Pictured at the Shannon Chamber workshop in Ei Electronics’ Centre of Excellence (l-r): Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamebr; Muireann and Hugh Fitzmaurice, ClarityCoach; Vanessa McTigue, commercial director and Hillary Cleary, compliance and training manager, The Shannon Airport Group. Photograph by Eamon Ward.
CREATING THE right conditions for people to perform at the best leads to getting the most out of employees, a Shannon workshop has heard.
Held at the Ei Electronics Centre of Excellence, the Shannon Chamber workshop which was focused on high performance in business, was delivered by Muireann and Hugh Fitzmaurice of ClarityCoach.
Attendees were also informed of a case study by the Shannon Airport Group during a panel discussion featuring Commercial Director Vanessa McTigue and Compliance and Training Manager Hillary Cleary.
Emphasising that individuals and teams can only truly excel when mindsets, behaviours and connections are aligned, the ClarityCoach presenters urged attendees, many of whom work in human resource and people management roles, to prioritise employee engagement and create environments that support healthy levels of pressure.
Referencing a Gallup 2025 poll, which found that organisations with highly engaged teams outperform others by 21% in profitability, and that 9% of global GDP is lost due to low engagement, the speakers highlighted the significant impact engagement has on productivity, staff retention, innovation and customer experience. They explained that targeting mindset (thinking), behaviour (acting) and connections (interactions) within teams is key to individual growth and building adaptable, resilient organisations.
“Achieving this level of harmony in an organisation requires clear communication, removing silo thinking, while building trust and the ability to perform under pressure,” they said.
McTigue and Cleary were part of a 36-strong Shannon Airport Group team that participated in leadership and communication training over the past two years, spoke positively about the impact the programme has had at both a personal and organisational level. They outlined benefits including stronger collaboration across departments and generations, improved interpersonal communication, enhanced resilience and more strategic thinking. “We have taken valuable insights that we’ve applied both personally and professionally,” they said.
“The programme has helped foster intergenerational collaboration, bringing together experienced professionals and new graduates from diverse areas to share challenges, goals and targets. While our roles differ, we all share the same objective, to ensure The Shannon Airport Group delivers value to its stakeholders. The one-to-one coaching has been immensely beneficial. It has helped us prioritise time for ourselves, maintain a healthier work-life balance and build greater consistency into our working lives,” they added.
Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said the workshop demonstrated the significant value of structured performance and leadership development programmes for organisations across the region. “My key takeaway is that high-performing teams don’t happen by chance. They are shaped by leaders who know how to harness people’s strengths and create clarity in fast-changing environments. Given the positive impact this programme can have on employee performance, we will be encouraging more companies to consider training of this nature, which can be delivered at a subsidised cost through our Skillnet Business Network”.
