Tagged: Path of Leadership

6 Lessons Adventure Trekking Teaches About Navigating Entrepreneurial Stresses

5 April, 2024

As a member leader on EO’s Regional Council for Middle East, Pakistan and Africa (MEPA), we guide and support the health of EO through focused team projects and collaboration. It’s critical that we know how to navigate challenges, address problems head-on, and work together to maximize our impact across the organization.

So it felt right when Faizan Syed, our esteemed Regional Chair, suggested that our team escape the conference room during the recent EMEA, MEPA, and South Asia Presidents’ Meeting and instead embark on an exhilarating adventure trekking and canyoning expedition in Snake Gorge via Wadi Bani Awf, located in the breathtaking landscapes of Muscat, Oman. Faizan proposed a refreshing change from our usual conference room settings, opting instead for a day filled with adrenaline-pumping activities amidst nature’s wonders. Our team of 13 all signed on; we were eager for the challenge.

The day began with a promise of adventure—a hike with “optional swimming” and a gentle reminder to bring dry clothing. After a scenic, two-hour drive from our hotel through picturesque villages, we arrived at our destination. Following a safety briefing and training on abseiling (also known as rappelling) from our guides, we eagerly set off, ready to embrace the challenges that lay ahead.

With three “experienced” guides leading the way, we embarked on our journey, excited for the thrills that awaited us. We learned a lot about ourselves, personal tenacity, and the power of teamwork that day.

Here are six lessons a strenuous adventure trekking challenge taught us about the challenges of entrepreneurship.

1. Things aren’t always as they seem.

As we navigated the rugged terrain and encountered our first hurdle of abseiling, we realized that our experienced guides weren’t as experienced as they indicated. One guide was a student in training, the main guide broke his own rule of not wearing a life-jacket, and staying together as a group wasn’t as straightforward as anticipated. Working within the parameters of these new bits of knowledge, despite the initial setback, we forged ahead, determined to overcome any obstacles in our path.

2. Unexpected challenges strengthen team unity.

As we progressed, we encountered unexpected challenges that put our teamwork and resilience to the test. One of our group members, unable to swim, found themselves facing their fears head-on as they navigated through rock pools and jumped off cliffs into the canyon. Meanwhile, I faced my own challenges with a previously broken and now fused wrist, relying on the unwavering support of my EO peers to navigate the rocky terrain. We lifted each other up with both physical support and emotional encouragement, moving steadily as a team through the beautiful but treacherous landscape.

3. True leaders shine amid adversity.

Amidst the trials and triumphs, true leadership emerged. Faizan displayed exceptional leadership skills as he guided our group through challenging situations, including assisting his team during a particularly demanding part of the trek which involved swimming through a cave which was strewn with floating logs, whilst the guide experienced a panic attack!

4. Dig deep for resilience to conquer deepest fears.

Reflecting on our experience, we gleaned invaluable lessons. We discovered the power of teamwork, the resilience to conquer our deepest fears, and the unexpected emergence of true leadership in times of adversity. Additionally, we recognized the importance of effective communication and the need for hosts to manage expectations and prioritize safety protocols.

5. Transcending your comfort zone makes you stronger.

While the experience pushed us beyond our comfort zones, we emerged stronger, more united, and deeply appreciative of the bonds forged amidst the trials. Despite the physical and emotional challenges, we left with a newfound appreciation for the strength of our team and the supportive EO community, as well as many bruises and scrapes!

6. A team is stronger than its parts.

Together we grow! We emerged from the adventure stronger, having forged unbreakable bonds. No matter what challenges are ahead, we have proven to ourselves that we have the capacity to overcome them. I extend heartfelt gratitude to Faizan for orchestrating the most memorable Regional Council alignment meeting to date. Though we may not rush to repeat the experience, the lessons learned and the camaraderie fostered will forever be cherished.

Here’s to overcoming challenges, embracing adventure, and growing stronger together as a team!

Contributed to EO by Julia Finnis-Bedford, an EO Cape Town member and Member Experience Director for EO’s MEPA region on the EO Path of Leadership. She is also the founder of Amazing Spaces, a dynamic enterprise connecting global film crews with exclusive South African properties.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog

Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey LEADERSHIP Lessons Learned members WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Tags: entrepreneurs' organization EO Cape Town faizan syed Julia Finnis-Bedford MEPA Middle East region Path of Leadership PoL Regional Chair Regional Council

Embark on EO Path of Leadership and Uncover its Amazing Advantages

8 November, 2023

EO Path of Leadership (PoL) offers members who have served in local or regional leadership positions an opportunity to grow their leadership skills as a leader of leaders while serving the organization as a whole. Not sure which position is right for you? Try this fast, fun questionnaire to discover your ideal leadership role in EO.

We asked Kate Holden (EO Winnipeg), who serves EO as Leadership Director for EO Canada and Regional Chair-elect, about the value of her PoL journey. Here’s what she shared:

What inspired you to pursue EO Path of Leadership?

After joining EO, I very quickly realized: You are either in — or out. I don’t do anything halfway. I even developed the hashtag, #onelevelextra, on this intentional lifestyle.

I realized I was going to lean in and take advantage of every opportunity. I was—and am—all in! #onelevelextra in fact.

I started my Path of Leadership journey as my chapter’s MyEO chair, a role that eventually evolved into a regional capacity serving as the MyEO expert for Canada. Following that, I took on the Member Products Director (MPD) role for Canada for two years. I’m currently in my second year as Regional and Area Leadership Director as I move into the Regional Chair-elect role for a two-year term in 2024.

Simultaneously, at the chapter level, I moved to learning chair and a two-year term as president while I was on the Regional Council. Some say I did it backward — being on the Regional Council before I was a chapter president. However, I found it highly beneficial to take on congruent roles at the chapter and regional levels. I found the vision and alignment of the organization ultimately to drive myself and my chapter to a higher level of engagement.

The connections and experiences we can ultimately have in this organization are limitless. It has propelled me on a journey I will be forever grateful for.

The value PoL provides

I have gained so much value from my PoL experiences both personally and professionally. I am better because of it in so many ways, including:

Being more intentional with my time.
Increased self-awareness and reflection on my own behavior and how I show up. While I can’t always control events or circumstances, how I show up is the one thing that I can control, so I exercise that option wisely.
Leading with curiosity — not judgment.
Being more present with my family and making shared moments count. My intention is to elevate every moment and every connection.
Recognizing and offloading mundane tasks that don’t contribute to my higher purpose.
Realizing that how I show up — my aura and energy — matters. When I can stay in flow and show up as my best self, it increases my effectiveness.
Working toward solutions that will create a positive, better outcome. When people get stuck, it’s our responsibility as leaders to get them unstuck. It starts with awareness and asking: What perspective can I shift? What response in my environment can I alter? How can we make this environment better?
Learning to break my own patterns in decision-making by digging into the why behind my thoughts and actions so I can lead with openness and self-awareness.
I continue to grow exponentially with my commitment to learning, elevating myself, and building capacity.
Leaning into situations, fear and being uncomfortable. I found my inner strength and power by doing things I thought I couldn’t do. They stretch us to new norms, goals and mindset shifts that ultimately change who we are becoming.
I’m comfortable being unapologetically me!

Lessons learned by leading leaders

I’ve realized that reality-based leadership facilitates great thinking through self-reflection. I encourage leaders to operate in a way that is elevated, empowering, transparent, accountable, and focused on ultimate desired outcomes. Incorporate the lessons but leave unproductiveness, drama and distractions behind.

I’ve learned to deal with conflict through the art of leaning in, understanding and listening.

EO teaches the gift of collaboration. When ego is set aside, and everyone is listening and being heard, we can arrive at an outcome no one has even thought of yet. And while we still have some work to do to grow EO into the dynamic, diverse, inclusive organization that we strive to achieve every day, I have no doubt that we’re going to get there.

Fulfill your entrepreneurial potential

Being in PoL has challenged my belief systems, patterns and cultivated a great understanding of connections and circumstances at all times. I look for questioning and collaboration to fuel outcomes. I think deeper, connect differently, and am more self-reflective than ever. PoL has inspired me to see limitless possibilities and elevated me with boundless ideas and opportunities.

My PoL journey has re-shaped and caused me to re-imagine my journey as an entrepreneur. It elevated me to a whole other level I never thought I would reach.

Being around top-tier leaders who all understand the value of expanding capacity and abundance mindset, growth and resilience is a game-changer. It challenges your mindset in different ways beyond anything I would have experienced.

Through PoL, you find the people who walk with you in your journey and elevate you to be your higher self.

Why not be among the top 3%?

EO PoL is the ultimate way to give back. How could I not give back to an organization that has provided me with a step into a different view, new connections, and the best learning the world has to offer?

Why not step in and up to be with top-tier leaders in an organization that is already filled with the best? That’s the top 3% —and that’s where I want to be.

Applications for Regional Council Members, Standing Committee Members and Portfolio Team Members are due 1 December 2023. Applications for Experts are due 15 January 2024. (View position descriptions.)

Contributed to EO by Kate Holden, founder of The Pourium, a fast-growing retail/e-commerce wine business. For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey LEADERSHIP

Tags: entrepreneurs' organization EO Canada eo winnipeg Kate Holden myeo Path of Leadership PoL Regional Chair Regional Council The Pourium

3 Leadership Lessons from an Unlikely Latin American Superhero

6 October, 2023

Interested in taking the next step on your leadership journey as a member leader in EO? Path of Leadership (PoL) applications are open for many leadership positions next year.

Last month, while attending the first leadership summit for EO’s Latin American and Caribbean region (LAC) in Medellín, Colombia, our Regional Chair Severo Pérez Maldonado (EO Guadalajara) playfully introduced me to a popular fictional superhero from a 1970s Mexican television series whose persona, he said, was fit for our purpose of cultivating a network of determined and courageous yet humble servant leaders who draw strength from teamwork and boundless determination. Severo even turned up wearing a t-shirt with the hero’s famous initials, ‘CH’, and gave me one for some mock sparring. It was a memorable way to start a meeting!

The hero he was play-acting is El Chapulín Colorado, the “Red Grasshopper” or the “Cherry Cricket,” whose TV show is still popular across Latin America decades after the show ended production in 1981. In pop culture, ‘CH’ described as “more agile than a turtle, stronger than a mouse, nobler than lettuce, and his shield is a heart.” The more I learned about him, the more it struck me how he can offer all of us, as business owners, some inspiration.

Together, we face obstacles with determination

Unlike the Marvel superheroes, Chapulín doesn’t have incredible physical strength or supernatural powers, nor can he turn to magical gadgets that boost his abilities. In fact, he’s quite clumsy and fearful. What Chapulín does have—and what we share with him—is a determination and willingness to solve problems in spite of our limitations, then recruit others to a vision or cause. His famous phrase: “Síganme los buenos,” or “Good people, follow my lead”, is part of his enduring appeal to generations across Latin America. And though we may not be outfoxing wolves, Martians or the Abominable Snowman like this unlikely hero has in the old series, now on YouTube, as business owners, we have all faced our share of obstacles.

In a way, we’re all Chapulíns. Our resources are the relationships we’ve built with trust and respect for each other; our strong network of peers, from Cincinnati to Medellín to Cape Town. We learn, grow, and lead together and because of that, ‘we’ become our superpower.

Humility is our strength

Many episodes started with Chapulín boasting and exaggerating his strengths, resulting in misadventures and accidents that would only disappoint the people he was trying to help. His “Síganme los buenos,” would sometimes be followed by a comedy of errors when he would bump into a wall and knock over something. But those three words helped Chapulín stay on task and pull through, when he faced what were seemingly impossible situations. He was humble and learned from his mistakes and in doing so, he embraced his weaknesses and transformed them into strengths.

We can do the same. Many of our accomplishments result from leading with our strengths but acknowledging our missteps and vulnerabilities. We too can reach out for advice and support when we stumble and need an assist getting back on track.

A leader (or superhero) doesn’t need to know everything

Chapulín may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer. He probably wouldn’t fit in with EO’s Executive Education Programmes or structured Path of Leadership. But among his superpowers is his self-awareness. He knows he’s weak, clumsy, and not always the smartest person in the room. He is often overcome with fear, which doesn’t bode well when he’s confronting monsters or pirates. But despite the misadventures, Chapulín faces his fears and charges ahead anyway.

As entrepreneurs, we learn this skill too. I have faced my fair share of fears over the years as I built my business as a lone woman in a male-dominated industry—a logistics company specializing in bulk transport of chemicals. But like Chapulín, I banked on my hopes and not my fears. I learned to think outside the box when faced with challenges. And as I grew, I didn’t always take the straightforward path. I did get comfortable acknowledging what I did not know, then seeking out wisdom from people who know better.

I never expected to draw inspiration from a fearful, fictional, comedy character, but when we’re open to learning, opportunities are everywhere. So, thanks for the inspiration and leadership, Chapulín, Severo and EO Latin America. This dose of smart humor during your regional Leadership Summit was one I’ll long remember.

Síganme, los buenos. Let’s learn, grow, and lead together.

Contributed to EO by Lynn Anstett, an EO Cincinnati member serving as Chair of the EO Board of Directors, FY23-24. Lynn credits and thanks Severo Pérez Maldonado (EO Guadalajara), the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Regional Chair, for introducing her to Chapulín during LAC’s first Leadership Summit in September 2023. The Summit, driven by LAC Regional Council members and their functional Experts, was built around a theme of “Connection and Transformation.” It gathered 125 EO member leaders from all 22 Leadership Boards in the region to share challenges, exchange best practices, and align goals for their respective chapters to better serve EO members.

Interested in becoming a member leader? EO Path of Leadership (PoL) offers members who have served in local or regional leadership positions an opportunity to grow their leadership skills as a leader of leaders while serving the organization as a whole. Try this fast, fun questionnaire to discover your ideal leadership role in EO.

Applications for Regional Council Members, Standing Committee Members and Portfolio Team Members are due 1 December 2023. Applications for Experts are due 15 January 2024. (View position descriptions.)

Categories: LEADERSHIP members PEOPLE/STAFF

Tags: Chapulín entrepreneurs' organization EO Cincinnati EO Guadalajara lac LAC Region latin america Lynn Anstett Path of Leadership PoL Severo Perez

Empowering Members to Lead Leaders: EO’s Path of Leadership

20 September, 2023

Are you ready to take your leadership journey to the next level but need help deciding which path to take?

EO Path of Leadership (PoL) offers members who have served in local or regional leadership positions an opportunity to grow their leadership skills as a leader of leaders while serving the organization as a whole. Not sure which position is right for you? Try this fast, fun questionnaire to discover your ideal leadership role in EO.

We asked Taunya Renson (EO Belgium), a Regional Chair in Europe and founder of Mach Media, about her EO Path of Leadership experience. In addition to sharing her thoughts in a recent Path of Leadership video testimonial, she shared more details about her overall PoL experience by answering a few questions:

Tell us about your EO Path of Leadership journey.

My PoL journey began by being “voluntold” to join my small Belgian chapter’s board one month after joining EO! I joined as MarCom Chair and served in that role for two years before becoming chapter president. It was early 2020 when I agreed to be president-elect, attended the annual Presidents’ Meeting, and returned home. And then Europe promptly went into Covid lockdown! So, I served my entire presidency over Zoom. Talk about needing to tap into our creativity! With my learning chair and chapter manager, we exploited virtual reality, gift boxes, board games and more during that challenging period, to keep members as engaged as possible.

After my chapter presidency, I joined the Regional Council as Member Experience Director. Honestly, when I applied, I thought I’d have no chance of getting it. I assumed many more qualified people existed who knew all the inner workings of EO. But I received a call saying they’d like for me to take the role. I realized then that PoL is less about how much you already know and more about how much you are willing to learn.

Months later, I was encouraged to apply as Regional Chair (RC) for Europe. After much thought, I decided it really did make sense for me from a learning and growing perspective. I have a small (15 people) marketing communication agency. The RC role offered me the chance to learn more about operating a midsize organization — we have 1,800 members in Europe — while also providing insights into EO as a large global organization. An opportunity to learn? Sign me up.

I’m currently in my second year as Regional Chair for Europe, and I’m loving every minute of my leadership journey. Aside from learning (unlearning and relearning), the connections are unparalleled. EO has 18,000 passionate entrepreneurs with incredible stories and a zeal for life. PoL has given me the chance to meet as many of our members as possible. How fantastic is that!?

What is the value of your PoL experiences, both personally and professionally?

There is a Mach Media (my agency) “before” EO and a Mach Media “after”. Two significant ways that EO Path of Leadership has influenced my company for the better are:

PoL has enabled me to put the structure and culture in place to make my business less dependent on me day to day.
My company culture — based on trust, openness, compassion and non-judgment — is directly informed by my Forum experience, which is also embedded in my experience with our Regional Council.

Personally, the quality of my friendships and relationships in my family, for example with my sons, has improved because I understand that the more open I’m willing to be, the more open they are willing to be in return. And that creates a depth of discussion and connection I’d been seeking — particularly as an American forging a new life in Europe.

What lessons have you learned from leading leaders?

Let them do their magic! My role as a leader leading leaders is to provide vision (and communicate it often!) and then inspire others to see the same possibilities as I do. Once they do, I just need to step back and let them make the magic happen. Let them transform the dream into a reality. And in that process, I serve them best by encouraging, coaching, helping to connect the dots, and removing roadblocks.

How has PoL helped you grow toward fulfilling your entrepreneurial potential?

I studied acting and was an actress before moving to Europe and embarking on a whole new life trajectory. Being an entrepreneur has been largely circumstantial. I kind of fell into it.

So, the question for me has always been, “What will I do with this opportunity?” If it’s a challenge for me — having not studied business or properly “prepared” myself to be a business owner — how far could I go in discovering the potential that lies within me to make this “accident” an enduring legacy?

PoL provides all the tools and experiences I need to keep pushing my perceived boundaries of what I’m capable of doing. I can experiment with my leadership style safely within EO and then take what’s proven back into my business, family and community.

Not only that, the people that I get to meet and collaborate with on this PoL journey are the absolute best supporters. We’re all cheering for each other and helping each other be the best versions of ourselves.

What would you share with members who may consider applying to PoL?

Don’t think. Apply.

Be hungry to learn.

Accept that you don’t know it all and that it may take effort to figure it out — because that’s actually the EO PoL journey. It’s both exciting and humbling. And at the same time, you no doubt have much value to offer the organization by simply being you and bringing your unique experiences, energy and perspectives to the topics we’re trying to address.

The PoL journey asks of us one thing — just take your next step.

Applications for Portfolio and Regional Chair opportunities are now open, with a deadline of 1 October2023. Applications for Regional Council Members, Standing Committee Members and Portfolio Team Members are due 1 December 2023. Applications for Experts are due 15 January 2024. (View position descriptions.)

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey Impact LEADERSHIP

Tags: entrepreneurs' organization EO Belgium Mach Media Path of Leadership PoL Regional Council Taunya Renson

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