Leadership, Tangible style

“Do as I say, not as I do!” …or not!

When Tangible Ireland began in 2009, we were experiencing a lot of that kind of leadership in Ireland.

Founder, Raymond Sexton believed that an emphasis on the positive was required.

• What was going well?
• Who were the people driving the success stories?
• Did anyone else believe we were better than our bottom line?

He began to examine what drove excellence in leadership both at home and abroad.

The perspective was that of an engineer and project manager experienced in helping multinationals invest and build facilities in Ireland, a homecomer returned from a decade in Australia, and a closet historian.

Who the Irish are in Ireland and who we become when we go abroad is a fascinating study.*

And the many Tangible ambassadors, partners and guests have joined him in studying it – up close and personally, across the island of Ireland and worldwide.

There have been over sixty Tangible seminars in global cities – Dublin, London, New York and Sydney; regional capitals – Belfast, Limerick & Galway; and in the urban & rural villages that lie at the heart of Irish life and values – Howth, Kilmallock and Crossmaglen.

There’s a common denominator in all these communities. We honor our original associations, whether counties, communities, schools, or team affiliations, we pay it forward and take care of our own. We are industries, joyous, playful and determined.

Here’s what we do:

Imagine the simplicity of a “3 pinned plug” and the energy it channels. It’s the way each Tangible Seminar is designed. We showcase and model the best business and civic leadership in a region by:

• focusing on the maverick and entrepreneurial “live wires” – the local leaders driving change
• highlighting and sharing connections to the startup, trade & inward investment support offered in the Republic and in Northern Ireland
• recognising our citizens at home, abroad and in transition, uniting them in their efforts to prosper both here and across the Diaspora

Here’s what we’ve learned:

• at home and abroad our values never change
• our Diaspora represents our greatest asset; vast supplies of human capital available for spending and investment
• our citizens never cease to be our citizens

Here’s what we believe:

• Personal, business and trade relationships empower us individually & collectively, in our new lands and across Ireland.
• Our citizens never cease to be entitled to be heard.
• At home, abroad or in transition, we owe each other a duty of care, including responsible stewardship of this island, economically, environmentally and politically.

This drive for excellence in leadership and best practices reflects our duty of care to the next generation by making this island fit to come home to, or to never be forced to leave.

We are survivors.

Who we are and who we become, whether we stay here or go abroad needs to reflect our best hope for the future of our Irish or Northern Irish children and grandchildren in the Americas, the EU, the UK, Oz or elsewhere.

To join us in San Francisco on Thursday, 21. July  or at the annual Ambassador Summer School here in Ireland follow the links to register.

For a great summary of why Tangible travels the globe in search of “live wires” – here it is:

*…who we become when we go abroad as described by one of our own:

Beehan; psychosis

 

 

 

 

 




Diaspora Matters; Charlie and the Global Irish

“Whoever saves one life saves a world entire.”

What need has a wee Irish boy of the global Irish diaspora?

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Hi everyone, I am Charlie’s mum and I just want to thank you all for what you are doing. Charlie is a great wee man with a huge zest for life, he really has a fighting spirit and I totally believe we will get a successful match and that Charlie will be cured of cancer…
Will keep you all updated. Love Cliodhna & Fintan, Charlie & Nancy xx

Thanks to Charlie and his family’s urgent appeal, NI registrations on the bone marrow register have grown 2000%. Now let’s grow the registers in America, Australia, Canada and wherever else we Irish have settled.

America is a nation of immigrants who in the last 50 years have learned to celebrate their ethnic and racial identities. Gone are the days of the “melting pot”,  hyphenated Americans value their roots.

And there is DNA in those Irish-American roots!

The shores of America, Canada, Australia and countries worldwide were once life saving. Generations of Irish have invested their young building other nations.

May we now ask for a return on that investment?

Life saving bone marrow transplants require donors that “match”. Matches are most likely found in people with similar ethnic backgrounds.

Spread the word! We are fewer than 6 million here but an estimated 70 million worldwide. Get tested and register. It’s a cheek swab. Not just for Charlie, but for your family and distant cousins worldwide.

Consider the luck of the Irish! We have a sizable diaspora to ask.

Not so lucky, the Jews. Or African Americans.

A worldwide Jewish population/diaspora is estimated at fewer than 14 million. In 2005 when legendary jazz saxophonist Michael Brecker was diagnosed with a blood disorder requiring a bone marrow transplant his family launched a worldwide search for a donor. Widely publicized across both Jewish communities and the musical world, no match was found.

“Being Jewish made it especially difficult to find a genetic match, since such large part of the Jewish population was lost during World War II.” ¹

The problem also exists for African Americans. Good Morning America host Robin Roberts highlighted this issue just last year. Diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome she was blessed to have a sister who was a perfect match. A gift because only 7% of donors registered in America are African-American.

Please register! Urge your friends as well.

United States; Ireland (ROI); United Kingdom; Canada; Australia

 

On a sad note – Charlie lost his battle and “gained his angel wings” on 2. August 2019. You can keep his memory alive by registering – and where possible – supporting the children’s cancer charities and caregivers whose support sustained him then – and so many families now.

¹(http://phillyist.com/2008/04/01/bone_marrow_dri.php)




On spending time with positive people…

Tangible logoI spent three days last week chairing and participating in the Tangible Ireland Summer School. It was interesting, challenging, heartening, stimulating and fun! It also reminded me, in a very tangible way (forgive the word play) of the inestimable value of spending time around positive people. Bear in mind that when I say “positive”, I do not mean rose spectacled Pollyanna types who are relentlessly cheerful no matter what the circumstances. For me, positive people are those who consistently look for, and focus on, solutions to whatever problems or challenges they encounter.

So it was that over the course of three days I had glimpses into the numerous ways people are working to help others achieve more of their potential. Be that through leadership with Anthony McCann, Empowerment with Eve Earley or culture change with Eoin Barry. I was heartened by Catherina Casey’s story of success and new challenges in connecting the global Irish through our shared cultural heritage and by Brian O’Boyce’s perspective on some of the excellence within our health services. I was intrigued by Gerry O’Sullivan’s story of a Limerick man in the Shanghai police…perhaps enough to buy the book! I was grounded by Stephen McNulty’s focus on the numbers and Robert Baker’s analysis of the opportunities out there. I was inspired by Chris Gordon’s ideas, passion and energy and by John Webb O’Rourke’s relentless drive and positive focus in the face of obstacles. I was called to action by Donagh McKeown and his timely initiative to encourage all of us to talk about mental well being. And to finish it all off Alan Gallagher showed us how we can all play our part with passion, positivity and connections to the global Irish network.

So I am celebrating my good fortune to have (or create) opportunities to spend time around other positive people and I am reminded of the value of this to my own mental wellbeing. Of course I can’t claim that this is a new insight, indeed I know it so well that it features on my essential tool kit! Nonetheless it is an insight worth refreshing on a regular basis and, after last weeks interactions I am certainly facing into September thoroughly refreshed!

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originally posted 28 Aug 2013 14:04 by Carol Conway