Through the Looking Glass: What Dublin Taught Me About Leadership
It was time for this country mouse to head to Dublin. I didn’t sleep that well the night before – too excited. I had three days ahead of me, full of new connections, conversations and experiences. The Leadership Collective is a programme created to strengthen community impact in the North West by supporting emerging leaders to think big, act boldly, and lead with purpose. The three-day visit came at the right time. Things feel heavy at home – politically, economically, socially. This wasn’t just about seeing another place. It was about seeing another way. We began at University College Dublin, where we met Dr Kieran Harrahill for a session on co-creating sustainable and shared mobility futures. What stood out wasn’t the policy jargon, but the message: change works best when people are brought with you. When communities are partners, not passengers. That set the tone for everything that followed. Later that afternoon we headed into Temple Bar, and I genuinely felt like I was on hol...
