14 successful people share the best advice they ever got from their dads

The PepsiCo president and CEO got a piece of advice from her dad that changed the way she approached the world. “Whatever anybody says or does,” he told her, “assume positive intent.”

It’s a simple shift, but the results can be huge, she explained to Fortune. “You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different. When you assume negative intent, you’re angry. If you take away that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed.”

Instead of getting defensive, you’ll be able to really listen to other people — and moreover, other people will be able to really listen to you. “[W]hen you assume positive intent, I think often what happens is the other person says, ‘Hey, wait a minute, maybe I’m wrong in reacting the way I do because this person is really making an effort.'”