In this episode, I’m joined by executive coach Jason Matthews for a thought-provoking conversation on leadership, trust, and how company culture shapes our relationship with alcohol.

Jason is a leadership consultant with a background in Psychology, specialising in CBT, emotional intelligence, and trauma-informed care. Through his work with Relatem, he helps leaders overcome limiting patterns and build organisations that thrive even when they’re not in the room.

We explore whether leaders need personal experience with addiction to create meaningful change and why compassion, not confession, might be the key to tackling alcohol stigma at work.

Jason’s behavioural insights and servant leadership approach challenge traditional thinking around workplace well-being and open up a powerful conversation about responsibility, vulnerability, and trust.

If you’re curious about how empathy, boundaries, and behavioural awareness can transform not only employee well-being but entire business cultures, this conversation will stay with you.

Here are the highlights:

Why alcohol is the workplace’s “well-being blind spot” (03:45)

Can leaders create change without lived experience? (07:14)

The link between compassion, empowerment, and behaviour (08:11)

Trust as acceptance — not just dependability (14:56)

The shame–blame paradox and how to break it (19:00)

Turning honesty into empowerment, not punishment (22:16)

Why stress management must be a cultural priority (23:41)

Challenging the “Thursday drinks” office ritual (26:03)

Leadership through love, curiosity, and courage (31:37)

Connect with Jason:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/relatem

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio