By Melissa Bridge, an EO Melbourne member and director of GXYSearch

I run a youth-focused recruitment agency, and given the nature of my work, I have an extensive network of contacts. About three months ago, I was contacted by the producer of a documentary called “Change the World,” a competition-based program where members of Generation Y are given the opportunity to develop a concept that will change the world. I knew I could connect the producer with marketing specialists and business strategists that would help the documentary, so I volunteered my services.

After meeting with the producer, I was invited to form part of the steering committee that would drive and manage the project. I was tasked with determining how the project would benefit from each team members’ experiences. I reflected on the last time I was in a situation with a group of highly capable, business-minded people. I thought about EO and Forum, in particular my induction into Forum and Forum training.

I immediately contacted Carlo Santoro, a former EO Global Board Director, and shared with him the “Change the World” concept. Carlo talked to the producer of the program and agreed to facilitate a training session for our steering committee. In this session, he introduced the Gestalt Language Protocol principles and taught us how to better engage and work with one another. Basically, we were bringing the benefits of EO’s Forum process into the development of this documentary program.

In a room full of entrepreneurial personalities, it is impossible for everybody to take on the role of leader. I realised very quickly that, in the absence of a team structure, we wouldn’t reach our full potential. Therefore, certain principles needed to be learned and processes put into place to ensure that we were effectively sharing knowledge and experiences. By instigating the Forum-like training early on, we were able to work more effectively and get things done more quickly.

The “Change the World” documentary is now well off the ground. A business plan and a marketing plan have been developed, and the first stage of filming has commenced. None of this would have happened were it not for my EO experiences. By leveraging the EO membership, I was able to call on a skill set that is not my area of expertise and have my team benefit considerably from it.

All in all, this experience has taught me a lot about the EO network. I learned that even in a team of highly productive people, there will always be a need to develop a platform for presenting ideas and personal experiences in order to maximise the value of the team’s collective skill sets.

Keep an eye on www.changetheworld.com.au and track our progress!