Freefall: Leadership Lessons for the Skies

Dara Kiernan has spent more than 25 years helping leaders navigate change, difficult conversations, workplace politics, and the occasional organisational meltdown. Somewhere along the way, he also spent 20 years performing stand-up comedy and decided that jumping out of perfectly good airplanes was a sensible hobby.

An award-winning leadership consultant, speaker, and founder of KPI Consulting Ireland, Dara has worked with organisations across Ireland to improve leadership, customer experience, and organisational performance. He believes the best lessons about leadership rarely come from textbooks - they come from real life, real mistakes, and real people.

His first book, Freefall: Leadership Lessons from the Skies, became a US bestseller by turning the terrifying experience of learning to skydive into practical leadership lessons. His second book, Breaking Orbit, takes a very different route - into the year 4025 - where advanced technology, intelligent machines, and interstellar travel have transformed society, yet leaders still face the same challenge they've always faced: people.

Through humour, storytelling, and a healthy appreciation for human imperfection, Dara's writing helps readers discover that leadership isn't about being perfect - it's about being authentic, resilient, and brave enough to keep learning.

He lives in Wexford, Ireland with his wife Michelle, their son Ethan, and far fewer parachutes than he probably needs.