...

Today Shell sits down with futurist Steph Clarke to unpack how to think about the future of work without spiralling. They chat about uncertainty, AI, imagining different possible futures, and how to stay flexible instead of trying to ‘future-proof’ your career. 👉🏾 why future-proofing your career is a myth + what to do instead 👉🏿 spotting signals of change 👉🏻 the high-impact / high-uncertaint...

Can you be friends with the boss or the people that you lead? In this episode Shell chats with Steph Clarke who has a Substack called How To Friend, about the messy, beautiful, and sometimes awkward world of workplace friendships. 👉🏾 Steph’s interest in studying friendship and starting How to Friend 👉🏿 can you be friends with the boss? 👉🏻 perceptions of favouritism 👉 proximity, frequency, a...

Shell gets vulnerable in this special episode as Rohan Dredge interviews her about her business origin story and how feeling boxed in at work sparked a complete reset in her career. Shell's journey and learnings touch on: 👉 facing stuckness and high anxiety in her career before starting Boldside 👉🏿 quitting her job with nothing to go to 👉🏼 saying yes to an opportunity even when she didn't fee...

If you lead or are part of a senior leadership team, this episode is for you. Shell sits down with leadership expert Rohan Dredge to unpack what a high-performing executive team actually looks like and how to navigate the unique challenges that come with leading at the top. They talk about: 👉🏼 high personal responsibility 👉🏾 harnessing ego without letting it run the show 👉🏽 shifting from sil...

Shell and Em Bowen are back with more underrated career skills and this time they're talking about: 👉🏻 emailing like you speak 👉 being hard to offend 👉🏼 being able to communicate tough messages without being offensive 👉🏽 showing your working  👉🏿 and owning your strengths Connect with Em on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybowen26 If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s busin...

It’s not always the big moves but the underrated skills that make you stand out at work. Shell is joined again by Emily Bowen, COO of Rarekind to unpack some of the key skills to have at work: 👉🏽 seeing beyond yourself and thinking like the team 👉🏾 asking great questions and getting curious 👉🏻 knowing when 90% is good enough 👉 building grit and gratitude as antidotes to entitlement 👉🏼 bec...

In this episode Shell and Em Bowen unpack what to do when you're faced with some tricky maybe even awkward workplace situations like: 👉🏾 competing with your work bestie for a role 👉🏿 going from being someone's coworker to their manager 👉🏻 and avoiding perceptions of favouritism Win a seat at the People & Culture Unconference. Enter here: https://bit.ly/3Kot58m If you lead teams, check o...

Feeling stuck in your job but not sure what’s next? In today's episode Shell unpacks: 👉 finding your 'golden thread' for career clarity 👉🏿 spotting which parts of your work energise vs drains you 👉🏻 why following the fear leads to growth 👉🏽 key advice from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders coach 👉🏼 her thoughts on narcissistic bosses 👉🏾 an underrated skill for your career If you lead team...

In this episode Shell is joined by Tahnee McWhirter from HumanX to tackle your work problems! They chat about: 👉🏾 dealing with a boss who feels threatened by you 👉🏼 I don't like my boss 👉 how do I give my boss feedback? 👉🏿 how to respond to being constantly interrupted 👉🏻 return to office - yay or nay? 👉🏽 setting clear expectations as a leader Connect with Tahnee on LinkedIn: https://ww...

In this episode, Shell is joined by Chad Lawson from u&u Recruitment Partners to unpack extroversion and introversion in the workplace, why influence matters for everyone, and how to sell your ideas without feeling pushy. They discuss: 👉🏽 extroversion & introversion at work 👉 why influencing skills are critical for your career 👉🏿 how to sell your ideas without being salesy 👉🏻 the ro...

Stephanie Chung went from baggage handler to becoming the first Black CEO in private aviation. She’s led billion-dollar sales teams, coached executives, and is the author of Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Aren’t Like You. In this episode, Stephanie shares practical strategies for leaders who want to build stronger, more inclusive teams: 👉🏽 adapt quickly without overcomplicating change...

In today's episode Shell chats with Neo Aplin from Inventium about how to make AI actually useful at work. Neo shares the idea of becoming a “manager of AI,” why context matters more than prompts, and how to keep your own critical thinking sharp. They also dive into using AI for everyday tasks, handling privacy worries, and practising tough conversations. They touch on: 👉🏽why you’re now a “manag...

Following on from last week's episode, Shell and Emily Bowen chat about more questionable workplace scenarios, like whether it’s okay to: 👉🏾 skip a team morning tea to focus on your own work 👉🏿 cc the boss to nudge someone along who hasn't responded to oyur email 👉🏻 have your video off on a video meeting 👉 bring up your salary in casual convo with a coworker 👉🏼 disagree with the org strat...

Navigating work life often comes with those tricky “is it okay to…?” moments. In today’s episode, Shell and Emily Bowen dig into workplace etiquette and whether it’s okay to: 👉 rock activewear or an oodie on a Teams call 👉🏾 block a co-worker on social media 👉🏿 tell your colleagues you’re resigning before your boss 👉🏻 turn down a mentoring request 👉🏼 complain about your manager to their ma...

In today's episode Shell dives into three things that have been on her mind lately: 👉🏻 the most underrated career skill that can fast-track your growth 👉 workplaces who weaponise psychological safety 👉🏼 and what a recent speaking gig fail taught her about over-preparing If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/ Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your C...

You have a reputation at work whether you've defined it or not. In this ep, Shell is joined by Em Bowen to unpack what you're currently known for vs what you want to be known for. They cover: 👉🏾 how to define and shift your workplace reputation 👉🏿 the risk of overcorrecting your strengths 👉🏻 why “authenticity” can derail your career 👉 perception vs reputation: what’s the difference? 👉🏼 th...

In this campfire chat, Shell is joined by Glen James and Chad Lawson for a candid convo on all things work. They unpack the icks of personal branding, why the 4-day work week hype has faded, whether "hiya" and “kind regards” belong in the bin and their thoughts on having a work wardrobe. If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/ Shell & Glen’s book...