Carolina Caro Of Conscious Leadership Partners On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management
An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Prioritize Succession Planning: With the talent drain that companies are battling today, the need to be focused on succession planning is critical. The time to think about the right candidate for senior leadership positions is not when the position becomes available. It’s important for leaders to plan ahead so that they can identify and cultivate a strong talent pipeline. And even though most organizations can appreciate the importance of this, with most executives having so many demands on their time, succession planning can become a nice to have rather than a must have. In order to have more women occupying senior leadership positions, there needs to be a solid plan in place that will ensure it. The representation of women doesn’t change unless it’s a priority.
Despite strides towards equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership and management roles across various sectors. In this series, we would like to discuss the barriers to female advancement in these areas and explore actionable strategies for change. We are talking with accomplished women leaders, executives, and pioneers who have navigated these challenges successfully, to hear their experiences, tactics, and advice to inspire and guide the next generation of women toward achieving their full potential in leadership and management roles. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Carolina Caro.
Carolina Caro is the CEO and Founder of Conscious Leadership Partners, a firm that specializes in developing conscious leaders and inclusive workplaces through leadership academies, coaching for individual contributors and/or teams and speaking engagements. Her firm partners with multi-generational organizations enhancing employee engagement to improve collaboration, innovation and growth. They do this by heightening self-awareness so that leaders uncover their blind spots and unlearn any unfavorable Generational Conditioning in order to consciously develop behaviors that will cultivate their leadership potential and foster a healthy organizational culture.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I started my career as a scientist, a molecular biologist studying advances in HIV/AIDS research. My parents, particularly my mom, had always encouraged me to become a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. There’s no doubt that being a physician was at the top of their list! I didn’t go to medical school but I did pursue studies in biological science.
As the daughter of immigrant parents, I just wanted to make them proud and honor the sacrifices they made so that I could have a brighter future. My parents left Venezuela determined that my brother and I would benefit from having a variety of educational opportunities that they did not have. This was important to them since neither of them had the chance to graduate from high school.
The interesting thing about my upbringing is that as a child, I grew up with parents that followed traditional gender roles. My mom wasn’t “allowed” to work because her place was at home, taking care of my brother and I. She resented that she wasn’t given permission to have a career and had to conform to receiving an allowance from my father.
Given these circumstances, my mom was very outspoken with me that my path would be different. I would have an education, a thriving career and my independence as a woman. Ultimately those words were more influential on my current career path than her desire for a doctor in the family. Today, I run Conscious Leadership Partners a firm that specializes in leadership development. But more specifically, I focus on helping leaders unlearn any beliefs that they might have picked up during their formative years which interfere or limit who they want to be or the type of culture they want to foster in their workplace. That includes outdated gender roles like the ones I grew up observing. You can see why I’m so passionate about advancing the role of women in management!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I haven’t shared with you what prompted my drastic career change from the field of science to leadership development- and that was definitely a mic drop moment. I was working for one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world as a portfolio manager when the organization unveiled work-life balance as a new value. I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant about embracing this new direction. In part, it was because it felt hypocritical since I had been celebrated and promoted for being such a workaholic. But at a deeper level, my work ethic was influenced by my parents who had always told me that I would need to work twice as hard as everyone else to be successful. And that was so deeply ingrained that unlearning that has been a process.
Back then, my supervisor had encouraged me to pick up a hobby that would help me create more balance and leave the office at a reasonable hour. They wanted me to model this value for my team and establish a healthier work culture than what I was known for. Begrudgingly, I decided to take some acting classes as a way to shut down that conversation. I figured it could help my presentation skills at work. Little did I realize how life changing these acting classes would be. They introduced me to mindfulness, the idea of being more present in the moment and that opened up Pandora’s box. The skills I was learning gave me the tools to become self-aware and reflective in a way that was new for me. That led to big existential questions like: “What am I really here to do? What’s my life purpose?” And the answers prompted my “Great-Resignation” moment almost twenty years ago when I left the career I had relentlessly pursued through multiple years of graduate school and climbing the corporate ladder. You can imagine how my parents reacted when I told them I was quitting my job to move to New York City to train as an actor at the Neighborhood Playhouse school of Theatre. The acting was short lived but my time on the stage wasn’t because that training was the foundation for the professional speaking, training and coaching that I do today. My parents were able to witness that their sacrifices allowed me the privilege of exploring my options. Today, I’m blessed to wake up every morning and do the work that is so aligned with who I am. And as a bonus I’ve grown my firm beyond what my parents could have imagined for me.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your path to leadership?
There was a very defining moment in my career that continues to be a big influence in the work that I do today. When I was promoted to brand management during my time in the pharmaceutical industry, I shared a conversation with my senior brand manager that changed my perception of leadership. If I’m truly honest, it took a while before I embraced and appreciated his well intended advice because it was so foreign to me. He pulled me aside and said that the competencies that were responsible for my promotion were no longer the skills that were needed at this new level. He encouraged me to make the transition from individual contributor to leader (as if I knew what that meant). He shared that now I was expected to develop relationships with my peers and senior leaders, navigate the politics and learn how to maneuver the complexities of competing priorities that would inevitably bubble up. It was about learning how to delegate and leverage the strengths of my team members without jumping in to do the work for them. It was about how I could ensure that our team had the resources needed to excel in their role while simultaneously eliminating any barriers to execution and also prioritizing the business needs over my own functional area. It was a completely different game, with many complicated layers. And I was expected to embrace this new approach which had little to do with me at this stage. I needed to let go of chasing the attention and accolades from an individual lens and shift that energy to developing our team in service of the overall organization. It was the most valuable leadership lesson I’ve had to date because now I coach senior leaders in this transition and I can completely empathize with their struggles.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Making the drastic move to leave my career in the pharmaceutical industry wasn’t an easy choice for me. My intuition was urging me to leap in a different direction but I was filled with self-doubt. Imagine going to work every day surrounded by amazing people, who are the same folks that you choose to see on the weekends. Who would want to leave a job where you genuinely feel that you’re working with friends? That’s why navigating that fork-in-the-road moment was so painful. Luckily, my supervisor was so incredibly supportive of my decision to explore a different path even if it came at a loss to her. The list of things she did to help me were longer than I can list. The trait that stuck most with me is how she modeled compassion in the moment that I needed it the most. She always had my back even as I was leaving her team and our organization. She’s still a dear friend and mentor after all of these years.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I devour anything that has been written by Wayne Dyer. The first book I read by this author was the “Power of Intention”. Not only was it life changing, there are concepts from his teachings that are woven through the work I do today. The reason why this book had such a strong impact on me is that it helped me to become more aware of the power that I have in the creating the outcomes I desire and how I need to align my thinking in order to achieve those results. I was able to unpack how my thoughts create the narratives that shape how I experience life but also what I believe is possible. As such, I constantly challenge myself to uncover new self-imposed ceilings in order to break them. And this is a never ending process because once you reach one level of awareness, there’s always another layer to peel back which you couldn’t previously see.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
The quote I often use in my work is by the French-Cuban writer, Anais Nin who said, “We do not see the world as it is, we see it as we are.” And this really defines both my story and the work that I do with my clients. My upbringing, my background, my mixed race, the color of skin, my social class have all shaped the narratives that have informed my life. For example, as a child my parents would always tell me that I’d have to work harder than other children to be able to succeed because I wasn’t born with the same privileges as others. And today, I have to remind myself to discern how much of that is still true and how much of that is true because I still believe it to be true. Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not trying to minimize the impact of systemic issues and the importance of making significant changes on a global scale to drive equity. And at the same time, I think it’s important for underrepresented groups to abstain from embodying a story of victimhood because then we perpetuate that lived experience instead of breaking the cycle. And if it’s one thing I share with my clients is that we do have the power to change the story we tell ourselves about our circumstances, about others, about everything. That’s the daily work for all of us; cultivating a narrative that will be empowering and align with the outcomes we want to achieve.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I’m not sure that I would frame my work in a completely altruistic manner. In many ways, I would say that my work is a vehicle to develop my own consciousness. And by committing to this continuous learning and self-development journey, I can extend that outward to others so that they too can have their transformational journey. In fact, in coaching we have a couple of sayings: 1) “you’re only as good as the work you’re willing to do on yourself” and 2) “you are always coaching yourself”. It’s interesting that our clients always reflect back to us the aspects of ourselves that we are developing. It’s a true blessing to appreciate the interconnectedness of the reciprocal healing that my work allows.
This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become leaders and managers?
I’d like to answer that question by first addressing a major pain point that most organizations are struggling with today which is cultivating a more human-centric, collaborative culture. Given the complexities of the business landscape and the type of changes most companies are navigating, this people piece is the cornerstone of creating healthy and high performing workplaces. And women can contribute significantly by bringing a different perspective and a compassionate lens to the leadership style that will be a necessity moving forward.
Can you please share “5 Things We Need To Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management?”
1 . Unlearn Generational Conditioning: In my coaching engagements with women, we heighten their self-awareness around Generational Conditioning which are the beliefs, behaviors and somatic experiences that have influenced who they are to discern which aspects are amplifying versus diminishing their power. For example, it’s common for me to hear women say that they don’t want to appear too aggressive or too passive. Women have been conditioned to be “nice” and that can be accompanied with a a desire for approval and/or to be liked that can hinder their leadership potential. Another common belief that women often hold is that their leadership style should model that of their male peers. In that way, the masculine style becomes the benchmark rather than creating the space for their own, authentic style to emerge. Discovering how to be confident in a grounded manner that allows others to be inspired is the work that women can lean into, which often involves unlearning the ideas that keep them from developing their personal power.
2 . Reduce Bias: We need to acknowledge that if we have a brain we are biased since bias is simply a byproduct of our survival instincts. Therefore, we have a responsibility to explore how these biases impact how we see ourselves and others. When it comes to gender bias, I’ve realized that even though I am actively working in support of gender parity, I was still influenced by traditional gender roles and I have to ask myself, “how has my upbringing influenced — even unconsciously — my perceptions about gender?” This is what all of us need to be asking ourselves as it relates to every dimension of diversity. And as it relates to gender, how are those biases impacting our workplaces? I have seen women’s ideas and voices drowned out in meetings by their male counterparts, albeit unconsciously. It’s important to recognize and correct those microaggressions that can erode women’s engagement and diminish their chances for advancement.
3 . Develop Allyship: When women connect with other women for support, they can build strong networks that celebrate and raise up other women. This is an important component to develop within organizations whether it be formally, informally or both. I encourage organizations to create employee resource groups that will provide women with the allyship that they need to grow within their company. These groups can provide women with the tools and frameworks needed to advance their careers. The other important consideration in building allyship is to make sure their relationships with men are also cultivated. Men can be strong allies in the advancement of women in senior leadership positions. It’s been my experience that many men are open to receiving guidance on how they can be better allies and what meaningful steps they can take to create gender parity.
4 . Prioritize Succession Planning: With the talent drain that companies are battling today, the need to be focused on succession planning is critical. The time to think about the right candidate for senior leadership positions is not when the position becomes available. It’s important for leaders to plan ahead so that they can identify and cultivate a strong talent pipeline. And even though most organizations can appreciate the importance of this, with most executives having so many demands on their time, succession planning can become a nice to have rather than a must have. In order to have more women occupying senior leadership positions, there needs to be a solid plan in place that will ensure it. The representation of women doesn’t change unless it’s a priority.
5 . Invest in Coaching, Mentorship and Sponsorship: Organizations need to make the investment to develop high potential talent with intentionality which requires a multi-prong approach involving coaching, mentorship and sponsorship. Every phase of a woman’s career is different and may require a combination of these to maximize the support needed. Mentors can be a great resource to share those roadmaps that can provide clarity about how to navigate a career. They can also provide best practices to consider and pitfalls to avoid. Coaching is another valuable tool to help women address their developmental opportunities in a very targeted way that can be transformational in their professional journey. This process will outline specific goals and how to achieve them. And finally sponsorship is about ensuring that those who have a voice at the table are advocating for women that do not. The earlier in their career that women can leverage all of these to support their advancement, the better.
In your opinion, what systemic changes are needed to facilitate more equitable access for women to leadership roles?
In my experience with diversity, equity and inclusion work within organizations, if it doesn’t get measured, it doesn’t change. In addition, whatever is getting measured should be tied to performance and compensation so that the metrics are meaningful and accompanied with accountability. If an organization says that they are going to increase their representation of women in leadership positions and people’s bonuses are on the line, it’s more likely that there will be a strong plan in place to achieve those goals. It comes down to whether it’s a priority for the organization. I’ve seen companies move mountains when this metric is tracked and rewarded. Similarly, I’ve seen those that have stood still when they’ve said it’s a priority but it’s not backed up with the key performance indicators and remuneration to ensure the goals are met.
What strategies have you found most effective in mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions?
Ensuring that women have the leadership skills necessary for senior positions is critical. In addition to this, it’s crucial to build relationships and strategic alliances with those who will be sponsors for your career. Sponsors are individuals who have a seat at the table to advocate for those who currently don’t have a seat at that table. And this is the single most important thing that can make a huge difference in women’s careers. I’ve seen plenty of talented women who were bypassed for promotions because they didn’t have the much needed support of an executive sponsor to open the doors for them. I usually advocate for women to take ownership of this by finding a variety of mentors that will facilitate the introduction to a sponsor or evolve their relationship to being a sponsor.
How would you advise a woman leader about how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in a leadership role within a male-dominated industry?
This comes back to the power of intention. Start with a strong vision of what you want the outcome to be so that your thoughts and your actions align with the result you want to experience. And be intentional about relationship building and navigating the politics of an organization which typically means understanding the circles of influence and the key decision makers to socialize ideas and grow your impact. At times women may need to reframe their perspective on utilizing such approaches because they may have negative connotations with these practices. But I remind them that it’s about flexing muscles that might be underdeveloped in support of the greater good which is ultimately creating more space for women in leadership.
How do you balance the demand for authoritative leadership with the stereotypical expectations of female behavior in professional settings?
I encourage all the leaders I work with to develop personal power rather than positional power. Personal power is grounded in an energy that communicates our core values and what we are about. This is more influential than authoritative leadership that diminishes those around us. Conversely, personal power is allowing your inner light to shine bright which actually gives others permission to do the same.
For women that means standing strong in their feminine power and letting go of anything that they were taught about what that “should” look like. I’ve worked with so many women leaders who felt that they needed to behave a certain way, to avoid being perceived as too assertive. When our focus is on bending to fit the mold of other people’s expectations or opinions, that’s when we give away our power. I firmly believe that we can say anything when it is rooted in love. I have had difficult conversations with leaders but they could feel that the transparency and feedback was in service of their highest good. There’s a way to be lovingly firm by setting expectations and holding people accountable while creating a healthy, nurturing workplace.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
In many ways I am on a path to advance the movement of unlearning Generational Conditioning. I refer to that as the beliefs, behaviors and somatic experiences that we have learned during our formative years that do not serve us. It’s the stories we tell ourselves that are self-deprecating rather than filled with self-love.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I would invite readers to connect with me on Linkedin or to follow me on any of my social media channels (FB, IG, Youtube, TikTok or Twitter) where I share content with the intention of developing conscious leaders and inclusive workplaces.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Carolina Caro Of Conscious Leadership Partners On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.