The key to economic and commercial success is not merely genetic, according to a new book of business profiles and analysis by a well-known Galway entrepreneur.
All proceeds from the book —Grabbing The Oyster - Anecdotes and Advice from Icons of Irish Business— by businessman Pearce Flannery go to the Child-line service, which faces continual lack of funding.
Mr Flannery is the founder and current chief executive officer of the Pragmatica Group, leading troubleshooting and management consultants to private industry. Acclaimed throughout the automotive world, last year they launched Pragmatica Commercial to provide similar services to the general commercial sector. He sits on the board of the Autopolis Organisation, widely regarded as the leading international automotive consultancy group. Flannery was recently honoured as a ‘Fellow of the IMI’ of the United Kingdom and Great Britain.
An inspirational speaker on motivation, leadership and business skills, he enjoys a high profile with the broadcast media. He is notable for his tendency to give frank and forthright comment. He is a former winner of the Marketing Institute of Ireland’s coveted ‘Marketing Person of the Year’ Award 2005 and was also winner of the JCI Ireland 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2006.
The impressive read involves the personal stories opinions and advice of such luminaries as Denis Brosnan, Anne Heraty, Louis Copeland, Declan Ganley, Feargal Quinn, Pat McDonagh, Padraig O Ceidigh, Denis Desmond, James Sheehan, Liam Griffin, Michael Herbert, and Niall Quinn.
In a highly interesting and entertaining read, they tell their stories and divulge their personal secrets to success in an ambitious project to ensure Childline can maintain its services this Christmas.
Never before have such an array of recognised and established business gurus bared their souls, told their personal stories and revealed the real secrets to their success.
The book tells their stories in their own words and uncovers those special characteristics that have made them so successful in a detailed, articulate, and humorous fashion.
According to Mr Flannery, the project contradicts the myth that successful people have an inherent commercial ability or some preordained genetic make-up that ensures success.
In a hard hitting socio-economic commentary, he condemns many of our elected representatives as political gombeenmen and hucksters who ‘are notable more for their ability to maximise their votes than any actual achievements’. He calls for change in the electoral system. Such a system, he says, elects ‘pothole-fillers, not statesmen’ and has no place in setting the economic tone for a country that wishes to be at the cutting edge of 21st century commerce. He certainly does not sit on the fence with his analysis and opinion. Given the nature of the subject matter and the evidence he uses, it is hard to disagree with him.
Controversially, Flannery claims that the country has been in real-time recession since 2004 and that a conspiracy has existed to try to hide from the current reality through wasteful apportionment of EU funds and a concerted emphasis to maintain the stamp duty revenues that ensued from an overheated property sector.
“Our leaders have ignored basic economic fundamentals and have tried to drive the economy through a policy of supporting an aggregate demand built on the relentless pursuit of credit.
Political ineptitude over many years is the cause of our current problems
Without radical change in our electoral and political system, the situation will not change. “Our economic future is dependant on radical and fundamental change to our political system. Our electoral system needs remedial action on a massive scale” says Mr Flannery.
Following on from the twelve frank and revealing interviews with the high profile subjects is a number of chapters that reveal just what is required to get the desired result in business. The good news, according to Mr Flannery, is that entrepreneurial ability is primarily a learnt discipline and the skills are available to everyone, irrespective of their economic or educational background.
Grabbing The Oyster – Anecdotes and Advice from Icons of Irish Business is published in Ireland by Oak Tree Press. It is available from all good bookshops and directly from the publisher.
