Our society has many pillars but there isn’t a real leader among them

LAST week I returned to the classroom as a pupil for the first time in 30 years. I am seeking to obtain a diploma as a chartered director at the IMI. The first module was strategic business direction. The lecturer was Prof Patrick McNamee who is a top MBA teacher at the University of Ulster and an international consultant.

I won’t bore you with what I learned about asset utilisation, vertical integration, value chain and competitive business analysis. One session was devoted to the culture of leadership. This was focused on the corporate sector and effective strategies. But what I learned has even greater application to the wider economy and Irish society today.

As the nation oscillates between despondency and despair, there is a compelling need for national leadership. We look to politicians, social partners, the media and church leaders for a sense of direction and purpose.