An article published this week by the Irish Examiner will be of particular interest to the LIFT Ireland community.

Joanne Hession, who founded LIFT Ireland along with Sonya Lennon and David Hession, posted an opinion piece, which was published by the Irish Examiner. Joanne’s article was written in response to the Oireachtas “golfgate” incident which led to the resignation of a number of high-profile politicians. 

As the founder of an initiative promoting positive leadership change in Ireland, Joanne felt compelled to share her thoughts.

“Ireland is a great country, with great people. We are among the world’s best in terms of quality of life, environmental quality, safety and education. We have a wonderful history, arts and culture, and a great reputation abroad.

Ireland is a country to be so proud of. But… there is something not right on our island.” 

We are incredibly proud of Joanne for putting together this wonderful, thought-provoking piece that not only challenged the leaders of our country but also the way that we, as a society, view leadership. She questioned why we’ve seen scandal after scandal and why we seem to revel in the controversy. 

“At various times over the past week, I’ve tuned into the Liveline radio programme.

Early last week, callers were furiously demanding Phil Hogan’s resignation. By the end of the week — once the resignation had occurred — callers were bemoaning that a ‘good man’ had been ‘hounded’ out of office.“

You can find link to this article below:

• Joanne Hession: ‘Golfgate’ shows quality of leadership in Ireland is below par

New to LIFT Ireland? 

LIFT is a force to improve the quality of leadership in Ireland – from the kitchen table to the classroom; and from the classroom to the boardroom.

Learn more about LIFT’s Leadership Learning Process here.

A series of articles published this week by the New York Times will be of particular interest to the LIFT Ireland community.

Joanne Hession, who founded LIFT Ireland along with Sonya Lennon and David Hession, appeared in two articles published by the New York Times. These articles are part of a special section within the publication called ‘Women and Leadership’. With her experience as founder of an initiative promoting positive leadership change in Ireland, this was a natural fit. 

For the piece, Joanne took part in two interviews with New York Times journalists where she gave her take on starting a business and how to attract finance. It is great to see her words of wisdom setting the tone of both articles. 

In this particular series, Joanne found herself in great company. Other inspirational leaders who shared their insights included Kristen Miller and Amanda Johnson of Mented Cosmetics, Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez of TomboyX, and Amy Nelson of The Riveter amongst others. Ireland’s LuLu O’Sullivan of GiftsDirect.com and TheIrishStore.com, was also featured in the series. 

The New York Times is one of the most widely recognised publications in the world. Founded in 1851, the paper has won 127 Pulitzer Prizes, which is more than any other newspaper. The New York Times is ranked 3rd in United States by circulation and ranked 18th in the entire world. The publication ended 2018 with 3.4 million online subscriptions and 4.3 million total subscriptions. For Joanne to be asked to share her opinion on leadership for such an illustrious publication is an incredible proud moment for both her and LIFT Ireland.

You can find links to both articles below:

• New York Time: Starting Your Own Business Is Hard. Here’s Some Advice.

• New York Times: How Can Female Entrepreneurs Attract Financing?

New to LIFT Ireland? 

LIFT is a force to improve the quality of leadership in Ireland – from the kitchen table to the classroom; and from the classroom to the boardroom.

Learn more about LIFT’s Leadership Learning Process here.

Who can be a Facilitator?

Everyone! We welcome all those who are interested in building leadership values in their own lives and the lives around them. If you want to bring the programme to your organisation, community, business, team or family there is space for you here. At LIFT Ireland we believe everyone is a leader.

Do I need any qualifications?

No qualifications needed. All we ask is you bring a positive attitude and follow the process. A proficient level of English is needed to fully engage with the programme. We recommend it for people 14 years and older.

How does the programme run?

Come to our facilitator training and we’ll walk you through the whole process! It is simple yet invaluable to learn the process with the experts. Here we will iron out any queries you may have while also building a network of support with other facilitators as well as the LIFT team.

What does training involve?

The LIFT initiative is a self-reflective, value-based programme. We will explore Ireland’s top 8 leadership attributes and practice 3 of them. We will then show you the 5 step process for running a round table in your community. 

Does it cost anything?

Facilitator training is free. For non-profits, charities and schools we offer the LIFT programme for free. If you are a facilitator representing a profit-making business we ask for a contribution when you bring the programme back to your team. We have guidelines depending on the size of your organisation. This contribution allows us to continue to provide this service to communities that wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise.

How long does it take?

The facilitator training takes no longer than 5-6 hours depending on the size of the group we are training. Once you are trained, a round table session only takes 30-40 minutes a week. Our programme is designed to run for 8 weeks.

When and where are the facilitator trainings?

We have a number of training events happening every week in different locations around Ireland and online via zoom. Click here to view these dates and book onto  an upcoming event. If you have a group of more than 25 people who would like to be trained as facilitators we can organise an event for you. Please contact us.

Why is it worthwhile being a facilitator?

By becoming a facilitator you become a force for positive change in your community. It’s a simple yet profound initiative that promotes personal and community development. You receive a certificate at training and you learn how to bring out the best in a group.

What does LIFT do for my community?

You are providing a non-judgemental space for people to be heard and to reflect on their values. LIFT round tables build trust, relationships and communities. Personal and organisational values are strengthened in this proven systematic approach.

Do I get any support from LIFT?

We provide you with all the materials you need to run a round table. We also welcome you to the LIFT community through annual events, social media platforms, newsletters and offering support wherever needed.

What is LIFT Ireland?

LIFT Ireland is a not-for-profit, nationwide initiative. It is a social enterprise working to raise the level of leadership in Ireland. It improves Irish society, by discussing value-based leadership themes together with friends, co-workers and family.