Hey humans! In this episode, as we continue our series on 'Assuming Positive Intent,' I'm diving further into a topic I believe is one of the most challenging things we navigate: the duality between victimhood and accountability.

To pick up from last week, I really break down what victimhood looks like – that mindset rooted in an external locus of control, where we might blame others or circumstances, often stemming from past adversity or trauma, and I don't want to minimize that.

I explore the significant costs of this mindset, especially in our workplaces—how it erodes trust, blocks progress, and reduces psychological safety—to really lay the foundation for why understanding this is so critical before we talk about how to shift towards accountability in our next episode.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

In this episode of my 'Assuming Positive Intent' series, I wanted to share a personal insight that really struck me, especially as I've been feeling a bit exhausted from a big push at work. I talk about the crucial difference between falling into a 'victimhood' mindset and practicing 'self-compassion,' and I offer one simple but powerful shift I've been using.

I'm finding this helps me foster empathy and move from that reactive place to one of empowerment - I hope that it helps you, too!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

This podcast episode is a special one for me, as I pay tribute to a man who was truly a force bigger than life: Tom Frank. He was an incredible storyteller and an icon, and I think of him often. This particular episode, which we originally recorded back in September 2020, features Tom discussing the culture of organizations and sharing his history as one of the original members of the P.F. Chang's team. It's especially meaningful to me to republish this episode now, five years into my podcasting journey, because it truly stuck out as one of several of those conversations with him that moved my soul.

A big part of our discussion (this was part of my previous podcast with Blake Rayhons) with Tom centered on the definition and immense importance of organizational culture. Tom shared how P.F. Chang's, when it started as just a single restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona, didn't just create recipes for food, but also developed a "recipe for the culture". He talks about that a crucial ingredient in building culture, especially in the context of restaurants and ethnic cuisine, is "respect". This led to a memorable anecdote about the special sauce at P.F. Chang's. This story, for me, perfectly illustrated Tom's insightful philosophy.

Our conversation flowed into the concept of creating a "better world" within the workplace. Tom described this as a somewhat selfish desire to "come to work every day and feel good about myself". He made a compelling case for leaders to embrace their own personal motivations in shaping culture, as this inherently attracts like-minded individuals who also want to be part of that same positive environment.

I absolutely love Frank's message. I hope you'll listen and hear that same genuine message.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Hey humans, you won't want to miss this episode! I chat with Seth Turner from AbsenceSoft about a seriously important topic: leave management. We're digging into how we can shift our thinking from just processing paperwork to truly supporting employees during critical life moments.

Seth shares his journey into this complex world and how his company is aiming to bring more humanity and efficiency to the process. We'll also touch on how technology, even AI, can play a role in making things smoother and more human-centered.

Seth offers some great advice for anyone dreaming of building solutions in the HR tech space. This conversation is packed with insights on elevating the employee experience.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Links for Seth Turner and AbsenceSoft

AbsenceSoft Website | Seth Turner LinkedIn

In this continuing series of assuming postitive intent I'm talking to my awesome Gen Xers. We're tackling this ingrained idea from our early careers: exhaustion as a status symbol, where we equate productivity with our worth. I experienced this firsthand early in my career spent working in startups, where hustle was rewarded, hardwiring me to believe being tapped out meant I was doing well. Now I know that's not the truth.

So, this week, I want you to define your own success. It should include well-being and fulfillment, not sacrificing everything for goals. Ask yourself: What is success to me? Also, let's revisit a COVID lesson: prioritize the pause. Schedule those moments to eat, move, breathe - because no one else will. Protect your best times for focused work by setting boundaries. Remember, it's about quality over quantity. Ask yourself: Is my worth tied to productivity? What if I valued rest more? Celebrate those pauses you take. If this is a struggle, seek support. You are valuable for who you are, not just what you produce. Remember that. And next time, we'll talk about another way to make 2025 your best year. Keep valuing yourself and your time!

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Hey humans! I was absolutely thrilled to have a fascinating conversation with Alison Coward joining us all the way from across the pond (as I finally got to say!)

Alison shared her incredible human experience, tracing her journey through the worlds of fashion promotion, supporting creative practitioners, and ultimately diving deep into the power of collaboration.

We kicked off by exploring Alison's path, from her early fascination with the creative industries to her pivotal Master's research focused on collaboration within that sector. This led to the birth of her business, Bracket, which initially aimed to connect creative freelancers for collaborative projects.

Alison also sheds light on the application of design thinking principles to foster more human-centered and collaborative ways of working within teams. It was truly an insightful discussion that left me pondering how we can all be more intentional about fostering collaboration and creativity in our daily work.

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Alison Coward Bracket Website

Alison Coward LinkedIn

Alison Coward's new book, Workshop Culture

In this episode I explore the concept of perfectionism and offers actionable advice for overcoming it. As part of the 'Top Trends in 2025' series, I'm focusing on the importance of assuming positive intent and my aim is to highlight the detrimental effects of perfectionism on personal and professional growth.

Some of the strategies includes recognizing the signs of perfectionism, embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, practicing self-compassion, focusing on progress over perfection, and setting realistic goals.

I'm encouraging you to adopt a mindset that values the journey over the destination, and to create time-bound limits to avoid endless striving for perfection.

Enjoy,

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.

Hey humans! We're still exploring those top trends for '25, and this week it's all about tackling your scarcity mindset – that feeling of "not enough" that can really hold you back.

We're diving into how to challenge this by first understanding the limiting beliefs that drive it. These often come from assumptions or past experiences we treat as facts. So, your assignment this week is some self-reflection. Journal, record, jot down: what do you believe about yourself? What are your fears and doubts? What negative thoughts keep popping up? For a bonus challenge, get some honest feedback from loved ones – are those beliefs based on fact or assumption? What's your evidence?

And the big question: how would you act without that belief? It might feel odd, but this is how we start shifting from scarcity to gratitude and abundance.

Next time, we'll talk about what to do with all this, so get reflecting!

Thanks for listening,

Stacie

More episodes at StacieBaird.com.