Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture. This week, we are joined by special guest Dr. Jake Tuber, an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and founder of Ticon Advisory, recently named one of the Leadership Center for Excellence’s 40 Under 40.

In this episode, we explore the surprising power of "Londonmaxxing," why hustle culture might be a young person's game, and whether money is actually the best way to get your team to perform.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. Is "Londonmaxxing" the Secret to Rapid Growth? Some UK entrepreneurs are moving back into the office—but not for the reason you think. "Londonmaxxing" is the practice of being in close physical proximity to other ambitious, high-growth businesses to accelerate your own success. We look at an office block in Southwark where 13 companies are collectively turning over £150 million simply by sharing a kitchen and a vibe.

2. Is Hustle Culture Just a Young Person's Game? We’ve all heard the "rise and grind" mantras, but research suggests that after 40, your "capacity" hasn't changed—your stakes have. We discuss why mid-life professionals often trade intensity for sustainability and why "running out of juice" is actually just a sophisticated risk assessment by your brain.

🧠 Truth or Lie: Is Money the Best Motivator?

Dr. Jake Tuber leads us through a deep dive into the psychology of compensation. While performance-based pay can drive results, it isn't always the "best" way to inspire your team.

The Pro: Money increases perceptions of fairness and works well for simple tasks with a clear line of sight.
The Con: For knowledge work and creative tasks, performance-based pay can actually lower motivation if it feels controlling or manipulative.
The Verdict: It's a "hygiene factor." You need enough to mitigate dissatisfaction, but true flourishing comes from autonomy, meaning, and recognition.

💬 Workplace Surgery

This week, Al, Leanne, and Dr. Jake tackle three tough listener questions:

AI Skills vs. Experience: Should you follow Reddit’s lead and hire graduates because they are "AI-native," or is judgment still king?
Disappearing Values: What do you do when your company’s EDI commitments quietly vanish from the website and the lead role isn't replaced?
The "Accidental Manager" Trap: Why do 82% of managers get promoted without any training, and how do you navigate performance issues and conflict when you've been left to figure it out alone?

🤝 Connect with Dr. Jake Tuber

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaketuber/
Website: www.ticonadvisory.com
Podcast (Forces at Work): https://forcesatwork.transistor.fm/

Special Offer: Dr. Jake is offering our listeners six months of free access to his Substack, Workwise. Use this link to claim: https://workwise.substack.com/1e481d0b

📬 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

Mental health supportUK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.orgUK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.ukUS — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.orgAustralia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.auGlobal helplineshttps://findahelpline.com

Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.