CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 8 2023 5 members and leadership team, and leveraging their strengths makes all the difference – particularly in a not-for-profit, where there is no renumeration for their time.” As Co-Chairs, Brigid and Judith monitor the organisation, particularly its conformance, performance, and strategy. They ensure that Causeway is operating at its very best, maintaining a clear audit trail and good governance, and staying on track with its strategy. The pair are instrumental in keeping the organisation in alignment with its mission and vision. In order to uphold these responsibilities, Brigid has developed an effective leadership style to guide the team. “To me, this is quite simple,” she states. “People will understand the strategy if you involve them. We have a strategy day with the leadership and board every year, confirm our mission, purpose, and high-level strategy. We also tackle any big strategic issues and opportunities we are facing. The plan for the year flows from this.” To complement this strategy, Brigid believes that there must be a way of engaging others throughout the organisation in the mission, values, strategy, and plan. Providing people will a sense of purpose will push them to be more engaged and committed to the cause. Retaining an engaged workforce is crucial, as a welloiled team will be the driving force that enables you to push through the unprecedented challenges that may be faced as a Chairperson. Brigid tells us that since joining Causeway, time has been one of her biggest personal challenges. When balancing a portfolio career, it can be tricky to ensure that enough time is being allotted to each endeavour. “Learning to say no is important,” says Brigid. With resources being scarce, prioritisation can also be a challenge. It can be tempting to spread the resources too thin, but sticking to the biggest priorities is the most important part. The position is not all challenge, though, and comes with many new opportunities for Brigid. “Opportunities are what keep me going,” she tells us. “I need to see opportunities in anything new I take on and with Causeway, there were many. The key is to prioritise and focus on the small number of things that can make the biggest difference. And, to have some fun on the way.” She goes on to tell us that over their time as Co-Chairs, Brigid and Judith have spent some time looking inwards to streamline processes, improve efficiencies, and increase resilience. They have spent more time, however, looking outwards to extend the organisation’s reach, better understand members’ needs, establish a programme of engaging events, and create new partnerships that add value to Causeway’s proposition. “Causeway is a membership organisation and as such, members are top of the list,” says Brigid. “People always need to network with others, particularly when times are tough, and in that respect our organisation is always relevant. The joy of the role is when we get the chance to engage with members and hear their success stories, of which there are many!” That being said, the organisation operates across multiple sectors, and it has is evident that there are many issues its members must deal with. The economy, regulatory issues, and consumer confidence present challenges for many businesses. For charities and not-for-profit organisations such as Causeway, funding is a particular issue. In their time as Co-Chairs, Brigid and Judith have sought out new sources of funding to build financial resilience for the organisation. They continue to fine-tune its value proposition to ensure that both funders and members are receiving value. “There is a lot going on in the world,” Brigid states. “The view we have taken as Co-Chairs is that whatever else happens, we need strong networks, and that is what we champion.” In alignment with this, Brigid tells us that Causeway has a great year ahead with an exciting calendar of events that will engage members and create the new connections that make all the difference. The organisation will deep dive into the Marine Renewables sector, as well as running various cross-sector events and programmes, with the ambition of growing its membership and facilitating growth and collaboration across the Irish Sea. As for her own future, we learn that Brigid and Judith’s term of office as Co-Chairs comes to end in 2025. “So, it’s particularly appreciated to win the CoChair award at this time,” she notes. “As Co-Chairs, we are proud of the impact we have had over the past three years.” This will give Brigid the capacity to focus on her other roles in leadership development and executive coaching, as well as serving on the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Astonishingly, she is also on the board of TongLen and is taking a month to volunteer with the charity in India and support them with their long term strategy and funding. “Looking to the future, my main driver is to have purpose,” Brigid concludes. “My north star is doing things that have an impact on an individual, an organisation, or society.” Contact Details Contact: Brigid Whoriskey Company: Causeway Business Exchange Ltd Web Address: https://www. causewayexchange.net/
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