World’s Foremost Team-Builder and Leadership Developer
Tadhg Flahive is no ordinary man, not just because of his monumental work but because of his unique thought process that resonates with a holistic approach to life and work, which can be seen in his brainchild, ‘Tralis Human Resources Consultancy’. His company has become one of the foremost team-building and leadership development brands. He sails through his life and career with exceptional diligence, resilience and, most importantly, a passion for whatever he does.
Tadhg got his first degree as a Bachelor of Business Studies, and then two masters—an MBA in Leadership and a Masters in Education (MEd). He is also British Psychological Society Level A & B qualified and has certifications in 9 different psychometric tools which he infuses into learning interventions.
Before coming to the UAE, he lectured at a third-level institute in Ireland. He joined the Executive Council of the Abu Dhabi Government and was responsible for a team that designed and delivered leadership interventions across the Abu Dhabi Government. In 2013, he joined Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and worked at HQ and its various Group Operating Companies, designing bespoke learning ecosystems and team-building activities.
He is the founder and CEO of Tralis Human Resources Consultancy, a new Abu Dhabi-based boutique company formed in 2024. The company specialises in leadership development and team-building. In light of this, he proudly says, “We exist to ignite and amplify capability across organisations. Our vision is to bring our clients’ values and behavioural expectations to life. To do this, we engage, collaborate, and listen intently to our clients, ensuring they get effective, impactful interventions that exceed expectations. We always strive to make our next intervention better than our last one.”
As the CEO, he brings over 25 years of experience to the company, one of the driving factors in its success. Over this period, he has delivered blended learning programmes and team-building events to thousands of leaders across the GCC and led learning journeys for executive leaders on three different continents.
Regarding the unique team-building interventions, he says, “Tralis caters to groups ranging from 20-500 people. Using reality-based learning in hyper-sensitive simulators, we bring corporate team-building events to a unique experience level. We get our clients to prepare for the unexpected in these immersive learning environments. We use full-motion aircraft cabin simulators. We also have jungle and arctic survival rooms, in which we control temperature, light, darkness, haze, snow, and sound. We even have a pool to engage participants in ditching procedures involving high waves, gale-force winds, thunder, and lightning. These sessions bring leadership, collaboration, decision-making, and crisis management skills to a new level. We also offer a range of other team-building activities.”
With an all-rounded persona, Tadhg has a voracious appetite for reading. Being a very curious person, his personality has many facets, including his love for networking and helping people. Previously, living in Ireland and absorbing the culture around him, he was a member of the Irish National Folk Theatre, and he believes that this artistic flair comes to life in his leadership and team-building interventions.
His aim in leadership is to be both influential and impactful. He further mentions, “The best leaders are emotionally intelligent. People are driven by emotions, and emotions drive performance. Having a growth mindset and being optimistic is also important. Leaders have to get work done with and through their people in both a humble and engaging manner. Creating a culture with a sense of purpose is also important.”
Tadhg candidly shares his key strengths, which he feels are his tenacity and grit (passion + perseverance). He always sees things through to completion. He tends to get bored easily and is always up for a challenge. He is continuously on the lookout to improve his skills and constantly asks for feedback to identify his blind spots. He feels that self-awareness is key in leadership, and giving and receiving feedback is the gift that keeps giving. One of his mantras is that ‘your performance is in your preparation’. He feels that becoming too invested in his work is one of his greatest weaknesses. At times, he feels he should let go more and delegate.
Always balancing his lifelong passions and work, he seeks an optimal work-life balance to live a fulfilled life. He aims to live a long, healthy life, travel the world, and meet new and fascinating people. For him, the person who gives him the energy to move forward and provides him with emotional strength is, without a doubt, his wife, Dr. Edith Flahive. He calls her the ‘silent achiever’. She likes to stay in the background but is undoubtedly his rock.
In his opinion, it is paramount that everyone should have a passion in life. He certainly likes sports, particularly Gaelic Football. As recently as 22 November 2024, he was on the organising committee and acted as MC for a corporate fundraiser at the Mandarin Oriental in Dubai for his beloved Kerry GAA team from Ireland. During proceedings, he engaged the audience of 180 in a fabulously entertaining ‘boomwhacker’ experience involving rumbles and thunderclaps. He also likes to keep physically fit, which he feels is a channel for a long and healthy life. He strives to keep his energy drivers (sleep, connect, move, relax, and eat) in balance continuously.
Tadhg is also the author of ‘Through the Chair – the 25-year history of Abu Dhabi Na Fianna GAA Club’ (2022). He has served as the President of the Abu Dhabi Irish Society (2013-2015), Chairman of Abu Dhabi Na Fianna GAA Club (2005-2006, 2015-2016), and Chairman of the Middle East GAA County Board (2018-2020). Besides his leadership roles, he has been bestowed with many awards, including ‘The Most Inspiring Executive Leadership Advisor’ (Berkeley Middle East, 2023), ‘Top 10 Corporate Leadership Development Consultants from across the GCC’ (Asia Business Outlook Magazine, 2024) to name a few.
He parts with some pearls of wisdom for the readers, saying, “Don’t wait for things to happen – make them happen. Be proactive. Go to where the work is needed. Increase your resilience. Hire on attitude, not ability. Get out of your comfort zone, be curious, and acquire many experiences. Be agile and learn from mistakes. My final piece of advice is to be authentic. As my fellow Irishman Oscar Wilde famously said, ‘Be yourself; everyone else is taken.”