# boundaries
28 moments across 24 episodes. Click any moment to jump straight to that part of the episode.
17:30The 'Needing to Be Needed' Trap and Over-HelpingAl Elliott: Look, I wanna really go down this. I know it's such a cheesy thing for a podcast to say this rabbit hole, but I really wanna dig into this because it seems like you described an analogy at the beginning that EP 325 · 6 Aug 2026·interview· 17:30–23:5642:11Workplace Surgery — Q1: How do I stop being the person everything falls on?Al Elliott: I'll cut that out. Keep that in. Okay. Welcome back. Welcome back. We— it is time for the world-famous Weekly Workplace Surgery where I put your questions to Cait Donovan and Leanne. By the way, quick shout oEP 302 · 19 May 2026·workplace surgery· 42:11–48:4944:41Workplace Surgery: When a career coach crosses a lineLeanne Elliott: I shall leave all the links in the show notes Al Elliott: Fabulous. Okay. Question number 2. My career coach crossed a line. How do I disengage properly? Oh dear. Right. Okay. So I hired a career coach toEP 270 · 27 Jan 2026·workplace surgery· 44:41–49:4210:58Why you shouldn't try Ricky Gervais at the office Christmas partyAl Elliott: I've watched some of Ricky Gervais's stuff at— now, I don't know, is it Golden Globes? There's one of them where he's reflecting back reality to a load of very, very influential and famous and wealthy people.EP 269 · 22 Jan 2026·interview· 10:58–17:4737:58Where the manager's responsibility endsAoife O'Brien: Yeah, that's such an interesting question. And I don't think I've ever really thought about that. So, if we think about autonomy, like, do I have a sense of choice and control over what I do and how I do iEP 255 · 4 Dec 2025·interview· 37:58–39:5840:57Workplace Surgery: Can I say no to my manager's lunch invite?Al Elliott: Question number 2, my manager invited me for lunch. Can I say no? So last week my manager asked me if I wanted to go to lunch together, and I'm a bit unsure about it. To be honest, I'd rather keep things striEP 244 · 28 Oct 2025·workplace surgery· 40:57–45:097:21When small talk turns uncomfortableJohn Michel: That's right. And so there's kind of different categories. So in some instances, there's things where people just don't feel comfortable. So if you and I are talking about our favorite sports team and a thirEP 223 · 14 Aug 2025·interview· 7:21–9:4725:17Back-to-back meetings and the breaking pointLeanne Elliott: But come back Al Elliott: Yeah, come back. Definitely come back because Nudge isn't as good as this. So come back. I'll cut that out. Keep that in. So going back to the young woman who was eating her luncEP 221 · 7 Aug 2025·interview· 25:17–28:0011:04Sticking to boundaries as a leaderElaine Smith: Yeah, definitely. So there's a couple of things. There's, um, doing a handover. Like, if there's somebody else that's going to be taking care of your work, or, I mean, I know it's sort of rarer that there'sEP 219 · 31 Jul 2025·interview· 11:04–14:2714:31Different types of rest — and why rest is a new behaviourLeanne Elliott: And what can we do to, to help ourselves stick to those boundaries again? I mean, especially if you're a leader, it can feel really, really difficult. Um, a business owner especially, I see it in who, youEP 219 · 31 Jul 2025·interview· 14:31–19:3524:05What if I get fired for setting a boundary?Leanne Elliott: This actually came from a listener to the show who, who really wanted this episode to go ahead to get this type of advice. Um, so they were saying, would love to know ways to deal with colleagues who expeEP 219 · 31 Jul 2025·interview· 24:05–27:2532:23The practical plan for a smooth return to workLeanne Elliott: I think this is tipping into, into bullying, harassment type behaviors, and setting these boundaries is the only, it's the only way to survive this environment. Um, I think ultimately, you know, long-termEP 219 · 31 Jul 2025·interview· 32:23–34:4934:49The one thing to rememberLeanne Elliott: I mean, for people listening who are like, okay, I've got some good tips here, some good things that I can do before I go, whilst I'm on holiday, there is the inevitable reentry, that going back into workEP 219 · 31 Jul 2025·interview· 34:49–38:2047:41Workplace Surgery: Managing Someone Who Keeps Pushing ItAl Elliott: Okay, Lee, question number 3. How do you manage someone who keeps pushing it? I've read this before Leanne Elliott: Push it real good Al Elliott: That's got a different— that's a different pushing, I think. MEP 206 · 17 Jun 2025·workplace surgery· 47:41–53:3440:18Workplace Surgery — firing a client over a 2am callLeanne Elliott: Hmm Al Elliott: Honestly, I'm ready to let them go. Good. But when I told a friend, they said I was overreacting. I just need firmer boundaries. Am I being emotional? Is it okay to fire your top client ifEP 204 · 10 Jun 2025·workplace surgery· 40:18–44:5525:46Tip 6: Don't be afraid to break commitmentsAl Elliott: Welcome back. Okay, so before the break, we were saying that, um, Essentially, the tips were acknowledge that, acknowledge the shock, uh, then prioritize immediate steps. Then we said stay flexible. And numbeEP 201 · 2 Jun 2025·other· 25:46–28:1249:26Workplace Surgery: Can managers still have mates?Al Elliott: Absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. So, this last question comes from a listener who writes, can managers have mates? Just in case, mate is a UK thing or an Australian thing as well. It doesn't mean like mate as inEP 190 · 22 Apr 2025·workplace surgery· 49:26–55:4933:43Disagreeing with the 'leaders shouldn't be friends' mindsetLeanne Elliott: Is that the case? Because what I'm wondering is whether listeners will, or not, not listeners, sorry, listener, you're, you're listening to this, so not you, but some people might think that all sounds grEP 179 · 13 Mar 2025·interview· 33:43–36:0912:21Is following employees on Instagram inappropriate?Al Elliott: That's a That's, that's such a great answer. I, I remember, um, I remember just, it was only like 2 years ago that I would, I described to Leanne, I was like, oh yes, so I met these 2 ladies and Leanne's likeEP 175 · 27 Feb 2025·interview· 12:21–18:0238:35Workplace Surgery: the after-hours club problemLeanne Elliott: It's always going to be the way, isn't it? You're not going to be able to be in every conversation at every point in time. There's going to be an element of some decisions you won't have as big an impact EP 172 · 18 Feb 2025·workplace surgery· 38:35–41:3239:02Workplace Surgery: Remote work boundariesLeanne Elliott: Yeah, very common problem. And I think we actually— I think, was it last Tuesday we talked about the latest research is out on hybrid and remote work? And that is a recognised problem with remote working EP 152 · 10 Dec 2024·workplace surgery· 39:02–44:2033:26Work-life balance — and the myth of the 'always-on' lawyerAl Elliott: I've never been someone who wants to work the long hours. So, I've done it when I've had to, but it's only been when I've had to. And I remember a conversation with the partner I was sharing an office with. AEP 141 · 31 Oct 2024·other· 33:26–36:1613:59Where leaders draw the line on workplace conversationLeanne Elliott: As a leader, where do you draw the line between this is just good conversation for, you know, relationship building, camaraderie, versus this is actually disrupting the workday? Liz Bronson: I think The wEP 137 · 17 Oct 2024·panel interview· 13:59–18:2223:45Workplace Surgery: Oversharing at workAl Elliott: Oh, well, that was a continuity nightmare. Thank you for that. Question number 1. This is about handling an employee who overshares personal information. They say it's quite fun. I run a marketing agency withEP 130 · 24 Sept 2024·workplace surgery· 23:45–30:4331:59Workplace Surgery: Politely declining extra tasksAl Elliott: Fabulous. Okay, Lee, I've got a rather bit of a sad one for, uh, for question number 3 Leanne Elliott: Yeah Al Elliott: I know, but I think it's an important one that I think we need to, uh, need, you need toEP 124 · 3 Sept 2024·workplace surgery· 31:59–39:1330:29Workplace Surgery: Setting Boundaries with Your TeamLeanne Elliott: So what's, what's this? So they're, they're a head, a head of regional head? Al Elliott: Yes, they're a department head, and they've got no problem with anyone coming to them and telling them about their EP 109 · 25 Jun 2024·workplace surgery· 30:29–36:4635:35Workplace Surgery: setting boundaries and preventing burnoutLeanne Elliott: Oh, um, yeah, again, without a bit more information context, you know what I'm like, I'm always like, it depends. I need a bit more, I need a bit more info, a bit, I need a bit more insight. But I guess oEP 97 · 14 May 2024·workplace surgery· 35:35–43:0248:58The coffee rule: separating business from familyStephen Shortt: Everything in succession planning, everything always comes back to the first P, which is the purpose. What are we here to do? I mean, are we here just to get into this nitty-gritty? Or are we taking a mucEP 26 · 15 Feb 2023·panel interview· 48:58–50:39
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