You could read the CV or the biography but to really find out what Mary thinks...here is how she responded to some questions about her life and business.

Why did you start up Mind Associates?

I had a burning passion to do my own thing.  I took a career break from the civil service to work in a training company in Dublin. At this time I took cancer (a malignant tumour) which was scary and at the time made me evaluate everything. Before major surgery I wrote my funeral speech and made my will. Deep down I knew it wasn’t my time to die but I promised myself that if I survived I would change my life. My career was always pretty central and important to me, so Mind Associates was the change. I love every minute of what I do, we help organisations and people to change how they think. My training focus is on Leadership for women and doctors in training, mental toughness, resilience and optimism. I also do motivational speaking on those topic areas and 1:1 leadership coaching for Directors.

What do you consider to be your greatest strength?

I tell it straight, honesty and integrity are very important. I really have no time for dishonesty or disloyalty. I have a strong aversion to the pretender and the amateur or professional manipulators. I expect and respect transparency.

What do you consider to be your greatest weakness?
Having studied myself I have quite a few! From my own perspective I have tended to trust too quickly and this has cost me emotionally and financially both personally and professionally. I also am a bit of a perfectionist and have zero toleration for what I may perceive as laziness or mediocrity in others. My expectations can be too high of others and myself at times and so I often experience disappointment and frustration, usually both. From others perspectives, I can sometimes come across as being too direct and impatient to get things done. I am also often associated with the phrase "she doesnt suffer fools". I have to take all this on the chin, because its all true!

What is your favourite food?
It has to be Indian. I just love the hot spices, the colour and the variety of tastes. Bland food..I find boring.

What is your favourite film?
Spartacus with Kirk Douglas and a close second is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson. I love Spartacus for the bravery, the courage, the leadership and the loyalty. That moment where they all try to save their leader by claiming “I am Spartacus” is very powerful.
I love One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the insightfulness into personalities, how Jack Nicholson breaks the rules by taking the residents out for the day and of course the cruel twist at the end. I love surprises. I don’t have much time for predictable in storylines.

What is your favourite holiday destination?

I love travel, it is one of my favourite things to do. If I had to choose a favourite it is Florida, Disneyworld. I just love rollercoaster’s and the magic of it all. A close second is New York, for the energy and it is just so American! But I have a list to visit so these could change. I have not been to Hawaii yet! A grass skirt and a garland will definitely be worn in the near future.

What is your favourite drink?

Simple, a hot whisky made with John Powers, lemon and cloves.

Who do you admire?
I admire loads of people. I see different things that I admire in different people. Intelligence in Einstein, Beauty in Elizabeth Taylor, Presence in Bill Clinton, Humour in Billy Connolly, Courage in Oprah Winfrey, Discipline in Martina Navratilova.

In leadership I really admire Oscar Schindler, the german businessman who used his own money to buy and save jews from Hitlers concentration camps during the war. To do the right thing whilst at the same time if caught would risk losing his life and his entire fortune, this takes guts. If I could bring a person back to life he would be top of my list as I would be honoured to meet and understand what makes a leader like him. 

Who is your favourite author?

Another list here but we could start with Napoleon Hill, Malcolm Gladwell and Daniel Pink. I often read 3 or 4 books at the same time. I read books like people drink tea so it depends on who the author is and what subject I am on at that time.

What traits do you most admire in people?

Courage and Discipline!
 

What is the most important thing you expect from colleagues and staff?
Honesty and hard work. I cannot abide laziness or lies. I also like colleagues and staff to have an open mind, fixed mindsets bore me as those people often limit themselves and finally I dont wear individuals with superiority complexes. People who shore up their own self esteem by putting others down. This behaviour grates me so its best if these people avoid me!

If you could teach young people one life lesson what would that be?
The principle of hard work. We are in real danger of having a generation of short-cut merchants who expect instant gratification and will not know how to cope emotionally when they don’t get it! The media and advertising world feed the myth of short-cut. Adversity helps build character and emotional strength.

Do you have a pet hate?

People who declare themselves “victims”. My rule is “I will help you if you help yourself”. I have zero tolerance for those people seeking out others to dump their problems on, remove themselves from any responsibility and create dependency. I will do everything in my power to help someone if I see that they are trying to help themselves or will begin to. I expect to be met half way on effort.

What do you do in your spare time?
This question makes me laugh, what is spare time!  Maybe it would be better to ask what do I do to relax. As I am a very busy woman, I travel a lot and I love what I do so it’s not work really. But to answer the question I read books (management books so maybe that counts as work too!) I walk Elvis, my gorgeous little Welsh corgi and I walk or run at 7am on the mornings I am in the office all day. (I need to do this more often).  I also like gardening but mostly only do that in the spring and summer. When I can, I love travelling to different places, I enjoy eating out and going to concerts. That’s about it really.

What do you think is your greatest achievement?
I don’t think I have achieved my greatest yet! I have some big goals to be conquered in the next year. One is finishing my book. But to date surviving cancer was good lol, starting my own business was good, surviving two divorces and now being very happy personally are pretty big achievements. Being a type A personality, I have always struggled between professional and personal, finding the balance. I love what I do and would be considered a workaholic by others and this can create difficulties in relationships if you are not with a person who is secure and supportive and "gets" what you need to do. Thankfully my partner is secure and supportive and "gets" me.