Happier At Work: Leadership, Culture, Performance

In this bonus episode, Aoife shares the key takeaways from her insightful conversation with Owen Fitzpatrick, breaking down what beliefs are, how they're formed, and most importantly, the specific actions you can take today to start reshaping the beliefs that hold you back.
What you’ll take away:
What a belief actually is (hint: it's not a fact) and why the certainty behind our beliefs can fluctuate depending on mood, context, and circumstance
How to recognise your own "inner propaganda", the stories you tell yourself and why you don't have to buy into them
The difference between what's in your control, what you can influence, and what you need to simply accept
Why "taking a bet on yourself" and adopting an antifragile mindset can help you grow from setbacks instead of being knocked down by them
How leaders can use storytelling, rather than just stats and data, to shift beliefs and shape culture
Practical ways to dismantle an "us vs. them" culture at work by finding commonality instead of division
How to define success on your own terms, and why the people around you matter when you're pursuing it
The role of recognition and reward systems in reinforcing culture and identity at work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with Owen Fitzpatrick | Psychologist & Author of ‘Inner Propaganda: Leading Hearts and Minds Through Turbulent Times’:
LinkedIn
Website
Podcast

Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 149: Discovering your Motive Mindset with Kelly Mackin
Episode 201: Redefining your Own Career Success with Gary Crotaz
Episode 285: Fixed vs Growth Mindset at Work
About Happier at Work
Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

How do your beliefs shape your identity and your success at work?
In this thought-provoking episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien is joined by author and psychologist Owen Fitzpatrick for a deep dive into the hidden power of beliefs in both personal and organisational contexts. Centered around Owen’s new book, ‘Inner Propaganda: Leading Hearts and Minds Through Turbulent Times’, the conversation explores how our internal narratives, shaped by beliefs, stories, and identities, profoundly impact our mental health, workplace engagement, and ability to grow.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
What beliefs are, and how they shape our self-perception, actions, and what information we absorb.
How our emotional states heavily influence which beliefs become most salient at any given time.
Changing your mindset isn’t just about logical reasoning; feelings and identity play a far greater role.
The crucial role leaders play as “propagandists” in shaping workplace culture and employee identities.

Related Topics Covered:
Public Perception, Judgement, Workplace Dynamics
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with Owen Fitzpatrick | Psychologist & Author of ‘Inner Propaganda: Leading Hearts and Minds Through Turbulent Times’:
LinkedIn
Website
Podcast

Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 149: Discovering your Motive Mindset with Kelly Mackin
Episode 201: Redefining your Own Career Success with Gary Crotaz
Episode 285: Fixed vs Growth Mindset at Work
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

If you've ever thought, "I'm not good enough," despite having the skills, experience and evidence to prove otherwise, you're not alone.
In this listener question episode, host Aoife O'Brien explores why capable people often experience self-doubt and why confidence isn't always an accurate reflection of capability. Drawing on insights from her latest Imposter Syndrome Report, she discusses how our childhood experiences, education, workplace environments and past experiences can shape the stories we tell ourselves about our abilities.
She also explores the common situations that trigger self-doubt, from starting a new role to receiving feedback, being promoted, comparing ourselves to others or operating outside our comfort zone.
Most importantly, she explains why self-doubt isn't just something we think—it influences how we behave, often leading to perfectionism, procrastination, over-preparing, people-pleasing or holding ourselves back from opportunities.
In this episode:
Why capable people experience self-doubt
The difference between confidence and capability
How early experiences influence our beliefs about ourselves
Common workplace triggers that reignite imposter feelings
The behaviours self-doubt can lead to
A simple mindset shift to help you challenge those thoughts

Key takeaway
Feeling capable and being capable aren't the same thing.
Instead of asking yourself, "Do I feel confident enough?" ask, "What evidence do I have that I'm capable?"
Resources
📘 Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention
Find out more about the book and order your copy here:
https://thrivingtalentbook.com
📄 Download the Imposter Syndrome Report
https://www.impostersyndrome.ie/report
🎙️ Subscribe to the Happier at Work podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a rating or review—it helps more people discover the show.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Have you ever wondered how imposter syndrome could be quietly costing your organisation top talent and innovative ideas?
In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien dives deep into the data behind her State of Imposter Syndrome at Work report, revealing how imposter syndrome isn’t just an individual’s challenge, it’s a pressing organisational issue. She shares her own experiences and highlights the staggering fact that around 90% of professionals have faced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. Aoife unpacks how confidence is often confused with capability, leading to untapped potential and missed opportunities in teams.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
How imposter syndrome affects about 90% of professionals, and why it often goes unaddressed at the organisational level.
Why outward confidence doesn’t always reflect true capability.
The impact of not addressing imposter syndrome.
The importance of recognising and encouraging not just the most vocal contributors but the true value every individual brings.

Related Topics Covered:
Personal Development, Self-awareness, Psychological Safety
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Related Episodes & Resources:
Episode 223: Imposter Syndrome: The Invisible Barrier to Workplace Success
Episode 281: How Managers Accidentally Fuel Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome Report
About Happier at Work®
Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

In this bonus episode, Aoife revisits her conversation with John Bernatovicz and offers her expert insight on purpose, HR culture, ownership, and finding meaning at work. If you haven't listened to the full episode with John yet, make sure to give it a listen.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
Most companies don't actually have a defined purpose John's research found that outside of not-for-profits, the vast majority of companies don't have a real, articulated sense of purpose, often only turning to "giving back" once they've already made significant money. Meanwhile, 80% of employees say they want to work somewhere with genuine intention behind its purpose.
Purpose doesn't have to be a "big, grand thing" Purpose isn't only about world-changing missions. Aoife references the "big P vs. little P" purpose concept from her episode with Sharath Jeevan, plus Adam Grant's take on the same idea, purpose can simply be about the impact you have on the people and community around you.
Connect everyday work to real impact One of the biggest levers for engagement: clearly linking people's day-to-day tasks to the outcomes and impact they create, for clients, colleagues, or the wider mission. Without that connection, people can feel like they're just going through the motions.
Purpose vs. profitability Money is fleeting, chasing wealth, lifestyle, or "toeing the company line" for a paycheck eventually takes its toll. The conversation touched on leaders who reach a breaking point when the job no longer aligns with their values, and the idea that compromising your values catches up with you eventually.
We spend ~15% of our lives at work That's a meaningful enough chunk of life to make sure you're spending it somewhere that feels worthwhile.
Recognition matters If your contributions aren't being seen, heard, or valued, it may be time to look elsewhere, you deserve to have your work recognised.
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube

Connect with John Bernatovicz | Author of “HR Like a Boss” and founder of Willory:
LinkedIn
Website

Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 120: The Journey to Self Mastery and Success with Sharath Jeevan
Episode 267: Creating A Positive Workplace
Episode 191: The Pursuit of Purpose: Shifting Perspectives with Will Polston
About Happier at Work
Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.
Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ