Rewinding the clock to November of 2021, I was humbly selected to lead an incredibly inspiring group of just short of 150 Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs, as the President of EO Edmonton. To stand on the shoulders of the 30 previous giants that lead before me. And to be given the traditional pep talk of “Don’t Fuck it up”. Yeah, no pressure at all! Although it seemed like a hugely daunting task, I made the decision to go all-in and take up the challenge and privilege.
Fast forwarding to today a decision that has enriched my life and provided me with some invaluable lessons in leadership. As the President of EO Edmonton, I have had the privilege of guiding and supporting not only our members but also a diverse board of 10 individuals, 2 staff, and multiple committee members. Over the past year, this role has taught me some profound insights that will continue to shape my leadership approach.
Lead with Passion:
Passion is contagious and serves as a driving force for remarkable achievements. As a leader, it is vital to embody and ignite a sense of purpose and enthusiasm within an organization. In leading by example, and nurturing others’ sense of passion, we created an impactful, exciting, and infectious environment and EO year.
Empathy is Powerful:
Showing understanding and empathy for others is at the root of any strong relationship and effective collaboration. As President, I realized the importance of understanding the unique perspectives, challenges, and aspirations of those I’ve had the privilege to lead. Genuinely caring and actively listening to our members provided both myself and our board with the ability to understand, build trust and tackle complex issues collectively.
Embrace New Ideas. Take Calculated Risks:
As one of EO’s Core Values is “Boldly Go”, myself and our board embodied exactly that over the past year. We explored new innovative questioning and thinking, and fostered an open environment for ideas to thrive. Stepping outside of our norm and taking calculated risks, we discovered and launched new initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our members and organization.
Go All-In: Lead by Example:
To inspire others, leaders must lead by example and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the organization and its goals. It’s incredibly important to invest our time, energy, and resources to accomplish a plan and realize desired outcomes. By going all-in, we achieved milestones that initially seemed unachievable.
Embrace Mistakes to Learn & Grow:
Mistakes are an inevitable part of any leadership journey, no one person is perfect. However, it’s how we respond and learn from those mistakes that determines our growth. Good leaders recognize, value, and learn from failures and mistakes. Embrace the discomfort and never let a great learning opportunity go to waste.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and takeaways that I’ve gained as a leader in EO. By saying “YES” and embracing this personal growth and expansion, I have no doubt that I come away as a better and more effective leader and human. With these lessons learned, I look forward to exploring whatever comes next in my leadership journey ahead!
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 13,000+ influential business owners with 179 chapters in 57 countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond.
Founded in 1991, EO Edmonton’s mission is to engage leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow while maximizing the entrepreneurial lifestyle. EO – for entrepreneurs only – is a global community that enriches members’ lives through dynamic peer-to-peer learning, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and connections to experts. EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to grow and to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. EO is the largest entrepreneur’s organization in the world.
For more information on EO Edmonton, visit https://eoedmonton.com/