Carrie Root of AlphaUMI

Some people thrive in adversity. Others not so much. What do you do when faced with adverse situations?

From big setbacks, like the loss of homes, property, lives and community, being experienced today due to wildfires and hurricanes, to smaller ones, like not getting that job we wanted, we all experience events that challenge us to not get stuck in feelings of loss and disappointment.

It can be very hard to see the positive in what we consider negative happenings. And this is our challenge—to take the negative experience and emerge from it in a better place. If we truly wind up making our lives better from the negative experience, that takes resilience to a whole new level—that of prosilience!

This workshop considers resilience, prosilience and learned helplessness. We will talk about the 3-Ps, personalization, pervasiveness and permanence, identified by Martin Seligman, Ph.D. that get in the way of our resilience. We will measure our personal resilience levels and discuss what we can do to build our resilience response.  

Biography:

Carrie Root, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Alpha UMi, spent over two decades as an engineering consultant and high-level trouble shooter for the Department of Defense and NOAA. Today, she is bringing innovative professional development curricula to tomorrow’s workforce. She is committed to providing the opportunity for human skill development to all who desire it. Her company, Alpha UMi, develops and delivers relevant, engaging, and transformative learning experiences in topics such as leading without authority, generational intelligence, leadership, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal communication. 

Dr. Root was recognized as a Commander's National Award Winner for Science and Technology. She recently was inducted into the Eta Kappa Nu honor society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in recognition of her work bringing transformative leadership skills training to IEEE’s Women in Engineering and to engineering students. She is an engaging speaker and has articles, podcasts, and a recently published book, The Other Soft Skill: How to Solve Workplace Challenges with Generational Intelligence. Often sought as a writer and speaker on generational challenges at work, her favorite interview was published in the article “On a Mission to Combat Ageism in the Workplace”, which addressed questions of ageism that were triggered by William Shatner’s venture into space, published by Rethinking65. Her most recent article, Viewpoint: How to Create a Boomer-Friendly Workplace, was published in April 2023 by the Society of Human Resource Management.

A few other fun facts: She is a second generation American from Swedish stock who loves to cook, connect with friends, alone time, and good coffee.