The People Powered Business Podcast

Hello and welcome to Episode 321 of The People Powered Business Podcast. Are you stuck doing everything in your business because it just feels quicker and easier than explaining it to someone else? Like you’re constantly putting out fires, jumping back into tasks, and wondering why your team isn’t stepping up? You’re not alone and this is exactly where so many business owners get stuck. I keep seeing this pattern with growing businesses. You start out because you’re great at what you do, but as your team grows, your role has to shift. The problem is, no one teaches you how to make that shift. It’s uncomfortable, it’s unfamiliar, and it can feel easier to just stay in the doing. But staying there holds your business back and, more importantly, it holds your team back too. In this episode, I unpack what it really takes to step out of the day-to-day and into leadership. I talk about why letting go feels so hard, how your expectations might be setting your team up to fail, and the subtle ways you might be undermining their confidence without even realising it. I also share a simple mindset shift that can completely change how you feel about delegation, plus the structures you need in place if you actually want your team to take ownership. One of the biggest insights? If you keep swooping in to “fix” things, you’re training your team to stop thinking for themselves. In this episode we cover: Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au Book a 15-minute clarity call: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat What this episode covers Growing a business requires a shift from doing the work to leading the people doing the work, and that transition is where many business owners struggle. This episode breaks down why stepping out of the day-to-day feels so difficult and what’s required to build a capable, trusted team. By the end, you’ll understand how to move from reactive “doing” to intentional leadership. Key insight from this episode If a business owner continues to step back into tasks and “fix” things, they unintentionally train their team to stop thinking, stop taking initiative, and rely on direction instead of ownership. Sustainable growth only happens when leaders step up and stay there. What you'll take away How to shift your focus from ticking off tasks to driving business growth

Hello and welcome to Episode 320 of The People Powered Business Podcast. You've hired someone. Finally. After the job ads, the interviews, the back and forth, they said yes and they're starting Monday. The hard part is over, right? Wrong. Almost half of every person you hire won't make it through their first twelve months. Not because they were the wrong person. Because nobody set them up to succeed. I can't quite believe I've barely touched this topic in 320 episodes, because the first 90 days is the most important period of time in determining whether a hire works out, and most small business owners have no plan for it beyond "here's your login and good luck." We treat onboarding like a box to tick when it's actually the foundation of the entire working relationship. In this episode I'm pulling back the curtain on what actually happens in most small businesses during those first 90 days, why it quietly sets new hires up to fail, and what a proper 90-day plan looks like when you're not a corporate with an HR department. I'm also sharing the insight that stops most business owners in their tracks when I share it, because the underperformance conversations you're dreading? A lot of them trace directly back to a broken onboarding. You're fixing the wrong end of the problem. In this episode we cover: If you've got someone starting soon and you want to make sure you nail their first 90 days, book a free 15-minute clarity call with me: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about employees or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au What this episode covers Nearly half of all new hires don't make it through their first twelve months, and in most small businesses, poor onboarding is the reason. This episode breaks down exactly what the first 90 days should look like for a new team member, why the typical small business approach quietly sets people up to fail, and how to build a simple structure that gives your new hire the best chance of becoming a long-term, high-performing member of your team. Key insight from this episode Most underperformance conversations small business owners are having with staff can be traced back to a broken onboarding process. The problem didn't start when performance slipped, it started in the first few weeks, when the new hire was left to figure things out alone. Fixing the onboarding fixes the pipeline, and saves business owners from the harder conversations down the track. What you'll take away Frequently asked questions How long should onboarding last for a new employee in a small business? Onboarding should be treated as a minimum 90-day process, not a one-week event. The first week focuses on orientation and relationships. The first month builds role confidence through shadowing and small wins. Months two and three increase independence, establish clear expectations, and confirm whether the hire is the right long-term fit. What is the biggest onboarding mistake small business owners make? The most common mistake is what's sometimes called "dump and run", overwhelming a new hire with information in week one, then disappearing because the business owner gets busy. The new hire feels abandoned, starts to disengage, and performance suffers. The owner then blames the hire, when the problem began with the onboarding. What should a 30, 60, 90 day check-in include? A structured check-in at each milestone should cover three things: what's working well, what's still unclear or confusing, and what the new hire needs from you to do their job well. These are relationship and alignment conversations, not performance reviews.

Hello and welcome to Episode 319 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Got someone on your team who just is not cutting it, but every time you think about dealing with it, you put it off for another day? Maybe you are hoping they will sort themselves out, maybe you are gathering more “evidence”, or maybe you are trying not to rock the boat. Either way, the issue rarely fixes itself, and the longer it drags on, the messier it gets. I keep seeing this with small business owners, and I get why. Managing underperformance is one of the hardest parts of leading a team, especially when your team is small, the person plays a big role, or there is a personal relationship involved. It is easy to avoid the conversation, overthink it, or soften things so much that nothing actually changes. But when we handle employee underperformance badly, we usually make it worse for everyone involved, including the rest of the team. In this episode, I unpack why so many business owners struggle to manage an underperforming employee and the common leadership styles that get in the way. I talk through the three real reasons performance issues happen in the first place: a skills gap, a motivation problem, or a cultural mismatch. That distinction matters more than most people realise, because the right solution depends entirely on the real cause. If you misdiagnose the problem, you will often apply the wrong fix, and that is when frustration, resentment and poor team culture start to build. I also walk you through what to do next if you have a problem employee on your team, including when to coach, when to re-engage, and when it is time to start planning an exit. This is a practical conversation for small business owners who want to handle performance management clearly, calmly and without making a hard situation even harder. In this episode we cover: What to do next, whether the employee needs support, re-engagement or an exit plan If you want practical, no-nonsense advice on managing your team delivered straight to your inbox every week, head to https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/join. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about underperforming employees email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au

Hello and welcome to Episode 318 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Do you have someone on your team right now where something just feels... off? Maybe you knew when you hired them, maybe it crept up on you slowly — but either way, you're still holding on. And if that's you, this episode is going to hit close to home. This is one of my most listened-to episodes and I'm bringing it back because I keep seeing this play out in businesses every single week. The hiring market has shifted since I first recorded this, but the problem hasn't changed one bit. Business owners are still holding onto the wrong people for too long — and it's the rest of the team that quietly pays the price. In this episode I walk you through exactly what a wrong hire looks like in the early stages (because when you're in the weeds it can be surprisingly hard to see), the real reasons we keep people around even when we know we shouldn't, and the three ways holding onto the wrong person erodes your team's morale and motivation from the inside out. The third one in particular — the trust piece — is the one most business owners don't see coming until the damage is already done. If you've been avoiding a difficult decision about someone on your team, this episode will give you the clarity and the push you need to take action. In this episode we cover: Ready to take action? If you're dealing with a wrong hire right now and need support book a clarity call to find out how I can help: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 317 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, we are tackling one of the most confusing and high-risk areas for business owners right now, the difference between employees and contractors. I’m joined by Jeanette Jifkins from Onyx Legal, and together we unpack why this isn’t as simple as choosing what you want to call someone. We explore how recent Fair Work changes, alongside ATO requirements, have made this space more complex than ever, and why getting it wrong can have serious financial and legal consequences for your business. We dive into the legal perspective on what truly separates an employee from a contractor, including the critical role of control, the “whole of relationship” test, and what courts actually look for when making a determination. Throughout the conversation, we share practical examples, common mistakes business owners make, and how contractor relationships can easily drift into employment without you even realising. If you’re currently engaging contractors or considering it, this episode will help you understand your risks and what you need to do to protect your business. Key Takeaways: Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat To Connect with Jeanette: https://onyx.legal/ https://www.instagram.com/onyxlegal_bris/

Hello and welcome to Episode 316 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, we are diving into how to write a script for any tricky team conversation, whether it’s performance-related, awkward, or just something that’s been sitting on your to-do list for far too long. I walk through why these conversations are often avoided and how that avoidance is actually costing your business more than you might realise, from disengaged employees through to missed performance opportunities. I also unpack why this isn’t a “them” problem, it’s an “us” problem, and how our hesitation as leaders is often the very thing holding our teams back. I also take you through a practical, step-by-step framework to help you confidently prepare for and navigate these conversations. From getting crystal clear on the real issue, to preparing for objections, to structuring your conversation in a way that leads to clarity and action, this episode gives you a repeatable approach you can use anytime. If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking, avoiding, or second-guessing a tough conversation, this is the structure you’ve been looking for. Key Takeaways: Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Hello and welcome to Episode 315 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode I’m tackling a leadership trap I see all the time in small and growing businesses: confusing being a nice boss with being a good boss. With recent research showing that four in five Australian employees are disengaged at work, and a significant percentage actively looking for a new role, it’s worth asking an uncomfortable question. How much of that comes down to leadership? The reality is that managers influence the majority of employee engagement outcomes, which means the way we show up as leaders has a direct impact on retention, performance and ultimately profitability. I explore the difference between leading with kindness and prioritising being liked. When we focus too heavily on being nice, we often avoid the conversations that actually help our teams grow. We soften feedback, let issues slide and delay addressing underperformance because we don’t want to upset anyone. But strong leadership isn’t about being harsh. It’s about being clear. A good boss cares enough about their team to set expectations, hold boundaries and have honest conversations even when they feel uncomfortable. As the saying goes, clear is kind, and unclear is unkind. I also share practical ways you can shift from being simply a nice boss to being an effective one without changing who you are. This includes setting clear expectations early, addressing issues while they’re still small, giving honest but respectful feedback and creating regular check-ins so difficult conversations become easier over time. Your warmth and care are strengths as a leader. The key is making sure they support clarity and accountability rather than replacing them. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Articles Mentioned: https://www.ibtimes.com.au/employee-disengagement-australia-leads-au223-billion-loss-42-actively-job-hunting-poll-1858187 https://www.ahri.com.au/articles/cost-of-employee-disengagement

Hello and welcome to Episode 314 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode I’m talking about something most business owners know they need to do but often avoid: difficult conversations. We’ve been exploring why these conversations feel so uncomfortable and how to approach them, but today I’m focusing on something different – the real cost of not having them. Whether it’s the high performer who knows they’re indispensable, the team members who simply can’t work together, or the employee whose attitude has quietly shifted, avoiding the conversation might feel easier in the moment but it comes with a price. I unpack the three hidden costs that show up when we delay these conversations: the time and mental bandwidth it takes up, the opportunity cost of what your team and business could achieve if the issue was resolved, and the very real material costs that can appear through mistakes, disengagement, lost customers or team turnover. When you start adding those up, many business owners are effectively paying somewhere between $50 and $100 every single day just to avoid a conversation that would likely take 30 minutes to have. If you’ve ever put off a tough conversation because you care about the relationship or you’re worried about making things worse, you’re not alone. Avoidance isn’t laziness, it’s often a sign that you care deeply about your team and the outcome. But understanding the true cost of avoiding the conversation is the first step toward addressing it. In the next episode, I’ll be sharing the three reasons these conversations often don’t go the way we expect, even when we finally decide to have them. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Hello and welcome to Episode 313 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, I’m diving into the real reason you’re avoiding that conversation you know you need to have. You’ve thought about it, rehearsed it and told yourself you’ll deal with it next week. But avoidance isn’t laziness. It’s protection. I unpack why so many business owners put off difficult conversations around performance management, behaviour issues and team accountability, and why it’s not about being a bad boss or not knowing what to say. It runs deeper than that. We explore the four big reasons these conversations get delayed, including fear of escalation, worrying about back chat or Fair Work claims, not wanting to be the bad guy in a close knit team, not trusting the structure of the conversation and letting issues go on for too long. I talk about how avoidance quietly shapes workplace culture, how behaviour becomes pattern and pattern becomes precedent, and why what you tolerate never stays neutral. Most importantly, I share why the real issue isn’t courage. It’s clarity. When you have a clear structure for managing hard conversations, you reduce emotion, protect yourself legally, strengthen your workplace culture and create better performance outcomes for your team. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyleebillett/ Or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat

Hello and welcome to Episode 312 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, we’re unpacking a confronting but powerful question: is your team’s performance actually a reflection of your leadership? When something goes wrong in our teams, it’s easy to look straight at them. But what if under-performance isn’t about capability at all? What if it’s about clarity, communication and consistency? I’m sharing why most performance issues are actually clarity issues, how undefined standards and unspoken expectations create confusion, and why emotional reactions instead of structured leadership conversations keep us stuck. If someone keeps getting it wrong, we need to ask ourselves what we’ve clearly defined as ‘right’. We also explore the idea that what you tolerate becomes the norm. If lateness has no consequence, it becomes culture. If attitude slips and nothing happens, that tone spreads. If you quietly redo work instead of addressing it, quality control becomes your job forever. Teams calibrate to the lowest enforced standard. Culture is not what we say, it’s what we repeat, what we ignore, what we reward and what we fix for them. The good news is that if standards are created through repetition, they can be reset the same way. I’ll challenge you to choose your next action step. Is it clarity, tolerance or culture alignment? And over the next few weeks, I’ll be diving deeper into the leadership behaviours that reset standards faster than anything else. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 311 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that so many business owners struggle with but don’t always want to admit, micromanagement. Are you a micromanager? Do you find yourself swooping in, rechecking work that has already been delegated, rewriting emails that were perfectly fine, or feeling anxious when someone else is responsible for the outcome? We explore what micromanagement really is, how it differs from being hands on or caring about quality, and the subtle behaviours that signal a lack of trust within your team. I unpack why even experienced leaders fall into the micromanagement trap, from perfectionism and fear of mistakes through to burnout, decision fatigue and scar tissue from past disappointments. When the business feels like your baby, it is easy to justify controlling every detail. But I also share what micromanagement feels like on the other side, and how it impacts employee engagement, team morale, productivity and retention. When autonomy disappears, so does motivation, and good people eventually walk away. Most importantly, we talk about how to break free from the micromanagement spiral. I introduce a practical delegation framework using the 4Cs, Context, Clarity, Check-ins and Consequences, to help you set clear expectations and step back with confidence. This episode will help you shift from directing to coaching, focus on outcomes instead of control, rebuild trust in your team, and create the leadership capacity your growing business needs. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 310 of The People Powered Business Podcast. Today I am sharing a conversation had on The Australian Small Business Show, another podcast that I cohost with my husband Matt Heighway. In this episode, we tackle a big question many small business owners are asking right now, is employee loyalty dead? Drawing on our experiences and observations of the next generation entering the workforce, they explore how the traditional idea of loyalty as a trade for long-term job security has shifted. With changing expectations, generational differences and the lasting impact of the pandemic, the old rules around work and loyalty no longer seem to apply in the same way . The conversation dives into why job security is no longer the primary driver of loyalty, and how employees are increasingly taking ownership of their own careers. We discuss why modern loyalty looks less like a lifetime commitment and more like being engaged, committed and aligned while someone is part of your business. We also unpack how leadership, development, flexibility and feeling valued now play a far bigger role than simply a pay cheque. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 309 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, we are talking about something every leader has to do, but many quietly avoid: giving staff feedback. Giving feedback isn’t just part of your job, it is the job. When it’s done well, it drives improvement, builds trust and shifts behaviour. When it’s done poorly, it creates confusion, defensiveness and disengagement. Today, we are unpacking the three biggest feedback mistakes I see business owners make and how to fix them. First, we look at the problem of being too vague or making feedback personal. Comments like “you need to communicate better” or “you’ve got a bad attitude” don’t help anyone improve. Vague feedback confuses people and personal feedback puts them straight into defence mode. I walk you through how to use the SBI framework so feedback stays factual, fair and focused on behaviour, not personality. We also talk about the power of following feedback with curiosity and questions, rather than assumptions. We also cover why delaying feedback until it becomes a bigger issue is damaging your team and your relationships. Waiting until you’re frustrated or until a formal review often means the moment for change has passed. Feedback works best when it’s timely and part of your everyday leadership rhythm. Finally, we talk about the difference between telling and coaching. Real behaviour change doesn’t come from instructions alone. It comes from helping people reflect, understand the impact of their actions and build capability through coaching-style conversations. An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 308 of The People Powered Business Podcast. Today we’re digging into the vault and rereleasing one of our most popular episodes, back from late 2020. Today we are taking a look at the other side of employee engagement. We have spoken a few times on the podcast about employee engagement, what it is, why it’s important and how you can improve it. However, we haven’t before spoken about how to identify a disengaged employee and what you need to look out for. Today we take a detailed look at 7 key signs that your employee may be disengaged. Specifically we discuss: - Changes in behaviour and routine; - Withdrawal from social connections at work; - Employees becoming distracted and losing focus at work; - Missing deadlines and work quality starting to slip; - The importance if you notice a change in their demeanour; - Communication becoming frustrating or non existent; - The rise in absenteeism. An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 307 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, I’m diving into hiring in 2026 and unpacking what’s actually changing, what’s staying the same, and why many of the old recruitment tactics just aren’t cutting it anymore. Whether you’ve hired recently or it’s been a while, the reality is the hiring market is still competitive, candidates are moving fast, and business owners need to be far more intentional about how they attract and select the right people. I talk through why speed still matters, but only when it’s backed by clarity, strategy and a strong understanding of what you actually need in your business. We also explore the rise of passive candidates and why relying solely on job ads is no longer enough. Hiring in 2026 looks a lot more like marketing, building your employer brand, using your networks, and clearly communicating your values and flexibility. I share my thoughts on the growing role of AI in recruitment, how both candidates and employers are using it, and where the risks sit if it’s not used thoughtfully. Most importantly, I explain why hiring decisions are now deeply connected to retention and culture, and how getting it wrong can cost you far more than waiting for the right person. Key takeaways from this episode include: • Why speed in hiring still matters, but strategy matters more • How to reach great candidates who aren’t actively job hunting • The role of AI in modern recruitment and where human judgement is still essential • Why values, flexibility and culture need to show up in your hiring process • How better hiring decisions support stronger retention and team performance An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 306 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that sounds simple but is far harder than it should be: delegation. If you constantly feel like you’re the only one who can do things properly, or you’re frustrated that your team just doesn’t get it, the issue usually isn’t your people, it’s your delegation process. I unpack why delegation feels so hard for so many business owners and leaders, especially when no one ever taught us how to do it properly and our teams can’t read our minds. I then walk you through my five-step framework for effective delegation, starting with deciding what you should actually be delegating, not just offloading tasks out of frustration. We talk about getting clear on the outcome so success is tangible, giving context so your team understands the bigger picture, agreeing on boundaries to create clarity and trust, and setting follow-ups that support accountability without micromanaging. Delegation done well isn’t about control, it’s about coaching, building capability and freeing you up to focus on the work that really matters in your business. Your action after listening is simple: pick one task you’re currently holding onto and delegate it using all five steps. Notice how different it feels when expectations are clear, context is shared and follow-up is planned from the start. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 305 of The People Powered Business Podcast. Happy 2026 and welcome back. After a short break, I’m diving straight into a question I’m hearing more and more from business owners as hiring ramps up again. Are cover letters redundant? In this episode, I reflect on what season many of us are in right now, growing teams, reviewing recruitment processes, and trying to hire well without wasting time or creating unnecessary complexity. I unpack why so many businesses still rely heavily on cover letters and why, in the traditional sense, they’re no longer giving us the insights we think they are. With the rise of AI, most cover letters now sound the same, polished, impressive, and often disconnected from how someone will actually perform in your business. I share my own approach, the common bias business owners have towards strong writing and compliments, and the so called ‘trick’ application strategies that don’t always tell you what you need to know. Ultimately, it comes down to who you trust and how that aligns with your leadership style. I also walk through what to do instead. This includes thinking more intentionally about what you actually want to assess, how to screen candidates more effectively so you don’t over interview and confuse yourself, and how to rely more on what you can witness rather than what’s written. Resumes still matter, and interviews are still critical, but only when they’re designed well. I also share how you can use AI to your advantage in recruitment rather than letting it blur your decision making. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 304 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Leading and motivating transient and seasonal team members Many rural and regional businesses work with seasonal workers, volunteers and ’88 dayers” - those young international travellers with holiday visa who need to work for 88 days in a rural or regional area in order to have their visa extended. Christmas, school holidays and other occasions mean we are often taking on staff ‘for the season’ wherever we are. In this episode Juliet and Kristy-Lee are talking about some of the challenges and opportunities in leading these people whilst keeping your core team motivated. Anytime someone joins or leaves our team it has an impact on the culture of the team and seasonal or transient team members can bring strengths and energy or can dislocate a team and throw everything off balance. We discuss how to bring these people into the team in ways that get the best from them and integrate them into the team as effectively as possible. Have you had seasonal or transient workers join your team? What was your experience? We’d love to hear! Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 303 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In this episode we’re continuing with our special three-part series to help you plan for a powerful 2026, and looking at what to start doing when it comes to managing your team. This episode focuses on three key things to start doing for your team as you head into the new year. We’re talking about the importance of building leadership skills within your team and investing in leadership skill development, I’m also encouraging you to start having braver conversations sooner, and to start measuring what really matters. 💡 Bonus AI Tip: Start putting AI guides in place for your team. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 302 of the People Powered Business Podcast! In this episode we’re continuing with our special three-part series to help you plan for a powerful 2026, and looking at what to keep doing when it comes to managing your team. This episode focuses on three key things to keep doing for your team as you head into the new year. We’re talking about the importance of continuing with regular meetings, consistency with curious conversations and of course the key to continued clarity. 💡 Bonus AI Tip: Keep exploring AI and looking for opportunities to integrate it in your work. Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au The 12 Days of a People Powered Christmas Specials: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/12-days-christmas An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia