Steve Lenox, President, Lenox Consulting, was proud to speak at a Congressional briefing on Irish America - following is a review he prepared on the event:
Just hours before President Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress, efforts were underway on Capitol Hill to raise awareness of issues important to the Global Irish community across the US. Billed as a Congressional briefing, the event, was hosted by the Council for American Ireland Relations (CAIR), a non-profit, non-partisan organization, launched to educate US lawmakers, and insure that the voice of Irish America is not lost in the legislative and policymaking process.
Following a warm Irish welcome by Congressman Brendan Boyle, Michael Carroll, Chairman, thanked the nearly twenty legisaltive staff and other guests for attending, reminding them that the mission of CAIR is to “be a resource to your office, not just in the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, but throughout the year.”
While panelists Denis Staunton, London Editor, The Irish Times; Brian O’Dwyer, Chairman, Emerald Isle Immigration Center; and Steve Lenox, President, Irish Network USA offered their insights on issues such as the potential political and economic impact of Brexit, immigration reform, and the continuing growth of business links between the US and Ireland, the attendance of other notable leaders such as Stella O’Leary, President, Irish American Democrats; Claire Rumpsa, Director of Leadership Programs, Washington Ireland Program; and Terry Riley, President, AOH Herbert-Cady Division, was a strong reminder of the depth of leadership that currently exists within the
Anyone who has turned to the writings of leaders they admire, seeking to replicate their success, has surely come across advice to get a jump start on the work week. While I have also sought such pearls of wisdom, and started countless weeks by sitting down on a Sunday evening putting my goals and objectives for the coming days on paper, I must say that spending time at a Jersey City diner, at an hour when sleep should be foremost on my mind, preparing to help bring attention to a client event that begins at 11:00 p.m., is a new one for me!
It’s also a reminder of the commitment and dedication of the law enforcement community, and the incredible role they play in keeping us all safe. While most of us are tucked away safely in our beds, the men and women I will be visiting tonight spend their overnights patrolling the neighborhoods they protect, putting themselves in harm’s way, abiding by an oath they took to protect and serve countless citizens who too often have little appreciation for their efforts. These under appreciated efforts are replicated by their counterparts in law enforcement across the country, as well as other community heroes staffing firehouses, and keeping emergency rooms at the ready, prepared to respond to the direst of incidents. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to count so many of these men and women as friends and clients.
Sitting here at this hour, I marvel at the multi-cultural array
As I racked up the miles last week, switching between planes, trains and automobiles, flying across the Atlantic, driving the length of the Garden State Parkway, and riding the rails to Baltimore, I found “community” to be a recurring theme through many of the conversations and events that filled my schedule.
Still recovering from my attendance at the Cork Chamber of Commerce’s Awards Dinner, I spent much of the first two days of the week considering the tremendous accomplishments of the business “community” in the other place I call home. From large multinationals like Apple and Dell, to startups like OrthoXel and VConnecta both already charting great paths to success; the upcoming introduction of transatlantic flights and efforts to improve roads infrastructure; and the opening of Republic of Work, an innovative workspace designed to usher in the “future of work” through collaboration and cross pollination of ideas; there is no doubting that the best days are ahead for Ireland’s second largest city. The idea of “community” also extends to efforts through Connecting Cork to engage the Global Irish, those that have made lives all across the around the world, but still consider Cork to be their home.
Fresh off my regular flight from Shannon to Newark, and perhaps a bit blurry-eyed, I found myself at a diner discussing changes to the “community” my friends and clients of the Jersey City Police Benevolence Association (JCPOBA) have witnessed through the decades. Over tuna melts, omelets, and other delicacies only found in New Jersey diners,
Despite its lackluster performance at the box office, Glengarry GlenRoss’ now legendary “always be closing” speech by Alec Baldwin introduced many to a sales philosophy rooted in the idea of getting the deal done, no matter the cost beyond that which can easily be measured in dollars and cents. Creating the opportunity to flaunt your nearly seven figure salary was as easy, Baldwin’s overly aggressive character surmised, as “ABC.”
As the years passed and opportunities to build connections through online platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook were born, a new paradigm emerged that can be summarized as “always be networking.”
With the new year now in full swing, and under the gun to make changes that will make 2017 an even better one than 2016, I am more determined than ever to forgo both of these, and stick instead with another tried and true strategy that is also as easy as "ABC", “always be connecting.”
Throughout my career I have found that opportunities to make the most of relationships, from a professional standpoint, have only been as good as my ability to truly “connect” with colleagues, clients or contacts. Does this mean I’ve liked everyone I’ve ever worked with, or more importantly that they’ve like me? While I’m not inviting comments on this question I know that the answer to this is a resounding “no”!
So what does it mean to “connect”? At the most basic level, as a co-worker or supervisor, you don’t “connect” with someone by eating the obligatory piece of
With fountains going green, the unmistakable sound of feet stomping on marble floors in traditional rhythm, and tables full of Emerald Isle sourced bread, cheese, seafood, and yes, whiskey, for a few hours each year the White House is transformed into the greatest celebration of Irish culture to be found anywhere the Global Irish have trod.
While the delivery of a bowl of shamrocks and the inherent goofiness of such a stereotypical event may seem to be lacking any true meaning, the value of the annual invitation by the White House to the Irish government is not one to be taken lightly.
Calls for Taoiseach Enda Kenny to break tradition and reject President Trump’s overture are wrong-headed. His acceptance in no way signals an adherence to, or support of, the misguided policies Trump espoused on the campaign trail, or, more alarmingly has already pursued in the early days of his Administration. Instead, it is the opportunity, unavailable to any other world leader, to articulate the values of his nation in the most followed arena of world politics year in and year out.
This past weekend’s enactment of a Muslim ban, and the continuing assault Trump’s White House is likely to inflict on immigrants all across the United States, is a matter of great policy importance to the Irish government. Instead of speaking about the issue from 3,000 miles away, Taoiseach Kenny will have an opportunity to lend his voice to the estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish that call the United States home. Given the
