You’re not “just” anything: rethinking leadership, identity and assumptions at work with Jessica Lee

You’re not “just” anything: rethinking leadership, identity and assumptions at work with Jessica Lee

Author: People Soup April 13, 2026 Duration: 21:51

How often do we limit ourselves with the stories we tell?

“I’m not creative.”

“I’m just HR.”

“I’m not a leader.”

In this episode of People Soup, Ross McIntosh is joined by organisational psychologist Jess Lee to explore how these seemingly small phrases can have a big impact on how we think, behave, and show up at work.

Drawing on Jess’s experience across industries and cultures, they unpack how assumptions — about roles, industries, and even ourselves — can shape behaviour in subtle but powerful ways.

They also explore the reality of leadership today: why expectations can feel overwhelming, why leadership is more complex than we often acknowledge, and why the starting point might not be skills — but self-awareness.

This is a practical and reflective conversation about identity, leadership, and the human side of work.

What You’ll Learn

  • Why labels like “I’m not creative” can limit contribution
  • How assumptions show up across cultures and workplaces
  • The hidden impact of saying “I’m just…”
  • Why leadership isn’t about job titles
  • Why leadership can feel overwhelming — and what’s missing
  • The importance of self-awareness and self-leadership
  • How small pauses can create more intentional choices

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

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He's now also on Bluesky

The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE


Ever wonder why we do the things we do, especially at work or when trying to lead others? People Soup digs into that question, but it doesn’t stop at theory. Each episode is built on a foundation of behavioural science, which means you’ll get more than just interesting stories-you’ll get a clearer understanding of the human ingredients that make up our daily interactions. The conversations here feel real and unscripted, often touching on the messy, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating experience of simply being human. You’ll find that this podcast operates at the intersection of our professional ambitions and our personal well-being, exploring how they influence each other in ways we might not immediately see. It’s for anyone who has left a meeting baffled by a colleague’s reaction, struggled to motivate a team, or just wanted to navigate their own goals with a bit more clarity and less friction. The ideas discussed are deliberately practical, designed to be used almost immediately, whether you’re looking to improve a process, a relationship, or your own mindset. Tune in for a blend of thoughtful analysis and actionable insight that aims to make the complex recipe of human behaviour a little easier to understand and work with.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

People Soup
Podcast Episodes
Quick Spoon: When we avoid disappointing others [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07
Success doesn't always feel like success.In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a coaching conversation with someone who appeared to have everything going for them: successful, respected and on track for a remarkable care…
Quick Spoon: Awareness often begins with a metaphorical itch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06
You can't lead beyond what you notice and awareness often begins with a metaphorical itch.A feeling that something isn't quite right. Something isn't fitting. Something needs attention.In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects…
Quick Spoon: The leadership skill that's going out of fashion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05
We're encouraged to be quick, responsive and always on.But what happens when urgency becomes identity, reaction becomes leadership and speed becomes a virtue?In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on why he believes the paus…
Why good leaders go off track - A People Soup special #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:41
Why do good people do things they later regret?It's a question that's fascinated me for years.Before I became a coach, studied organisational psychology, or discovered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I spent yea…
Quick Spoon: Leadership starts feeling difficult [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the fourth skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Adaptability.Inspired by a candid reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode explores what happens when leadership becomes unce…
Quick Spoon: What's love got to do with it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the third skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Authentic Action.Inspired by a powerful insight from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at the tension leaders face between acting…
Quick Spoon: I always had an eye looking in [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the second skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Awareness.Inspired by a reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at the leadership power of noticing what’s happening b…
Quick Spoon: Why did I react like that? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the first skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Pause.Inspired by a powerful reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at those moments when our reactions feel immediate…
Quick Spoon: That difficult person at work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25
Every workplace seems to have one.The difficult colleague.The challenging client.The person who pushes your buttons before they’ve even opened their mouth.In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we…
Why work feels so personal with Gabriella Braun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:04
In this episode of People Soup, Ross is joined by consultant, psychoanalytic thinker, and author Gabriella Braun for a deeply human conversation about why work can feel so personal.Drawing on her remarkable book All That…