Behind the Curtain in Dublin: Reflections on the 2026 Global Leadership Conference

I have been to many EO Global Leadership Conferences through the years, and each one has its own distinct flavor. The event in Dublin this year, though, felt different from the start: For the first time, I experienced much of it from behind the curtain.

That “behind-the-curtain” perspective changes what you notice. When you are sitting in the audience, you are consuming: listening, learning, laughing, maybe tearing up once or twice, and of course connecting with friends. Backstage, though, you see the complex choreography and the quiet moments that make the loud moments possible. For someone like me with a background in TV, that was actually quite fun to watch. I still love seeing how the team moves and how the production comes together. There is something beautiful about a complex thing working well.

Seeing the leaders behind GLC work so well together was one of the most encouraging parts of the experience. That included EO members like Stephen Shortt (EO Ireland), who served as host, and the many EO global staff members working behind the scenes to make the event happen. What stood out to me was the quality of the collaboration between member leaders and professional staff. There was mutual respect, clear teamwork, and a shared understanding of how to support one another without overstepping. That kind of partnership is worth celebrating.

Quini backstage with GLC Planning Team Chair Stephen Shortt (EO Ireland)

Dublin itself surprised me, too. It felt like a smaller city for a conference of this magnitude, but that ended up being a gift. The convention center had multiple levels, and instead of feeling swallowed by a huge, endless space, the experience felt divided in a way that made it feel … cozy.

That is not a word I would usually associate with a conference that drew more than 2,000 fellow entrepreneurs, but it fits. There was room to breathe and time between sessions for what EO does best: connection. There was a pub nearby, and you could feel people spilling out into those “in-between” moments — sharing stories, laughing, decompressing, finding each other again.

Connection is at the core of what makes EO special. We can talk about agendas and sessions and speakers — and, yes, those matter — but EO is also the place where you run into someone you met years ago on the other side of the world and, in one hug, you are reminded: “Oh, right, I am part of something much bigger than my chapter.”

One of the most compelling things I heard in Dublin came from a conversation, not a keynote. I spoke with regional leaders who shared what they believed should be the primary objective of an event like GLC: Do people leave with the right tools and feel confident they can do a good job when they return home to their leadership roles? I loved that framing, because it is practical and it is honest. You can have a beautiful event, a great stage, and the best speakers in the world, but if leaders fly home unsure of what to do next, we missed something. And what I heard in Dublin was encouraging in that regard. 

There were real challenges heading into the event — namely global tensions and travel disruptions — and there was a moment when we had to adapt quickly so more members could enjoy the keynotes in person because we had more attendees than the ballroom could accommodate. The solution was simple and generous: We asked experienced Tier 1 leaders to watch in a separate room so newcomers could see the speakers firsthand. And you know what I loved? People were all in. They understood the spirit of it. “Let someone else have the best seat,” they agreed. That is leadership. That is culture.

And speaking of the stage: Yes, I was nervous about my keynote. I am grateful for the team that supported me, and for the practice. When it was over, my first feeling was relief. I also felt gratitude that it landed well and seemed to resonate.

Quini delivered a speech from the main stage on the first day of GLC

Then, days later, the nostalgia hit. Maybe you know that feeling? You finish something hard, something meaningful, and then you wake up after the fact, and your body starts processing what your mind and heart had not yet had the space to feel. I came home and felt unexpectedly nostalgic — like I had just lived a chapter that was closing. Not in a dramatic way. In a human way. Because every leadership role has an ending, and even when you know that intellectually, it still surprises you emotionally when the ending comes into view. With only two months left in my tenure as chair, I can see that finish line now.

In Dublin, that feeling was amplified by family, who came to watch me deliver my GLC keynote after more than a decade spent on EO’s path of leadership. My mom, my brothers and their spouses and children, my daughter, and my wife were all there to support me. Having my family present made the moment more meaningful. It reminded me that leadership never happens in isolation. It touches the people around you.

"EO is the place where you run into someone you met years ago on the other side of the world and, in one hug, you are reminded: 'Oh, right, I am part of something much bigger than my chapter.'"

- Joaquín Cordero (EO Guatemala) 

Some of my favorite moments were backstage conversations that felt almost serendipitous. I met Dr. Benjamin Hardy and discovered he has a daughter adopted from Guatemala. We talked about my country, our culture, and the surprising ways life connects people. I also got to meet Steven Bartlett, whose famous “Diary of a CEO” podcast I have long admired. I told him about my own podcast — now more than 50 episodes in — and he shared something simple that stuck: Keep at it. Every step is a building block, and you will be amazed and what you can construct on a solid foundation.

We closed at the Guinness Brewery, which was special for me in a personal way. My great-great-grandfather founded Guatemala’s Cervecería Centro Americana, and our beer back home is part of our culture. So, walking through a brewery steeped in history and seeing how they honor legacy hit a nerve in the best way. It reminded me that institutions — when built with the right vision — can outlast us.

There were other moments that made me proud. The Mark Lincoln Award, recognizing extraordinary volunteer service, went to Hugo Salinas (EO Monterrey), who is a friend and the first Latin American to receive it. Plus, I did not know until they announced it, but EO Guatemala’s chapter manager Ana Beatriz de Bickford received the EO Global Chapter Staff of the Year Award. She has meant so much to our chapter and she and I came into EO together. It was beautiful serendipity.

Quini and fellow EO Global Board Directors at GLC

So, what would I tell a member who has never been to GLC and is on the fence?

First, many members do not grasp the magnitude of EO until they step into a room like that. Your chapter experience is real and powerful, but it is merely one part of the whole. GLC lets you see the entire global organization in all its splendor, complexity, and diversity.

Second, the value is multidimensional. Yes, you will connect. For me, connection is one of the most meaningful parts. But you will also learn how to do the EO leadership role you have taken on, how others have done it before, and what questions to ask. Even if you are not going for officer training, you will still leave with perspective, energy, and friends from all over the world.

Finally, I would tell them something entrepreneurs often forget: It is OK to blow off steam. It is OK to prioritize yourself, have fun, and make friends over a Guinness. That can be just as important to you and your business as any strategy meeting. The best EO events remind you of that.

This year, my time in Dublin certainly reminded me.

Joaquin “Quini” Cordero (EO Guatemala) is EO Global Board Chair and founder and president of Lumen, an advertising agency.