Beyond the Workshop: Cultivating a Collaborative Culture with Allison Coward
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Release Date: 05/06/2025
What If You Believed You Are Enough?
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Hey, humans. I want to talk about something that so many of us struggle with, and that's the feeling of not being enough. This is a part three of a series called "What If". I highly recommend going back and listening to the previous two if you haven't heard them already. I know that shame spiral all too well; when my life shifted in a single moment almost ten years ago, I found myself in a very dark place, believing I was flawed and unworthy. And as Brené Brown's research shows, that's the difference between guilt—I did something bad—and shame, which is the belief that I am bad . Let me...
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What If You Understood Control Is a Myth? Part 2 of the What If Series Continued
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
What if you understood that control is just a myth? I know so many of us, especially when we look at the news or our social media feeds, can feel a sense of complete overwhelm, like the world is totally out of control. And in response, we try to control what we can to feel safe and grounded. But what if that feeling of control is just an illusion? In this episode of our "What If" series, I want to challenge your thought process on this. We can do things to have a better life, like drinking more water or taking more steps, but we don't actually control the entire outcome. Research on the locus...
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The Lie of "Too Much": An Assignment for Your Younger Self
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Hey humans, welcome to "What If," a new, short-format summer mini-series. I know life is busy, so these episodes are five minutes or less, designed to help you focus inward. This week, we're tackling a feeling many of us have been made to feel: that we are "too much". Whether you've been called too emotional, too quiet, or too opinionated, these labels can cause us to internalize the message that we must shrink ourselves to be accepted. I struggled with this myself after being told for years that my intuition was irrelevant and I needed to rely only on data. But embracing our full selves is...
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Part 2: Putting AI to Work: Advanced Tools and Future Possibilities
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Welcome back to the continuation of my conversation with Mike and Reggie about the human experience of AI. In the first part, we laid the groundwork by discussing how to get started and facing the philosophical questions and fears surrounding this technology. Now, we get into the really exciting applications, exploring how my guests have gone from beginners to power users, integrating AI into their work and lives in truly transformative ways. You'll hear how Reggie has used AI to build dozens of applications, consult on complex topics, and even find support during a personal health crisis....
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The Human Side of AI: Getting Started and Facing the Fear (Part one)
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
On this special two-part episode of the HX Podcast, I’m so excited to be joined by two of my colleagues from CMS, Mike and Reggie. We dive deep into the human experience of artificial intelligence, starting not with the technology itself, but with the people who use it. Mike and Reggie share their personal histories and what drives them, from a passion for service to the constant search for a better work-life balance. We explore how so many of us have been taught that "hustle equals worth," and how AI, when used wisely, presents an opportunity to reclaim our time for more meaningful human...
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Prioritize the Pause: Redefining Success for Gen X
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Hey humans! On this episode of the HX podcast, I wanted to talk to my fellow Gen Xers about something that was programmed into us back in our twenties: the idea that our worth is tied to our productivity. I see it causing problems in business and in people's lives. I know this from my own career in startups, where that hustle culture was rewarded and it hard-coded into me the belief that being exhausted meant I was doing a good job. But I now know that's just not the truth, and it's time we challenge that thinking. So, I'm asking you to focus on a few things this...
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Assuming Positive Intent: The Roots and Repercussions of a Victimhood Mindset
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
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...
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Assuming Positive Intent: From Victimhood to Curiosity
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
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 .
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The Sauce, The Soul, and The Essential Culture of Leadership: A Tribute to Tom Frank
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
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...
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Leave Management Reimagined with Seth Turner of AbsenceSoft: Compassion, Compliance, and Innovation
The HX Podcast with Stacie Baird
Hey humans, you won't want to miss this episode! I chat with from 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....
info_outlineHey 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.