June Reflections: Moments That Matter

As June comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the moments that have stayed with me. Not because they were the biggest. But because they reminded me why emotional intelligence matters. This month has been full.

• Leadership programmes.
• Group workshops.
• One-to-one coaching.
• Emotional Capital Report debriefs.
• Imagery coaching.
• Speaking engagements.
• Networking.
• End of primary school for my second daughter
• Time on the sidelines cheering on my girls or helping coach the U10’s with Clonard Vols
• And, finally, after months out with injury, pulling on my boots again for St John’s Volunteers Gaelic for Mothers & Others.

Looking back, every one of those experiences had one thing in common.

Connection.

Connection changes everything

One of the biggest privileges in my work is watching people connect with themselves. Not through advice. Not through telling them what to do. But through creating space to think. Recently I’ve been using more imagery work with coaching clients, and it’s been fascinating. One image, in particular, always creates conversation and one of the more popular selections! If only this cow could talk!

A Cow

It might sound unusual, but it’s become the image people choose more than almost any other. Some people see calm. Others see curiosity. Others describe resilience, patience or strength. The image never changes. The person does. And that’s what makes coaching so powerful. Often the answers we’re searching for are already within us—we just need the right question, or perhaps the right image, to uncover them.

Connection builds stronger teams

Alongside individual coaching, I’ve been fortunate to work with more organisations delivering Emotional Intelligence programmes and RocheMartin Emotional Capital Report (ECR) where we measure Emotional intelligence in workplaces. Watching teams begin to understand one another differently is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. When people become more self-aware…

• Communication improves.
• Trust grows.
• Psychological safety increases.
• Performance follows.

It’s never just about emotional intelligence. It’s about creating workplaces where people genuinely want to belong. I am so lucky to continue this work with many Wexford businesses across the County and beyond.

Connection through sport

Like so many across Ireland, I’ve also found myself caught up in the emotion of sport. Whether following the GAA Championship (Up Mayo!) , sharing thoughts on the FIFA Club World Cup and what leadership looks like under pressure, or simply enjoying the return to training with my St John’s Volunteers Gaelic for Mothers & Others teammates after injury. I’ll admit…

I’d forgotten how much I’d missed it. Not the scores. Not even the football. The laughter. The encouragement. The conversations before and after training. The friendships. Sometimes we think connection has to happen in formal settings.

Often it happens standing on a sideline or sharing a dressing room. This is what the world not just in sport needs more of- Connection

Networking Connections- A moment I’ll always treasure

Receiving the Network Ireland Wexford Solo Businesswoman of the year Award this month was incredibly special. Not because it marked the end of anything. But because it reminded me how many people have been part of the journey since i set up my business at the end of 2022.

• Every client who trusted me.
• Every organisation that invited me in.
• Every mentor.
• Every conversation.
• Every challenge.
• Every opportunity.

No one achieves success alone. For that, I am deeply grateful. Congratulation to all the finalists and winners who had the courage to take that step forward to becoming more visible even if you did not feel ready (truth is most of us never feel ready!). Can’t wait for the National Finals in Galway in September to represent the Wexford branch along with Jo Flood – Mindset Coach , Verna Goff and Bridget Crean, who are not just networking colleagues but true friends.

Looking ahead

The more I work with leaders, teams and individuals, the more convinced I become that our greatest advantage in an AI-driven world won’t be technology. It will be our humanity, our ability to listen, to empathise, to stay curious, to build relationships.

As Mimi Nicklin – Empathy Advocatereminds us, connection comes before performance. This month reminded me that the moments that matter most are rarely the loudest. They’re the conversations that shift someone’s thinking.

• The team that begins to trust each other.
• The coach who asks one more question.
• The teammate who makes you smile after months away.
• The client who sees something entirely different in the same image.

Those are the moments that stay with us.

A Summer EQ Connection Moment

As July begins and many families settle into the school holidays, our routines naturally change. There can be more laughter, more spontaneity… and, at times, more big emotions too as we struggle with changes in routines. Recently, my 8-year-old daughter, Síne, and I were talking about emotions following her and her sisters ballet and dance performances at the National Opera House with WSBPA. We chatted about the excitement beforehand, the nerves, the pride afterwards, and how every emotion had its place.

That conversation inspired us to create this Emotional Intelligence comic together with a little help from AI! It was a lovely reminder that technology can support creativity, but the ideas, conversations and connection are what give it meaning. I hope it encourages a few conversations around the kitchen table this summer, because emotional intelligence isn’t just something we teach in the workplace. It starts with the everyday moments we share with our children, our families and one another.

Thank you to all the new companies and individuals who have recently expressed interest working with me- looking forward to serving many existing clients and starting new programs in coming months. Enjoy July!

As we step into July, what moment from June reminded you what really matters? Who might you need to re-connect with?