President's Update - March 2021

Source https://www.markmathews.com/

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

“The only way through fear is experience.” - Mark Mathews

Rewind to a few weeks ago, we held an event that many described as “one of the best EO events I’ve ever been to”. No exaggeration...well, it could be that we’ve been deeply deprived of live in-person action but nevertheless, it was an experience that we, at EO, would describe as once-in-a-lifetime.

It was only at the eleventh hour that news broke that QLD borders were opening up and so the team worked some magic to have one of the world’s best Big Wave Surfer fly over and keynote this OILE.

As Mark Mathews delivered a heartfelt and impeccable talk that had us on the edge of our seat and blinking back tears of emotion - there was a big message here he wanted to hit home.

Fear is inevitable. Everyone experiences it.

Courage is not the absence of fear; instead, it is the ability to keep going in spite of it.

As entrepreneurs, we face fear daily. Some fears we are able to push through easily, other times, we procrastinate and tiptoe around what we know we should be doing.

We revel in being the person at the top because we don’t have anyone to tell us what to do and hold us accountable. Yet, when it comes to our goals and aspirations, we seek accountability especially when we’re not too sharp at doing that ourselves.

For me, EO and forum have been key to pushing through that fear to grow — from being inspired by other members to being called out in my forum if there’s a reoccurring 5 percenter in my monthly update. The self-fulfilment ultimately comes from the work I keep avoiding.

On that note, I’ll be signing off for the last time as Chapter President as I embark on my next life-changing chapter - motherhood. 

I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the entire EO Melbourne Chapter Board for working tirelessly and selflessly, during a challenging year, to bring our members together and make them feel supported in every way possible.

With Socrates Capouleas taking over the Chapter President role, you’re all in great hands.

Hopefully, I’ll get to see you all at the Board Handover and End-of-Year Gala Dinner on 18 June, Friday. 

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - February 2021

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities.
In the expert’s mind, there are few.”
- Shunryu Suzuki

My journey into EO started in 2015 when I was ready to revert back to the beginner’s mind.

At that stage, I had only been in business for 5 years but already felt like it was a lifetime after living and breathing it each day.

The “fake it till you make it” mentality that helped me launch the business in the early days was starting to wreak havoc on the entire business and life. I experienced what I call a “bakedown”, which made me realise that pretending to know all the answers was causing me great damage.

So, I emptied my mind of what I thought I knew in order to download more.

Since my EO journey began, the forum has been a core pillar of growth in my life. One particular memorable moment stands out to me -- it was when one of my forum members shared this gem with us...

“In 12 months' time, I want to look back at the person I am today and be embarrassed. If I’m not embarrassed by who I was a year ago, I’m not learning enough.”

Looking back to when I stepped into my first forum, I am proud to say I’m completely embarrassed by the person I was back then. What a gift of a perspective to have.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - January 2021

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

If you had one word to live by this year, what would it be?

"Intention" would be mine.

You see, every decision we make takes us on a different path. And as leaders, these decisions can significantly shift the needle on the compass for our people and our business.

Settling into the new year, we can find ourselves swept away into the day-to-day activities, being pulled into meetings and called upon to fight fires.

This year, I seek to sit with intention each morning and have the clarity to make decisions that serve the future. I must remind myself that long-term thinking will improve my short-term decision making.

To help you on your journey of growth and learning, we have sent you all an exclusively branded EO Melbourne OAK Journal. This tool was created by an EO member in Colorado who has tied in some of the most life-changing techniques from books such as Mastering the Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up in the one journal.

2021, I am ready for you.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - December

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

A year that simultaneously feels as if it’s been the fastest yet longest 366 days.

A year that has pushed all of us into realms of discomfort and growth.

A year that will go down in history for all the right and wrong reasons.

There’s something comforting about starting a new year fresh, even if it’s only a clock’s hand tick away from the year before. The significance of being able to turn to a new page on a brand new year can bring a sense of relief and a spark of optimism.

We’ve all been dealt with some nice curveballs this year, and as we arrive at the tail end of 2020, there’s only one last thing left to do.

To celebrate.

Celebrate with those, such as our team, that stood by us.

Celebrate with those that supported us and inspired us.

Celebrate with those we love most.

On that note, it was wonderful to have celebrated with so many of you at our Christmas lunch. Even though we may have broken a few rules (bound to happen with 100 entrepreneurs in one room!) it didn’t dull the fact that we were finally able to clink glasses and share laughs.

We’ve got a full schedule of events planned for early 2021 so rest up, recharge and we’ll see you in the new year.

Keep the celebrations going until then!

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - November

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

Finally, we’ve reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

Businesses are opening up again. We’re able to socialise and connect in the flesh.

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted, doesn’t it?

It’s because humans are social creatures. We seek belonging and we seek understanding.

And it’s why we’ve all been pulled to join EO and be part of this community.

As much as it has been great to connect online, the time has come for us to come together and spend time face to face (socially distanced, of course).

So enjoy reconnecting with your forum buddies in person. Make an effort to grab a coffee or lunch with other EO members.

And of course, we hope you’ve RSVP’d to one of our most anticipated events for the year - our EO Melbourne Christmas Lunch. It’ll be the perfect way to cap off the year with great chats with good company and there’s sure to be some good laughs!

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - October

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

As we roll into the last quarter of 2020, these last few months can easily become a haze. In a blink of an eye, we’ll be welcoming a brand new year.

So how do we become more intentional about how we end the year? How do we muster up the motivation to make it truly memorable?

Here’s a start, ask yourself this question: “What are you most proud of this year?”

This year has been wild, and amidst all the uncertainty we’ve had to deal with, perhaps we haven’t given ourselves the space to recognise the accomplishments we’re truly proud of.

Invoking pride in ourselves is uplifting. It builds confidence and it brings joy. Revel in it.

Invoke pride in others by taking the time to ask your closest friends and forum buddies this powerful question next time you’re able to connect (hopefully in real life).

If you’re wondering - I’m most proud of being able to create boundaries that keep me mentally and emotionally strong. This quote was my inspiration.

“In order to lead others, you must first lead yourself.”

I'm also proud of what our chapter has achieved in the first quarter -- our high renewal rate of 87.41% (globally, we have renewed more members this year than any year in EO’s history; South Pacific Area achieved the highest renewal rate on record at 90.75%), 17 EO Melbourne events since July 2020 with Event Median Score of 9.19, and the high interest received for the Mentorship Program that we're launching next week with 27 pairs (thanks to our Mentorship Chair James Murray for driving this initiative).

Thank you to everyone who contributed to these milestones. Be proud of what you have done and look forward to the rest of the year with hope and determination.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

Leading with Hope

One’s success in business or organisation can be attributed to various factors, the primary of which includes leadership, particularly when it faces several challenges, such as a global pandemic that is affecting lives and economies.

Which is why this year’s theme of EO Melbourne – “Lead with Hope” – is very relevant and timely to the present situation. As business owners, the chapter members are also leaders in their respective fields and companies that need to bring their teams towards their goals despite stormy weather.

EO Melbourne President (2020-2021) and League of Extraordinary Women CEO and Co-Founder Sheryl Thai and Absolute Immigration Global Immigration Leader Jamie Lingham share their insights on leadership, their experiences and style of leading, and how they become a guiding light to the people they lead.

Steering the company towards a brighter future through hope

“Over my decade of leading teams in my business or being involved in Boards, my leadership style has evolved as I’ve gained more insight and experience working with people,” said Sheryl Thai who, apart from her leadership roles in League of Extraordinary Women and EO Melbourne, is also a Board Member of Project Gen Z and the founder of Cupcake Central, her first business that she has successfully exited. “In this point in time, I relish in a collaborative and coaching leadership style where I’m able to guide my team to assist them to unlock their potential.”

Empowering her team is what Sheryl applies in her business and organisations where she is involved. “I seek their input and collaboration to keep our company innovative and relevant. Whilst we still operate the business on systems and processes, I provide them with the autonomy and freedom to carry out their role how, when and wherever they see fit.”

Leading her team efficiently also helps her in serving well the communities they cater to. For her, effective leadership shapes the right culture for the company that is fit to their purpose and mission. “As a company that seeks to connect and inspire women globally, we have to constantly move with our community to keep them engaged. For us to achieve that, we must have a culture that is inspiring and engaging. This style of leadership provides the autonomy for the team to follow their intuition to allow for creative and innovative content delivered to our audience,” Sheryl explained.

And how does Sheryl give hope to people around her, especially when they are met with difficulties? “During times of uncertainty and doubt, it has been imperative for me to continually return to hope to steer the company towards a brighter future. For us, this means focusing on how we’re able to make a difference to those that need inspiration and connection more than ever in a world that has been forced to stay apart and connect virtually instead.”

Leadership that encourages openness, teamwork and innovation

Jamie Lingham describes his leadership style as one that promotes teamwork and openness and encourages ownership and innovation. “Sometimes I feel like I ‘over-share’, but this has always served me well, especially during the difficult times when we need to brace as a team and get through the challenge that has presented itself. Our team is very close. We support one another, and everyone is willing to jump on to any project that needs to be completed, no matter what the task or time it takes or the deadline.”

As a leader, he sees to it that the atmosphere is healthy for growth for him and his team. “I am a huge fan of ‘delegate to grow’ for both my benefit and also the benefit of my team members. When giving them work, we prefer the ‘sink-or-swim’ approach, but ensure that it is in a safe environment, with senior staff guidance and systems and processes in place to protect them from any ‘live fire’ issues. If a mistake is made, we work to pick this up before it gets to the client, but the learnings are still relevant,” he stated.

His approach is to constantly push his level of comfort and ‘give until it hurts’ when it comes to passing on his responsibilities, “which I believe is the only way that I can truly grow and be available to new opportunities,” he remarked. “I also support promoting innovation throughout the team and encourage everyone to take opportunities as they come up and run projects on their own.”

Other than that, Jamie also describes himself as a leader who looks after the quality of their work. “While I love to delegate, I also lead by example through being involved with reviewing work before it goes out. I provide feedback on the quality of work when measured against the level of service expected to deliver to meet our service promise and client expectations. This ensures that I keep connected to the day-to-day output, which demonstrates to the team that they can confidently follow my lead.”

By taking advantage of his strength in helping and motivating others, his leadership has facilitated a cooperative culture at Absolute Immigration. “Our cooperative culture is strengthened by the fact we are in constant communication with each other, especially in turbulent times such as COVID. Our team catches up daily over Zoom meetings so we have the opportunity to engage with one another through sharing ideas, helping each other solve any issues that arise, and have a fun element which includes games, quizzes, and mindfulness exercises.”

COVID-19 has affected their industry and, as a result, their company. Jamie had to make adjustments within his organisation for them to survive. But he also has to step up to carry the torch of hope for his people. “I continuously encourage our team to promote positive mental health measures and to keep the humour going. Yes, it is a serious time, but we need the release and positivity that humour provides,” he said.

“When I reflect on this topic, it made me realise how important good leadership is in the time of a crisis. COVID-19 has been a great time for us to come together and grow as a team, as well as for me as a leader,” the Global Immigration Leader declared.

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What is your experience in leading your team during this challenging time? We want to hear from you. Share your story through the comments section below or email us at communications@eomelbourne.org.

President's Update - September

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

How are you doing? Are you okay?

As a fellow Melburnian & Victorian, I know better to bring up yet another reminder of the unique situation we’re finding ourselves in.

What I do want to remind you about is that, as the leaders in our companies, the amount of responsibility and pressure we have on our shoulders is incredibly unique. We have to deal with making tough decisions on a daily basis. We have to constantly think about the future and how we can survive & thrive. We have to come up with a plan C, D, E and F. 

Our businesses are very much like ships at sea. We are the captains that have to navigate the rough stormy seas and ensure our vessels reach its destination, whilst keeping our crew safe.

After almost 6 months on choppy waters, it’s been our responsibility to solve problems, restore productivity within our teams, keep the team morale up and keep this ship afloat. 

This is no small feat. 

As captains, we’ve also had to display strength and instil confidence in our crew. It is not often that we get asked if we are okay, ourselves. 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had several fellow EOers reach out to see how I’m going. I love that in this community; we’re able to be completely honest and dive deep instantly. There’s no need to sugar coat it. There is no judgement. Just understanding.

Last Thursday was R U OK? Day, and with the lack of social interaction, it’s more important now than previous years to open up a conversation and to seek support or give support.

I want to take this opportunity to ask you, R U OK? Email me, let me know. 

Book in a session with our Resident Psychologist, Katerina, for a chat. (Her contact details are found below at the Resources Section.)

Check-in on your forum buddies individually. Reach out, open up, lend an ear.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - August

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

Are you a hedgehog or a fox? 

The fox, a cunning creature, is able to devise multiple complex strategies for sneak attacks on the hedgehog. The fox eagerly waits for the hedgehog to wander on its path each day to be able to pounce and say, “Ahah, I’ve got you!” 

The hedgehog rolls its eyes and says, “Here we go again, will the fox ever learn?” and rolls into a ball with its sharp spikes flaring out. The fox, midway through pouncing, sees the hedgehogs defence and calls off the attack. 

Each day, this game of fox and hedgehog continues, but despite every calculated attack, the hedgehog always wins. 

Last month, we saw 75 of us from EO Melbourne join in a stellar exclusive event with Jim Collins. As I trawled through my list of learnings, one key learning rolled out at me... the hedgehog concept.

“The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

Understanding what you can be the best at is incredibly powerful. As Jim mentions, this requires piercing insight and egoless clarity. And to dive deep into the core of what you believe your company is the best at -- takes effort, honesty and awareness. 

I’ve read the book Good To Great before. I understood the concepts, but it wasn’t until I leaned on EO was I able to really put this into practice. This goes with much of the ongoing leadership learning, I find ways to intentionally integrate it into my life through EO. 

• Forum - being my first and foremost go-to for accountability and experience share.

• Secondly, being active in the wider EO community, whether it be our private WhatsApp group, Facebook group or finding new members to connect with on our Member’s Directory.

We all know by now that knowledge is not enough. We really must “do” to reap the benefits. Otherwise, we just continue to consume and become knowledge chubby.

What you’re part of here is much more than just a bunch of interesting events where people come together. 

EO is a whole entire ecosystem of valuable connections, a support network to help you stay on course, a gateway to a life without limits. Use it. 

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

President's Update - July

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

Apocalypse!

If you tuned into our End-of-Year Gala celebration a month ago, you would have heard me start my welcome speech with this bizarre word. In all honesty, I knew I had a tough job on my hands to grab your attention as the celebration was held virtually for the first time in EO Melbourne history. I hoped it worked.

The point I wanted to get across was that, yes, 2020 has been a challenging year for many of us. Every month that goes by feels as though we’ve graduated to the next level of Jumanji. 

The usual problems that get thrown our way have morphed into something we never imagined we would ever have to deal with. 

This is where the magic of EO presents itself. As a global community, we have the power at our fingertips to connect with another member and resources to figure out how to overcome them. We can also take some solace in knowing that we are not alone in this.

It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster, and as we are now in our second lockdown, what the future holds continues to be clear as mud. But in times of adversity, we all know that this is the time that we, as entrepreneurs, need to demonstrate resilience and rise to lead our teams forward. 

We need to remind ourselves that our businesses were founded on hope. We all started with a seedling of an idea, and it was through our optimism, hard work, creativity and hope that it was able to grow into something bigger than ourselves.

On that note, I leave you with our theme for the year, Lead with Hope.

It is with great honour and privilege that I serve as President for EO Melbourne 2020/21. Standing alongside my fellow Board Members, I’m excited about the ideas that we’re working on to make the EO year ahead into a memorable one - for the right reasons! Our chapter is strong, the engagement (the only giant WhatsApp group I have unmuted) and solidarity are out of this world.

Reach out to any of us on the Board at any time, we’re here for you.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021