When did you meet him?

Brendan Tuohy would be someone I've touched base with a lot over the years. I first came into contact with him when a scout group was set up in Dublin back in the late '80s. Brendan had recently moved to Greystones. I was living out there and the two of us became leaders of this troop. And that was the first time we had met each other. Brendan had been working in the civil service in various roles. I've taken a much more diverse roundabout route and he's definitely someone I have used as a soundboard over many years. He's someone I would refer back to a lot.

What have you learned from him?

I've learned from Brendan that a lot of what constitutes leadership is really facilitating people, helping them to explore their own ideas and giving them the opportunity and the support that allows them to excel. It's a really enabling view of leadership. Brendan's attitude and view has always been that people have a huge amount to contribute and the job and responsibility of anyone in a leadership position is to let them explore that. When you do, you usually get some unexpected and exceptional things happening.

Is there anything you emulate in your own leadership style?

The other thing that I would look to apply in my own work and my own life, is that you don't need to be out front. There's a low ego element about Brendan's style and that's very powerful. For example, when we first started the scout group, we decided to hold an international conference in Greystones. This was a group of 15- to 16- yearolds bringing delegates from all over the world.

Brendan completely stepped into the background. When they needed advice he would give it but this man, who was used to leading large groups and organisations, was happy to manage the teas and coffees while the youngsters were running around with the big-picture stuff. He chips in where needs be but lets people "nd their own potential.

Anything else?

He's a big-picture man. He's a visionary in many ways and can move beyond the specifics and short-term implementation details that people often get caught up in, in order to see where an idea might really lead. That's very inspiring to be around. He can see the potential that hasn't been realised.