this is work

Thinking about a big career move but terrified it might blow up your life? Or wondering if you’ve stayed in your job too long? This episode is for you.

Shell answers real listener questions about:

👉🏼 How to manage fear when you’re considering a major career change

👉🏾 The difference between reversible vs irreversible decisions

👉🏽 Whether you’re stagnating or still growing

👉🏿 How to tell if a new job is a bad fit… or just uncomfortable because it’s new

👉🏽 How to weigh up a $10K pay rise vs long-term values

👉🏿...

Want to attract cool career opportunities? Get this episode in your ears! Here's how to level up.

Learn more about the CliftonStrengths assessment

Listen: Simon Sinek's podcast, A Bit of Optimism

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

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 O...

No new episode this week as Shell's lost her voice but we've got a goodie for you from when the show was called my millennial career! Glen joins Shell to explain 4 key ways increase your income and uncap your earning potential.

The Advanced Income Quadrant: https://www.sortyourcareerout.com/blog/4-ways-to-increase-your-income

Shell and Glen's book, Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money: https://www.sortyourcareerout.com/

The pay rise episodes mentioned in the episode:

602 pay rises part 1: the secrets your boss doesn't want you to know

602...

Want to level up your public speaking game this year? Today's episode will equip you with practical strategies to open, close and keep your audience engaged and invested whether you're presenting in a boardroom or on a public stage. Joining Shell is return guest Ashley Fell who is a TEDx speaker, author and social researcher who delivers 50+ keynotes a year and has spent the past decade turning complex data into engaging, actionable stories. She shares:

👉🏼 why people are so afraid of public speaking

👉🏽 what makes someone a great public speaker

👉🏾 how to connect with the a...

In this episode Shell is joined by social researcher Ashley Fell to unpack the generational dynamics playing out in today’s workplaces. They discuss:

👉🏼 the big generational shifts happening in workplaces now

👉🏽 tension points and opportunities

👉🏾 what actually motivates each generation

👉🏿 the differences in communication styles

👉🏻 what the era of personalisation means for leaders

👉 rage bait as Oxford's 2025 Word of the Year

👉🏼 trust as the ultimate leadership advantage

Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyfell1

Connect with Shell on LinkedIn: https...

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 time management

👉🏿 Phil's personal experience with burnout

👉🏻 why burnout and the ways to prevent it can look different for everyone

👉 losing your sense of purpose at work

👉🏼 things that helped Phil rec...

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 staying in your comfort zone

👉 what could go right if you take the leap

👉🏼 and the one step you need to take next

Check...

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://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

We hate email spam so we don’t create it! Sign up to our newsletter to get only the valuable money...

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 now

👉🏿 earning vs learning, why changing jobs boosts pay and the cost to employers

👉🏻 how to raise pay conversations with your employer

👉 why are there a lot of people job h...

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

👉🏼 connection, influence & communicating well

👉🏽 psychological safety & healthier team dynamics

👉🏿 creativity, margin & making space to think

👉 AI workflows & working smarter

👉🏾 culture, trust & team transformation

👉🏽 small habits that compound over time

Here are the tools A...

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

👉 getting out of your own way

👉🏿 and small habits that make a big impact over time

Connect with Shell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-johnson/

If you lead te...

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 here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steph-clarke/

If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: htt...

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/in/rohandredge/

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 Mo...

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-uncertainty quadrant

👉 how to prepare for uncertainty

👉🏼 what Steph means by "trying a different future on"

👉🏽 fear setting & preparing for what could go wrong

👉🏾 navigating anxiety about the unknown

👉🏿 a simple practic...

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, and why it's normal for work friendships to fade

👉🏼 the foundation for good work friendships

👉🏽 energy giving vs energy draining behaviours

👉🏾 identifying oversharing and emotional hij...

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 feel like it

👉🏾 following her personal values

👉🏻 how strengths in her childhood are being reflected in her career now

👉🏼 knowing what lights you up at work

👉 nav...

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 silo'd thinking to circle thinking

👉 creating a culture of real accountability

Connect with Rohan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohandredge/

If you lead...

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 business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https://amzn.to...

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

👉🏼 becoming a problem solver

👉🏿 plus balancing attention to detail with a healthy sense of urgency

If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s bus...

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 out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available...

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 teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is availa...

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://www.linkedin.com/in/tahneemcwhirter/

Learn more about HumanX HR: https://www.humanxhr.com.au/

If you lead teams, check...

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 role of authenticity in likability

👉🏾 sales as solving problems, not manipulation

📘 Influence by Robert B Cialdini: https://amzn.to/465HbCv

Connect with Chad on LinkedIn: https://www.linke...

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

👉🏾 ask questions you don’t already know the answer to

👉🏿 use the Ally framework: ask, listen, learn, act

👉 build trust through curiosity, not just empathy

👉🏻 make culture shifts through small, intentional...

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 “manager of AI”

👉🏿 how to brief AI so it works for you

👉 keeping critical thinking skills sharp

👉🏼 AI stacking and agents explained

👉🏾 practical hacks for wor...

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 strategy in a team meeting

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybowen26

If you lead teams, c...

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 manager

How to Work with (Almost) Anyone by Michael Bungay Stanier: https://amzn.to/3Urx1qB

If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s...

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 Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

We hate email spam so we don’t create it! Sign up to...

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?

👉🏼 the importance of self-awareness and taking action

If you lead teams, check out Shelley’s business, Boldside: https://www.boldside.com.au/

Shell & Glen’s bo...

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 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

We hate email spam so...

Plus 5 red flags when you're in love at work!

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://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

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To get help, and to check out our online courses, books, resources and downloads (+ our disclaimers and warnin...

Just because you're the best at your job doesn’t mean you'll be great at leading others. In this episode, Shell and Chad unpack why promoting top performers into leadership roles so often goes wrong, plus what it really takes to thrive as a new leader. They talk about:

👉🏼 why the best team member doesn't always make the best leader

👉🏾 leading is a career change, not just a promotion

👉 why new leaders need more structure, support and empathy

👉🏿 managing leadership fatigue and emotional burnout

👉🏽 how to balance doing the job and leading the team<...

In today's episode Shell unpacks some big topics with Chad Lawson from u&u Recruitment Partners:

👉🏻 is hustle a dirty word and what's the difference between hustle & hard work?

👉 are you choosing to actively rest or are you being lazy?

👉🏼 playing to your strengths vs weaponising your own incompetence

Connect with Chad Lawson on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-lawson-9693086

Check out Shelley’s leadership development business, Boldside here: https://www.boldside.com.au/

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Mon...

AI is moving fast and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. In this episode, Shell is joined by Adrian Smith, CEO of RunGopher, to unpack how you can move from fear to action during this time of opportunity to upskill and navigate a changing landscape of work. They talk about:

👉 why fear is a common but unhelpful response to AI

👉🏾 having a mindset that embraces curiosity, adaptability and optimism

👉🏽 how to build a personal 90-day AI upskilling plan

👉🏿 lessons from real CEO comms about AI and job disruption

👉🏻 why clarity beats certainty in...

What’s better, being charismatic or being a genuine connector? In this episode, Shell and Scott Smith unpack why charisma can sometimes feel performative and why connection is what really builds trust. They talk about:

👉🏿 charisma can feel self-focused, connection is others-focused

👉🏻 presence and curiosity are key to connection

👉🏾 how to avoid “me too” moments and stay in listening mode

👉🏼 tips for asking meaningful follow-up questions

👉🏽 why over-communicating as a leader is better than under-communicating

📘 Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg: https://amzn.to/4lhvXki

Check out Shell’s leadership developm...

In this episode, Shell, Glen James and Phil Thompson unpack the career advice we've all heard at some point, and ask: is it actually helpful, or totally outdated? From “follow your passion” to “fake it till you make it,” they dig into what still holds up, what belongs in the bin, and how to know the difference. They cover:

👉 “follow your passion” - helpful or harmful?

👉🏿 when ‘fake it till you make it’ goes too far

👉🏼 why working hard won’t always get you noticed

👉🏾 can you actually be friends with your boss?

👉🏻 resume myths...

In this episode Glen James and Phil Thompson join Shell on the pod to chat all things imposter syndrome, feedback at work, and why we sometimes downplay our own titles. They also dive into how AI is shaking things up - are we all about to be replaced, or is it just hype? A casual, unfiltered convo about what’s been on their minds lately.

Shell & Glen’s book 'Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money' is available here: https://amzn.to/4k3YSrr

We hate email spam so we don’t create it! Si...

In this episode, Shell and Scotty chat with Nick Addison, CEO of Adelaide Oval, about the reality of career curveballs and what it takes to lead with resilience. Nick shares his journey from setbacks to the CEO seat, how to lead through uncertainty, and why pride, feedback, and psychological safety are non-negotiables for high-performing teams. Nick shares about:

👉🏽 missing out on a big role - twice

👉🏼 learning to lead with a growth mindset

👉🏿 giving tough feedback while backing your people

👉🏻 leading with calm in chaotic environments

👉🏾 and building a team that genuinely cares

You know that convo you’ve been avoiding at work? This episode is for you. Shell and Scott Smith break down how to step into tricky conversations with confidence and kindness. Whether you’re giving tough feedback, setting clearer expectations or just need to say the hard thing, this is the episode that’ll help you do it well.

👉🏾 why we avoid hard conversations at work

👉🏿 the real cost of not speaking up

👉🏻 how to diagnose the issue without jumping to conclusions

👉 the FAST and SIA frameworks for giving feedback

👉🏼 ways to reduce defe...

Shell is joined by organisational psychologist, Founder of Inventium and author Dr Amantha Imber to chat about working smarter, not harder. From walking while voice-chatting with AI to using the Hemingway trick to beat procrastination, Amantha and Shell discuss some simple ways to boost productivity, creativity and energy. They touch on:

👉🏾 how stopping mid-task can help you start faster

👉🏿 why walking might be your best productivity tool

👉🏻 using voice mode on ChatGPT for brainstorming

👉 simple ways to beat procrastination

👉🏼 how to protect your energy (and why it matters)

👉🏽 letting go of the n...