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.