Dr. Mia Cary (she, her), CEO & Change Agent
Dr. Mia Cary (she, her), Cary Consulting CEO and Change Agent is a consultant, speaker, workshop facilitator, and coach specializing in leadership, communication, inclusion and teamwork.
Her purpose is activating others to thrive.
Dr. Cary presents, consults, and coaches on a variety of topics including those within the following domains:
Allyship
Communication
Climate & Culture
Inclusion
Innovation & Embracing Change
Leadership
Strategic Planning
Teamwork
Wellbeing
The following programs are available in a variety of formats including
50 minute seminar, keynote, two-hour, half-day, full-day or multi-day workshops.
Click on a program below to learn more.
2 Generations, 4+ Associations, 10 Leadership Hacks
Description
We are all leaders with the ability to strengthen our leadership skill set, aka sharpen the saw! Focusing on leadership growth leads to personal evolution and growth as a natural byproduct. The cultivation of leadership skills also creates the impact needed to transform your association by upskilling current and emerging leaders. During this interactive and fun program rising and established leaders will learn through peer-to-peer learning and from two business leaders that represent two generations (Millennial and Gen X), two industries (veterinary medicine and government) and a variety of organization sizes (from 50 organizational members to 90,000+ individual members). Research-based leadership smartcuts and hacks will be discussed that are applicable regardless of age, experience or career field as well as association model, type, and size. From walking the talk about self-care and personal innovation to building communities and collaborating diversely – critical aspects of leadership will be explored and each participant will leave with customized, actionable next steps.
Co-presenters: Jamie Rodgers, MPH and Mia Cary, DVM.
Learning Outcomes
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- Assess personal leadership strengths and opportunities for rising and tenured leaders in order to customize and self-prioritize learning applications.
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- Discuss ways to apply a variety of evidence-based leadership principles and tools.
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- Practice giving and receiving effective feedback in order to increase communication effectiveness.
Activating Allyship
Description
You likely have heard the phrase “getting comfortable being uncomfortable” more and more often as of late. It means that to help create real change, to expand and grow, to be antiracist, to stand up for the oppressed and marginalized – we must invite and initiate tough conversations. We must speak up. We must be active allies. Does this ring true but you are not sure what to do next and how to incorporate this concept in your workplace? Then join us as we discuss important elements of allyship including self-education, leveraging privilege and power, reaffirming that allyship centers on the oppressed, and the power of committing fully.
Learning Outcomes
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- Describe four elements of allyship.
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- Discuss and apply tools and resources to support the self-education process.
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- Compare methods for centering the conversation on the oppressed versus the ally.
Activating Wellbeing
During this engaging, interactive program participants will learn about the nine dimensions of wellbeing, why these dimensions are important, and how creating personal wellbeing goals can positively impact our lives. Workshop participants will be invited to individualize and activate these nine dimensions by creating their own wellbeing action plan, obtaining a wellbeing buddy, and customizing their own post-workshop next steps.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the nine dimensions of wellbeing.
- Create a wellbeing action plan that includes personalized goals.
- Choose a wellbeing buddy for workshop follow-up.
Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Description
It is past time for critical conversations that lead to positive change. We must get comfortable being uncomfortable as we intentionally create environments that welcome these tough conversations. Recent research supports what we know intuitively, diversity matters and diversity is good for business. After discussing the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), participants will align on terminology as the stage is set to evaluate a variety of tools and resources that support individual and organizational growth. Participants will then be guided on the creation of a personalized and actionable diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership roadmap.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss DEI related terminology and align on a common language.
- Evaluate tools and resources that support and strengthen individual and organizational growth.
- Create a personalized and actionable DEI leadership roadmap with targeted success outcomes.
From Idea to Plan of Attack
Description
Do you have an idea that inspires you? An idea that you want to bring to life but you don’t know where to start? Perhaps it’s a small project or side-business idea, or perhaps it’s an idea that you wish to evolve into a full-time focus. Regardless of the current state, size, and scale of your idea this workshop will help you turn that idea into a written, actionable plan of attack (POA). Participants will be given a POA template which they will use to build out all aspects of their idea from the core purpose to an executive summary, competitor analysis, budget and everything in-between Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get to work on bringing your idea to life.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the rationale for the 13 sections of a provided Plan of Attack (POA) template.
- Compare the traditional SWOT analysis to new models including a retooled SWOT analysis and the SOAR model.
- Create a personalized Plan of Attack complete with high impact priorities and actionable next steps.
Culture, Climate, and Collaboration - How They Compare and How To Optimize for Positive Practice Impact
Description
During our current age of big data and information overload, working collaboratively can increase the quality and speed of decision making. While we can’t always choose the individuals that make up the teams we belong to, we can maximize impact by choosing our approach to working effectively in any type of team. Collaboration amongst team members, practice culture, and practice climate all impact where individuals, as well as the practice, falls on the dynamic continuum of wellbeing. In a nutshell – are they thriving, surviving, or flailing? During this interactive session Dr. Cary will explain the characteristics of an effective team and help participants understand the concept of vulnerability-based trust. The impact of effective collaboration on practice culture and climate will also be explored. By the end of the program each participant, regardless of their role within a practice, will have a personal roadmap for collaboration effectiveness that can be further developed with each new collaboration opportunity.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the differences between culture and climate and compare how collaboration impacts both.
- Describe the characteristics of an effective team including trust, celebrating successes, personal accountability, radical candor, and a focus on collective results.
- Evaluate the concept of vulnerability-based trust.
- Create a roadmap for personal and professional collaboration effectiveness.
Eliminating Meeting Madness
Description
Raise your hand if you love attending meetings. I bet only a few of you raised your hand, likely because most of the meetings we attend are not productive and do not end in clear decisions including who is doing what next by when. During this session participants will review best practices for meeting management including those recommended by Patrick Lencioni in his book “Death by Meeting”. Lencioni points his finger towards two root causes of lackluster, ineffective meetings – lack of conflict and lack of contextual structure. In addition participants will gain tips for adapting to the unique communication styles of meeting attendees, and how this practice will enhance meeting productivity for all.
Learning Outcomes
- Examine the four-meeting playbook including daily check-ins, weekly tacticals, monthly strategics, and quarterly off-sites.
- Evaluate the importance of adapting to the communication style of others.
- Create an implementable action plan for successful meeting management.
Embracing Change - The Why and the How
Description
During this interactive workshop Dr. Cary will facilitate a discussion on why adapting to change must become routine. This will be approached on a personal and professional level and will segue into the how of adaptation including ways to embrace what’s yet to come instead of defaulting to fear of the unknown. A key element of adapting to change is recognizing how attitudes and behaviors shape our experiences, and fortunately adaptability is a skill that can be learned and developed. This workshop is for anyone that wants to grow, or help others to grow, as a positive agent for change.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss why adapting to change is more critical now than ever before.
- Evaluate why change is not always easy and ways to bring empathy into the equation.
- Choose best practices for being a supportive, positive influence for those that are not yet ready for change.
Everyday Leadership
Description
The purpose of this program is to instill the confidence and competence needed to embrace the fact that all of us have the potential for leadership right now in our current role, whatever that may be. With every interaction and every decision, we have the potential to positively impact others as well as to contribute to our personal growth and development.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the potential personal impact of everyday leadership.
- Assess how personal accountability can change our world.
- Create a leadership action plan for immediate implementation.
I’m Sorry, Not Sorry
Do you ever get the feeling you apologize too much? Have you ever been told you don’t apologize enough? Do you apologize to your cat on a routine basis? Whether you fit into one of these categories or perhaps you know someone who does, this program is for you! Working in pairs and small groups participants will be invited to share real-world examples that represent the four apology categories including reflexive, assertive, blame-reversing, and genuine apology. The skills discussed are applicable regardless of age, field, position, or gender and each participant will walk away with inner decision-making tools to support outer communication success.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the gender differences in apology behavior.
- Compare and contrast four apology categories including the reflexive apology, the assertive apology, the blame-reversing apology, and the genuine apology.
- Select one thing to apply within 24 hours of program conclusion.
Inclusivity First
Description
If our eyes are open it is obvious that the veterinary profession is one of the least diverse of all professions, and the data supports this observation. The data also support the benefits of diversity beyond simply being the right thing to do, benefits such as increased team morale and increased profitability. As we consider ways to increase diversity within our workplace we must first pause to ensure our workplace is an inclusive, welcoming environment. During this program participants will learn how to assess workplace inclusivity and create a customized roadmap for enhancing inclusivity for the benefit of all.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe what inclusivity looks like in a veterinary workplace.
- Utilize a 17-question workplace inclusivity self-assessment.
- Discuss approaches to the work of inclusivity from the role of a boss as well as the role of an individual contributor.
Leading Remote Teams for Success
Description
As technology and our ‘new normal’ continues to evolve we are also experiencing an increased emphasis on selecting the best candidate versus any candidate. As a result, remote work structures are becoming more the norm than ever before. During this fun and engaging program participants will review best practices for leading remote teams, learn pitfalls to avoid, and work together to create an individualized, ready-to-implement plan of action for optimizing remote employee and team performance.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss and compare 10 remote team leadership hacks.
- Assess the importance of treating all team members with equity.
- Practice two approaches for increasing trust within a remote team.
Personal Innovation aka #youdoyou
Description
Business model innovation can have a stronger, swifter impact on profit margins than service or product innovation, it can disrupt established industries, and it can lead to exciting and vibrant cultures that attract top talent. So what about personal innovation? During this interactive and fun program Dr. Mia Cary will facilitate a conversation centered on five building blocks of personal innovation that mirror the cornerstones of business model innovation. Participants are invited to create an actionable personal innovation roadmap that includes tips and tools for preventing and overcoming barriers to professional growth and personal innovation.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze the five building blocks of personal innovation.
- Discuss eight barriers to personal innovation and tools to overcome those barriers.
- Create an actionable personal innovation roadmap.
Powerfully You
Description
Our greatest superpower is being authentically ourselves. We know playing to our strengths leads to our growth and development. It also allows us to bring our best selves into everything that we do. But how do we create and cultivate the self-awareness that is a prerequisite for understanding our strengths? And how can we ensure that our workplace will be accepting of our authentic selves? Researcher and storyteller Brené Brown defines authenticity as “the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are”. During this program we will discuss the pros and cons of bringing authenticity into the workplace, dig deep on the knowledge that words matter, and reinforce why and how to be powerfully you.
Learning Outcomes
- Debate the pros and cons of bringing authenticity into the workplace.
- Choose three core values that resonate on a personal and professional level.
- Create an actionable plan for creating an authenticity-embracing culture.
Prioritizing Prioritization - The Why and The How
Description
Whether you are an individual contributor, manage a team, or run an organization – a critical element of effective leadership is effective prioritization. So why is it so hard and why do so many suffer from initiative overload? During this interactive workshop participants will gain an understanding of prioritization “whys” and then focus on the “how”- specifically how and when to say no to what. During the last portion of the workshop participants, while working in small groups, will be invited to apply at least one prioritization model to their current work environment.
Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate the root causes of prioritization failure including impact blindness, multiplier effects, political logrolling, insufficient resources, band-aid initiatives, cost myopia, and initiative inertia.
- Compare and contrast three reasons why effective prioritization is a critical skill for all leaders.
- Apply personal work scenarios to at least one prioritization model and create a customized prioritization roadmap including next steps for implementation.
Public Speaking Prowess
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the confidence competence cycle and its implication in public speaking.
- Compare five methods for engaging with participants.
- Discuss eight smartcuts for increasing public speaking effectiveness.
QPR Gatekeeper Training
Have you…
A. Taken a QPR course in the past and could do with a refresher?
B. Heard of QPR Gatekeeper training but have not yet taken the course?
C. Never heard of QPR but like the idea of being prepared to have a conversation with someone that you think may be distressed or even suicidal?
Regardless of which option you chose, you’re in luck! The purpose of QPR is to offer hope. Those that complete the training are typically more comfortable offering hope through positive action to those that are distressed and may be considering suicide. QPR is not intended to be a form of counseling or treatment.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize someone at risk for suicide
- Intervene with those at risk
- Refer them to an appropriate source
Radically Candid Communication
Description
Raise your hand if you believe communication is always part of any problem, and also always part of the solution. To any issue, at any point of your career. We agree! The purpose of this radically candid communication session is to provide strategies and resources for managing difficult conversations and helping upset clients and colleagues. Kim Scott’s Radical Candor model of caring deeply and challenging directly creates a firm foundation that will set program attendees up for successful, strong, and sustainable communication wins.
Learning Outcomes
- Use radical candor to manage difficult conversations.
- Contrast three methods for working with upset clients or colleagues.
- Apply the ‘what’s working well (WWW) and what could be even better yet (EBY)’ feedback model.
Radically Candid DEI Conversations
The purpose of this radically candid communication program is to provide strategies and resources for managing the important and sometimes challenging conversations that center on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related topics. Author and impact expert Kim Scott developed the radical candor model of caring deeply and challenging directly. This approach to direct, authentic communication creates a firm foundation that when aligned with seven other communication smartcuts results in successful, strong, and sustainable communication wins.
Learning Outcomes
- Leverage eight communication smartcuts for supporting upset clients and colleagues.
- Utilize radical candor to manage difficult DEI conversations.
- Apply the ‘what’s working well (WWW) and what could be even better yet (EBY)’ feedback model.
Smartcuts: Work-Life Rhythm
Description
The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. This includes most of the hours that we are awake during the week and often includes time during weekends as well. Our work is a big part of our lives, not an either/or balance that we should be striving to achieve. It is not work or life. It is work as a part of life. During this interactive program, participants will discuss why work-life balance is unrealistic and how work-life rhythm will set us free. According to organizational psychologist Adam Grant work-life rhythm is most appropriate because, “Every week has different beats – job, family, friends, health, hobbies – that vary in accent and duration.” Tools and resources will be shared for managing stress, finding focus, and learning how to thrive regardless of role, title, or practice type.
Learning Outcomes
- Contrast and compare work-life balance and work-life rhythm.
- Discuss 11 smartcuts for achieving work-life rhythm.
- Practice saying no so you can say yes to what matters most.
The Collaboration Imperative
Description
During this age of big data and information overload working collaboratively can increase the quality and speed of decision making. While we cannot always choose the individuals that make up the teams we belong to, we can maximize impact by choosing our approach to working effectively in any type of team. During this interactive session Dr. Cary will explain the characteristics of an effective team and help participants understand the concept of vulnerability-based trust. By the end of the workshop each participant will have a personal roadmap for collaboration effectiveness that can be further developed with each new collaboration opportunity.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the characteristics of an effective team including trust, celebrating successes, personal accountability, radical candor, and a focus on collective results.
- Evaluate the concept of vulnerability-based trust.
- Create a roadmap for personal and professional collaboration effectiveness.
The Evolution of Leadership and What Matters Most
Description
During this interactive workshop Dr. Cary will provide an overview of the evolution of leadership from early origins to situational and servant leadership to current purpose leadership models and beyond. Participants will be invited to consider their own leadership style and in the spirit of “sharpening the saw” will create a roadmap for continuous development of their leadership strengths. In addition participants will be exposed to the quantifiable benefits of the diversity bonus as it relates to leaders and leadership.
Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate and contrast a variety of leadership models.
- Analyze personal leadership strengths and select one leadership model to utilize as a roadmap for building upon leadership strengths.
- Compare and contrast the leadership strengths of colleagues as well as the quantifiable benefits of the diversity bonus.
The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ - Team Development Workshop
Description
The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team interactive workshop focuses on a simple goal: To facilitate a learning experience that helps professionals and their organizations discover what it takes to build a truly cohesive and effective team. The Five Behaviors profile, which provides both individual and team feedback, is grounded in the model described in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the internationally best-selling leadership fable by Patrick Lencioni. With this program, participants will learn how, as a team, they score on the key components of the model: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, and Results. Additionally, the program is powered by Everything DiSC® and All Types™, personality models that help individuals understand themselves and others better. Using these results, participants will be able to create a better, stronger team.
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss how individual accountability impacts team dynamics.
- Analyze individual and team feedback reports to identify areas of strength and growth.
- Create a team development plan based on the Five Behaviors model of trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results.
What Ted Lasso Teaches Us About Leadership and Life
If you are looking to recalibrate your leadership and life skills, whether you have binged on the Ted Lasso series or not, this session is for you. During our time together we will discuss a variety of leadership essentials including how kindness is powerful and underrated, why small gestures can lead to massive impact, and where play and laughter belong.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe 5+ smartcuts for sharpening the leadership saw.
- Evaluate 3 approaches for creating a welcoming workplace environment.
- Create and commit to one personalized leadership growth goal.
With Purpose and Grit You Can Change the World
Description
Sigmund Freud was convinced that our primary driver in life is to obtain pleasure or avoid pain. Viktor Frankl however focused on purpose. He was convinced that our primary driver in life is the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful. During this session participants will be given the tools to define and refine their personal purpose in life. We will explore how knowing and owning that purpose leads to more effective decision-making and how adding grit and resiliency to a clearly formed purpose will allow you to change the world.
Learning Outcomes
- Create and revise a personal purpose statement.
- Discuss the impact of grit and resiliency on personal and professional growth.
- Explore ways to bring a personal purpose statement to life.
Customizable Consulting, Workshops, and Presentations
From communication to collaboration, and with a red thread of everyday leadership, solutions can be customized based on individual, community, and organizational need. Email Dr. Mia Cary to discuss where you are and where you want to go. I look forward to working with you! -Mia