About
Hi, I'm Conor O'Grady
I founded EI Academy to bring practical emotional intelligence to the teams who need it most: the ones working under real pressure.
My story
From 2023 to 2026 I was Leadership Coach at daa, delivering emotional intelligence-based coaching to the Security Operations division at Dublin Airport. It's demanding work: strict procedures, constant public contact and no let-up at peak times. I saw first-hand how much calm, clear leadership matters.
Before that, I spent 16 years as Director of Admissions at Emerald Cultural Institute, leading teams, handling difficult conversations and looking after students and families from all over the world.
The research behind it
My Master of Business Studies in Lean Enterprise Excellence at WIT ended with a 2021 dissertation on how leaders can be developed using emotional intelligence to create a positive organisational climate. That research still shapes everything EI Academy does.
Credentials
Qualified, accredited and supervised
EMCC Global Accredited Coach
Practitioner level.
Accredited CWEI coach
Coaching with Emotional Intelligence.
Master of Business Studies
Lean Enterprise Excellence, WIT.
Registered Teacher
With the Teaching Council.
Member of EMCC Ireland
Committed to ethical, supervised practice.
Our home
The EI Academy venue
Workshops and coaching can take place at our Victorian red-brick building in Dublin, a quiet, bright space away from the noise of the day job.
[PHOTO SLOT: Conor outside the building]
Values
How we work
Practical first
If it can't be used on the next shift, it doesn't make the cut.
Plain-spoken
No jargon, no fluff. Straight talk, said kindly.
Respect for the work
We start from how your operation actually runs.
Measured change
We review before and after, so progress is visible.
Let's talk about your team
A free 20-minute discovery call to understand the pressure your team is under and whether we can help.