HBR IdeaCast Summary

Episode: Assuming the Best About Others is Hard—But Necessary
Air Date: February 24, 2026
Guest: Amer Kaise, Professor at Trinity University, Author of The Positive Intent Mindset: Exceptional Leadership through Trust and Accountability
Hosts: Alison Beard and Adi Ignatius

Overview

This episode explores the concept of "assuming positive intent" in the workplace—why it's challenging in today's divisive and negative environment, why it's critical for good management and leadership, and how to cultivate it without sacrificing accountability. With expert insights from Amer Kaise, the discussion draws from research, practical examples, and actionable frameworks to help listeners foster more trust, better collaboration, and happier work cultures by defaulting to a mindset of positive intent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Impact of Negativity and Division at Work (02:27 – 03:25)

• Amer Kaise notes that negative headlines and social media spill over into the workplace, causing employees to adopt cynical or suspicious mindsets about colleagues' intentions.

• This results in reduced employee engagement, diminished collaboration, decreased trust, and general unhappiness at work.

  "When we don't assume positive intent, we just feel miserable. Right. Our well-being is affected…when we assume negative intent, we are subjecting ourselves to a lot of unnecessary suffering."
  — Amer Kaise (04:07)

The Power of Assuming Positive Intent (03:53 – 05:10)

• Research shows that assuming positive intent boosts trust, engagement, and productive relationships.

• The practice is personally beneficial: “giving ourselves the benefit of low blood pressure.”

• Leaders who model this mindset create “cycles of trust” across teams and organizations.

  "Leaders are impacting others through how they show up every day...positivity begets positivity."
  — Amer Kaise (05:23)

Accountability Remains Essential (06:17 – 07:06)

• Kaise introduces "accountable positivity": Start by assuming positive intent provisionally, but then check for evidence and maintain accountability.

  “We start with the default of assuming positive intent provisionally, and then we check with others, and then we see if the positive intent is there.”
  — Amer Kaise (06:30)

Why We Default to Negative Assumptions (07:22 – 09:13)

• Human beings are evolutionarily wired to be cautious of others—it was once a survival mechanism.

• The "fundamental attribution error": We judge others by their actions (and suspect ill intent), but judge ourselves by our intentions.

  "When we observe someone acting in a way that is questionable...we judge them by their actions, not by their intentions. However, when we are acting in those same ways, we judge ourselves by our intentions."
  — Amer Kaise (08:03)

Moving Toward Curiosity and Constructive Inquiry (09:21 – 11:21)

• Kaise recommends self-reflection: When frustrated with someone, ask yourself, “Have I done this myself?” More often than not, the answer is yes.

• Replace judgment with curiosity—ask for clarification directly and neutrally; check your interpretation with others.

  “Have I myself acted that way in the past?”
  — Amer Kaise (09:21)

Five Key Skills to Foster Positive Intent

(11:21 – 20:02)

1. Realistic Optimism (11:49 – 13:45)

• View others' mistakes as temporary and specific, not defining of their character.

• Focus on the possibility of improvement without minimizing accountability.

  “Realistic optimism is about saying, okay, they made this one mistake. That doesn’t mean they're always going to make the same mistake.”
  — Amer Kaise (11:49)

• Use 'what' questions instead of 'why' to avoid defensiveness in discussions.

  “Replacing why questions with what questions tends to do the trick most of the time.”
  — Amer Kaise (13:12)

2. Empathy & Humanizing Others (13:45 – 16:53)

• Tribalism at work is common and natural, but the mindset should humanize others—even rivals or “the other side.”

• Empathy means seeking to understand, not necessarily absorbing others' emotions.

  “We don’t humanize each other anymore…The starting point for empathy is to humanize others, to see them as human beings.”
  — Amer Kaise (14:02)

3. Humility (17:32 – 18:40)

• Expertise can breed false certainty; humility encourages curiosity and open-ended questioning.

• Assume you always have more to learn from others.

  “Humility is about replacing that blind certainty with curiosity...I know a lot of things, but I don't know everything.”
  — Amer Kaise (17:42)

4. Reality Testing (18:40 – 19:36)

• Go beyond your initial perception: Seek input from others, consider someone's track record before passing harsh judgment.

  “It’s about pausing and replacing that judgment with a little bit of understanding...”
  — Amer Kaise (19:00)

5. Forgiveness (19:36 – 22:03)

• Forgiveness is not about condoning or forgetting; it is for your own peace, not the other person’s.

• Letting go benefits you, not just the offender; it's separate from ongoing accountability.

  “When we decide to forgive, it’s not for the other person, it’s for ourselves.”
  — Amer Kaise (20:02)

Real-World Application & Stories

If Positive Intent Is Proven False (22:03 – 22:50)

• If repeated negative actions occur after giving the benefit of the doubt, accountability takes precedence.

• This could mean ending business or employment relationships if necessary.

  “If the person keeps on acting in ways that demonstrate that they do not have positive intentions…their employment has to be reconsidered.”
  — Amer Kaise (22:03)

The Restaurant Owner Example (22:50 – 24:46)

• Erin Wade, founder of a Mac & cheese restaurant, shifted from pay docking to requiring late employees to apologize to both team and customers—changing behavior through empathy and accountability.

  “They changed the procedure where if someone came in late, the first thing they had to do was to go and apologize to their team members...And that change...resulted in significant reduction in the number of people who were showing up late.”
  — Amer Kaise (23:07)

Executive Success Story (24:46 – 26:40)

• An American executive working in Europe struggled with distrust. By adopting positive intent, she saw a transformation both in how she perceived others and how others perceived her—improving trust and productivity.
• Personal relationships benefited as well; the approach can “save marriages,” not just organizations.

Role Modeling and Organizational Impact (26:40 – 29:04)

• Positive intent mindset is contagious. Leaders who exemplify it at the C-suite level can transform organizational culture.

• Example: Axios, where assuming positive intent is a company value, resulting in improved engagement, trust, and happiness at work.

  “When CEOs, when C suite leaders start with that...the team members start confirming that and...collaborating with others when they don’t have to collaborate…”
  — Amer Kaise (28:04)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “When we assume positive intent and give others the benefit of the doubt, we are really giving ourselves the benefit of low blood pressure.”
  — Amer Kaise (04:07)
• “Have I myself acted that way in the past?”
  — Amer Kaise (09:21)
• “Humility is about replacing that blind certainty with curiosity.”
  — Amer Kaise (17:42)
• “When we decide to forgive, it’s not for the other person, it’s for ourselves.”
  — Amer Kaise (20:02)

Timestamps of Notable Segments

• 02:27 – 03:25 Negativity’s effect on workplace relationships
• 04:07 – 05:10 Research supporting the value of positive intent
• 06:30 – 07:06 Defining accountable positivity vs. naïve optimism
• 08:03 – 09:13 The fundamental attribution error
• 11:49 – 13:45 Realistic optimism and non-defensive conversations
• 14:02 – 16:53 Humanizing through empathy and managing tribalism
• 17:42 – 18:40 Cultivating humility for better inquiry
• 19:00 – 19:36 Reality testing and track records
• 20:02 – 22:03 Forgiveness for self-liberation
• 23:07 – 24:46 Erin Wade’s restorative justice-inspired management tactic
• 24:46 – 26:40 Executive and personal transformation stories
• 28:04 Organizational effects when leaders model positive intent

Conclusion

The episode provides a deeply practical and research-backed framework for cultivating a positive intent mindset—balancing curiosity, empathy, optimism, humility, reality, and forgiveness—with actionable strategies for building trust and accountability. It’s a timely message: in an era of workplace negativity, taking the harder path to assume the best in others is both a necessary leadership skill and a gift to oneself and one’s organization.