We are back after a two week break, Heather is officially a married woman 💍 and we are finally answering some of the dilemmas you’ve emailed us at hello@theboardroompodcast.com.

From navigating friendships at work and managing someone who could have had your job, to handling a difficult peer when you have no authority over them, Heather breaks down what she would actually do in each situation.

We get into:

• When friendship and leadership blur
• Dealing with resentment at work
• Managing someone who competed for the same job
• Seeking approval from your team
• Challenging a difficult peer

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?

Send it in → hello@theboardroompodcast.com

New episodes every Wednesday, 8 AM.

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing, and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in. Find out more at Custard.

And btw, Heather drops weekly leadership tips to over 32,000 managers every week. Join here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

Hiring someone is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a manager, but how do you actually know who’s going to be great once they’re in the role?

In this episode, Heather breaks down the interview process she uses to hire brilliant people, from attracting stronger candidates to making the final decision with confidence.

She covers:

• The interview questions that help you spot great candidates
• What to look for beyond skills, experience and a polished CV
• How to structure an interview process that actually works
• How to score candidates and make more confident hiring decisions
• How to reduce bias and avoid relying too heavily on “gut instinct”

If you’re hiring someone soon, growing your team or want to get much better at recognising great people in interviews, this episode gives you a practical process you can actually use.

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday at 8AM.

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in.

Find out more at Custard.

And btw, Heather drops weekly leadership tips to over 32,000 managers every week. Join here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

How do you support someone struggling with their mental health while still holding them accountable for their performance?

In this episode, Heather shares:

• How to balance empathy and accountability
• Supporting mental health and burnout
• When performance conversations are needed
• Supporting the team without becoming the therapist
• What ruinous empathy looks like
• How underperformance impacts team trust

Because being a supportive leader doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is be clear about what needs to change, while still treating someone with empathy.

If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing, and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in.

Find out more at Custard.

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday at 8 AM.

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

And btw, Heather drops weekly leadership tips to over 32,000 managers every week; join here: The Custard Culture Club

Is AI really coming for middle management?

Heather believes that is the wrong question.

The better question is which parts of management AI will replace, and which human leadership skills are about to become more valuable than ever.

In this episode, Heather covers:

• Why some parts of management are more vulnerable to AI than others
• Being a manager vs a leader at work
• How to stay valuable
• Build visibility as a manager
• How to stop feeling overwhelmed by AI

AI may change how managers work, but the leaders who combine human judgement with new technology could become more valuable than ever.

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday, 8AM

And btw Heather sends practical leadership tips to over 30,000 managers across the globe, join the link here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

And if you are a manager or business owner who wants a clearer picture of how your team is really doing and what to do about it, find out more at Custard.

Stoicism has changed the way I lead, handle failure, and respond when things don’t go to plan.

In this episode, I’m sharing the Stoic principles I’ve used for years to become calmer, more resilient and more intentional in the way I lead.

Breakdown of this episode:

• How to separate what you can control from what you can’t
• How to respond when things go wrong instead of reacting emotionally
• Why failure and mistakes can actually make your team stronger
• How to take ownership without constantly blaming yourself
• The role ego, comparison and other people’s opinions can play in your decisions
• The simple habits I use to manage my thoughts

If you want to handle pressure better, overthink less and become a calmer leader, this episode is for you.

And if you’re a manager or business owner who wants a clearer picture of how your team is really doing, and what to do about it, find out more at Custard.

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday, 8AM

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

And btw Heather drops practical leadership tips to over 30,000 managers every week, join the link here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

Becoming a manager is one of those career milestones everyone congratulates you on, but very few people actually prepare you for.

Whether you’ve just become a manager, you’re about to step into your first leadership role, or you simply want to become better at leading your team, this episode is your practical guide to getting it right.

You’ll learn the 7 foundations Heather believes make the biggest difference when you’re learning how to manage people well, plus the mistakes she made herself while figuring it all out.

Key learnings:

• How to make the shift from doer to manager
• Why being liked isn’t the goal
• How to earn trust and respect from your team
• How to delegate without micromanaging
• How to handle feedback and difficult conversations
• How to build real accountability in your team

Download Heather’s free 90 Day 1-on-1 agenda to run better, more meaningful conversations with your team: https://custardlearns.com/90-day-agenda-download

And btw, Heather drops practical leadership tips to over 30,000 managers across the globe inside the Custard Culture Club, join us here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

Got a situation at work you do not know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday at 8AM.

Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

And if you’re a manager or business owner who wants a clearer picture of how your team is really doing and what to do about it, find out more at Custard.

Being productive does not mean squeezing more work into every available hour.

In this episode, Heather shares the four productivity rules that help her run two businesses while still protecting her health, relationships and life outside work. She also opens up about the period that pushed her dangerously close to burnout, and what she changed because of it.

She explores:

• Why productivity is not about maximising every minute
• The word you need to become more comfortable saying
• How poor delegation quietly steals your future time
• The difference between urgent work and important work
• Why unfinished important tasks eventually become emergencies
• The weekly calendar challenge that eliminates unnecessary meetings
• How Heather now protects her energy while running two businesses

Listen now to discover how to get the right work done, protect your time and build a successful career without burning yourself out.

Fresh Start is Heather’s proven six week bootcamp for managers who want to take control, earn respect and drive results. Join the waitlist here: https://www.freshleadershipworld.com/fresh-start-course/

And if you’re a manager or business owner who wants a clearer picture of how your team is really doing, and what to do about it, find out more at Custard.

Got a situation at work you do not know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday at 8 AM.

Follow us on socials:

Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

Is Gen Z really difficult to manage, or do they simply expect better management?

Heather explores why Gen Z are often labelled lazy, entitled, or difficult to manage, and why the real problem may be the way workplaces try to lead them.

In this episode, Heather covers:

• Why Gen Z are not as difficult to manage as people think
• How to communicate with Gen Z more openly and honestly
• Why progression matters even when a promotion is not available
• How to offer flexibility without losing structure or accountability
• Why psychological safety and high performance can exist together
• How the TAPES framework can help you manage Gen Z more effectively
• What to do when someone still refuses to meet the required standard

Because managing Gen Z is not about giving them everything they want. It is about understanding what helps them do their best work, then leading them with clarity, trust and accountability.

And if you are a manager or business owner who wants a clearer picture of how your team is really doing, find out more at Custard.

Got a situation at work you do not know how to handle?

Send it in at hello@theboardroompodcast.com, two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.

New episodes every Wednesday at 8 AM.

Follow us on socials:

Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

And btw, Heather drops practical leadership tips to over 30,000 managers across the globe inside the Custard Culture Club. Join us here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home