Most people in Ireland believe the Irish have strong leadership skills, finds research

New research has revealed over 60% of people in Ireland believe the Irish have strong leadership skills. 

Jointly conducted by the LIFT Leadership Index and Coyne Research, the research also found 34% of respondents either disagree or completely disagree. 

One thousand members of the public were polled about their attitudes to leadership, with respondents rating health professionals as the sector showing the best leadership in Irish society. 

Community organisations and charities, sports organisations and the education sector also scored highly. 

Politicians, however, ranked lowest on the index in terms of demonstrating good leadership, as well as faith-based groups.  

Commenting on the publication of the Index, CEO of LIFT Ireland, Joanne Hession, said: “Our annual LIFT Leadership Index shows clearly that Irish people value good leadership skills. They want to see our politicians, our public service, our schools and our employers promoting and modelling good leadership. 

“At LIFT, we are working with businesses, community organisations and charities, local authorities, schools and higher education institutions, and thousands of individuals nationwide to foster strong leadership skills. Our belief is that everyone – no matter what their role, age or status - is a leader and we can all improve how we lead." 

Other key findings include the majority of Irish people believe elected representatives should complete a training course on good leadership before entering office, with the same proportion believing the education sector should focus on building strong leadership skills among youth. 

Respondents were also asked to rate leadership by people, politicians and businesses in countries around the world, with New Zealand coming out on top with a score of 43%. 

Ireland's overall leadership was rated poorly with a score of just 2%, however China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UK received the most negative ratings.