Margaret Cotter

Senior Operational Excellence Practitioner

1. Coffee or Tea?

I am both a coffee and a tea drinker but little of each, I love a cappuccino first thing, but that is it for the day usually.

2. What is something that recently made you smile?

My grandchildren make me smile all the time, I just adore them. I have four from 15 down to just 2. (I was a young nana !!! just saying). They would just melt your heart with a smile or say something really cute like “ Nana, I love you more than chocolate”.

3. What is the best advice you ever got?

“If you’re going to do it, do it right” was one of my Dad’s regular sayings. It has stuck to me my whole life, and I have found myself giving the same advice to my kids, friends and colleagues.

4. What is the best advice you have ever given?

Treat others as you would like to be treated. People react differently to different situations. For example whenever I work in a dispute resolution environment, I understand that there are many reasons why someone can be stressed and difficult to deal with, even sometimes angry or rude. And I find treating them with respect usually results in a much better outcome for all concerned.

5. Tell us something randomly interesting about you?

Many years ago I did a Feel Good Do Good challenge with a lovely friend and now colleague, Juliet Murphy. The idea was to get fit, feel great and fund raise, so do good. One of the challenges was to cycle from Killarney to Ballincollig. When I was asked, of course I say ya, sure why not !!. I had never cycled a bike, never owned one, and borrowed a bike from my brother the week before, which I should add was a jalopy, but I had done loads of spinning classes, so no issue !!. OMG what a buzz. So never give up on yourself.

6. What are you passionate about?

My family. I am fortunate to come from a very big family, my husband is regularly listed as a saint, and is on everyone’s Christmas list. I have three great kids and four amazing grandchildren, dozens of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephew etc, on both my side and my husband’s side of the family. Family comes first, there is always something going on, plenty of drama thrown in for good measure, but I could not ask for a better family and wonderful close friends who are my family.

7. What is your guilty pleasure?

I love to chill with a glass of wine or a nice G & T, cook something nice, and have friends and family over to celebrate just about anything.

8. What was the last project you worked on?

I really enjoyed a recent project where the company wanted to look at a return to work policy. That involved meeting with management to see what model would best fit their needs. We surveyed the full team, ran various workshops, held a number of one to one sessions with the Managers from each department. We looked at everything from the culture, physical environment, required tools and equipment, flexibility working arrangements, support, training and development and a key point to cover was the engagement and wellbeing of the people. The project was timely on the return to the office after Covid. It was both interest and rewarding to see the project out and deliver a robust working model and communication document. The people were fantastic to work with and really appreciated our involvement. Its nice to know when you have done a good job.

9. Who is the person who had the greatest influence on you and why?

I would have to say my mother and father. I am very like them both in different ways. My mother had a great influence on my personality in terms of family. She always had an open door policy, you could find anyone hanging out in our house. My father worked hard and when we were young I remember him working long hours. I consider I have very strong work ethics like him. I believe in giving 100%, would be committed and driven. I can see the same traits in all my brothers and sisters in different measures, so never underestimate the influence you can have on your own children.

10. What would you like to think your friends say about you?

I would think they might think I am a bit mad. I am up for a good laugh, like to have fun and sometimes “forget” what age I am. But on a genuine note, I would like to think they consider me a true friend, someone who will always be there for those I love, willing to go the extra mile to help them through thick and thin, and someone they can rely on to be honest and discrete. I am lucky to have a lovely bunch of friends from my personal and professional life, we are there for each other, what goes around comes around and I know I have that support too from them.