Reacting to Growth: Anxious Ears Unscripted

Bonus Episode with Pat on Journaling, Meditation & the Power of Pausing

In this reflective episode, Kamila speaks with Pat—a learning designer and mental health advocate—about how journaling and mindfulness practices help us face anxiety, regulate emotions, and rediscover inner stillness. Together, they respond to the 10% Happier podcast episode “Alchemize Your Anger and Anxiety” featuring Suleika Jaouad. 🎙️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Weather, wardrobes, and a warm intro 02:00 – Pat’s story: From archaeology to andragogy & well-being 08:00 – The power of journaling as self-regulation 13:00 – Journaling prompts and journaling together 17:00 – Facing illness, grief, and regaining agency 22:00 – Why we resist pausing—and why we must 26:00 – Safe spaces to feel, reflect, and let go 28:00 – Other practices: MBSR, Zen, and mindfulness tools 30:00 – Meditation misconceptions & letting go of control 33:00 – Micro-exposure to silence and self 35:00 – Final reflection: “Don’t wait until you’re forced to stop” ✨ Listen to hear how pausing can be an act of reclaiming your time, presence, and self.

Bonus Episode with Jakub on Translation and Localization

In this episode, Kamila sits down with Jakub Medrek, a language services expert with over a decade of experience in localization and translation. They react to an episode of the Measurably Better Learning podcast and explore the real differences between translation and localization, and why those differences matter in L&D. 🎙️ Timestamps: 00:00 - Summer strawberries & Polish vibes 01:00 - Meet Jakub: From language training to localization 03:00 - Defining translation vs localization 05:00 - Cultural and technical layers of localization 09:00 - Measuring impact: Engagement, motivation & frustration 13:00 - Strategy 1: Involve localizers early 15:00 - In-house vs vendor localization teams 17:00 - Working with SCORM & XLIFF files 20:00 - TMS systems: Cost, control, and consistency 26:00 - What TMS offers that AI doesn’t 29:00 - Localization as a creative bridge 31:00 - Two metaphors: Travel and music 34:00 - Plain English vs creative writing 35:00 - Jakub’s closing advice: Don’t take things for granted 👂Tune in for a real talk on how L&D teams can work better with localization partners, avoid last-minute stress, and design with cultural awareness from day one.

S05 E07 | Reacting to the Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmondson | Making it Happen

In this second-to-last episode of our Psychological Safety series, Kamila and Aris unpack Chapter 7 of The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson. It’s all about making it real—translating insights into actions. Join us as we explore the Leader’s Toolkit: setting the stage, inviting participation, and responding productively. Plus, we reflect on failures, feedback loops, and how curiosity keeps us growing. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & DIY podcast setup 02:00 – Psychological Safety series check-in 03:00 – FAQ: Can anyone learn to lead with psychological safety? 05:00 – Meetings, silence & the courage to speak 08:00 – Awareness, mindfulness & breaking patterns 10:00 – Experimenting & self-assessment 12:00 – Setting the stage: changing vocabulary around failure 14:00 – Leader’s Toolkit analogy: building a house 18:00 – Parenting, participation & trust 21:00 – Accountability, patience, and boundaries 25:00 – Responding productively vs being “nice” 27:00 – Following up after feedback: closing the loop 30:00 – The 3 types of failure: preventable, complex, intelligent 33:00 – Embracing intelligent failures & experimenting safely 36:00 – Failure parties & learning together 37:00 – Final reflections: mindful inquiry & minimizing assumptions 💬 “If you practice complaining and nagging, that’s who you become. Practice who you want to be.” Don’t forget to follow us—next episode wraps up the series!

S05 E06 | Reacting to the Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmondson | Safe and Sound

We’ve reached another exciting episode in our series on Amy C. Edmondson’s The Fearless Organization. In this episode, I’m joined by Aris, our Psychological Safety expert, to react to Chapter 6: Safe and Sound. We explore how organizations can create environments where employees feel secure to express ideas, take risks, and innovate without fear. 🎧 What’s inside this episode? * 00:00:02 - 00:01:10 | Introduction & Greetings * 00:01:11 - 00:03:42 | Post-Easter Check-In & Casual Chat * 00:03:43 - 00:07:28 | Introduction to Chapter 6: Safe and Sound * 00:07:30 - 00:12:15 | The Importance of Psychological Safety in Teams * 00:12:16 - 00:17:45 | How Leaders Can Foster a Safe Environment * 00:17:46 - 00:22:32 | Real-Life Examples of Psychological Safety in Action * 00:22:33 - 00:27:50 | The Role of Feedback and Open Communication * 00:27:51 - 00:34:10 | Challenges and Misconceptions * 00:34:11 - 00:36:50 | Final Reflections & Key Takeaways 💡 Key takeaway: Creating a fearless organization requires more than just policies—it demands a culture where psychological safety is prioritized and practiced daily.

S05 E05 | Reacting to the Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmondson | The Fearless Workplace

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be truly seen by your boss or your organization—and to feel safe enough to show up as your true self? In this episode of Reacting to Growth: Anxious Ears Unscripted, Kamila and Aris dive into Chapter 5 of The Fearless Organization – The Fearless Workplace. They reflect on what it really means to build psychological safety in the workplace, how rituals can shape team dynamics, and what it looks like to lead with openness and authenticity. With personal stories, examples from the book, and insights from their own peer-led sessions, they explore how safe spaces are created—and lost. 🕐 Timestamps: 00:00:02 – 00:04:35 | Catching up – Hoodies, home projects, and personal updates 00:04:35 – 00:05:12 | Setting the stage – Chapter 5: The Fearless Workplace 00:05:12 – 00:09:00 | Can psychological safety exist without vulnerability? 00:09:00 – 00:13:00 | Kamila’s team story – When everyone feels safe… except you 00:13:00 – 00:15:00 | Trust and timing – What holds us back from opening up? 00:15:00 – 00:18:00 | Eileen Fisher – Grounding rituals and the Circle Way 00:18:00 – 00:22:00 | Embracing the “I don’t know” – The leadership trait we need more of 00:22:00 – 00:26:00 | Building a team from scratch – Psychological safety in action 00:26:00 – 00:28:00 | Listening with “available eyes” – A Peer Speaking Club technique 00:28:00 – 00:32:00 | Speaking without a script – From anxiety to authenticity 00:32:00 – 00:37:00 | Pixar’s Braintrust – Inviting critique to make ideas stronger 00:37:00 – 00:39:00 | Final reflections – Building the feedback muscle & failing forward 🎧 Tune in to hear what it means to show up fully—and how leaders and teams can make that possible.