How EO's Path of Leadership Provides Growth You Can't Get Elsewhere

By Anne-Wallis Droter, EO Staff Writer

As an entrepreneur, you’ve already built something remarkable, proving you can run your organization and lead your team at a high level. By joining EO, you stepped into a community of peers who challenge your thinking, share proven approaches, and expand your mindset of possibility — for your business, your leadership, and yourself.

“Through EO's Path of Leadership, I have travelled to eight new countries and had the privilege of meeting leaders I would never have met without EO.” — Kim Whitaker, EO Cape Town

So — what’s next? Are you content in your leadership journey or are you curious about what else EO offers to expand your leadership horizon?

If you landed in the curious camp, EO's Path of Leadership (PoL) is a powerful next step on your leadership journey. For EO members who have served at the chapter level, Path of Leadership takes you to the regional and global levels, where you represent the interests of thousands of entrepreneurs and the organization at large, in a more diverse and perhaps unfamiliar atmosphere.

In other words, the bar keeps rising. And as every entrepreneur has likely experienced, each test of your leadership prowess represents a chance to sharpen your edge and evolve your mindset.

“Stepping into a leadership role enriches your EO experience. I truly don’t think I would still be in EO after 19 years if I had not pursued leadership roles,” said Ivanka Menken, EO Queensland, who served for two years as an Accelerator Expert and is now a Leadership Director and Member Ecosystem Director for APAC. “It exponentially gives me more value than I ever could have anticipated.”

Kim Whitaker, an EO Cape Town member who served as a Learning Expert for three years, is now a Leadership Director. Kim shared that she didn’t always get the first leadership role she applied for, but now realizes the roles she stepped into were exactly the right ones at the right moment for her evolution — and feels grateful that she persisted.

“I was curious to learn more about my EO region, different leadership styles, and the opportunity to travel,” Kim said. “Through EO's Path of Leadership, I have travelled to eight new countries and had the privilege of meeting leaders I would never have met without EO.”

Jag Gill recently attended the EO Global Leadership Conference as the EO Houston chapter president, where he enjoyed an eye-opening experience.

“When you're in your chapter, you think that is EO,” Jag said. “But then you go to the region, and then you go on the global stage.” The organization keeps offering its member leaders larger-scale opportunities for growth.

In EO, the more effort you invest, the bigger your return.

The Unique Challenge of Leading Leaders

EOers have mastered the art of running successful organizations and guiding employees. But leading other EO member leaders? That’s a whole new challenge —one that can humble even the most accomplished entrepreneurs. It can also open doors to rewards you never anticipated.

“Leading EOers can sometimes feel like herding cats, especially if I show up unprepared,” Kim Whitaker continued. “Learning to balance servant leadership, confidence, and inspire autonomy and action has helped me in my business.”

“Being part of EO's Path of Leadership is not only the way that I grow, but I help EO grow. We can be stronger together if we all give a little bit to this amazing organization.” — Valentina Humar, EO Bogota

Leaders aren’t necessarily the easiest people to lead, which is why it’s such an invaluable learning opportunity. Being in a room filled with exceptional leaders gives you the chance to observe and adopt traits you admire.

“When you sit at the table with other entrepreneurs, sometimes with quite strong personalities, it makes you really lift your game in leadership,” explained Nathan Donaldson, who serves on the EO New Zealand chapter board. “It's that idea of creating a shared vision that we can all step into and create something truly special that really drives me as a leader.”

Unlock Skills That Transfer Beyond EO

What you learn in EO's Path of Leadership can have far-reaching benefits both in your business and personal life. Your leadership mindset evolves from tactical to strategic, in that instead of guiding an employee on what to do, you’re asking another leader who may be more experienced than you.

“I am very focused on getting the work done, and didn’t always take time for personal connection prior to diving into the meat of the agenda,” said Ivanka Menken. “Leading in the region has taught me the value of ‘connection before content' as a mindset shift.”

Path of Leadership enables EOers to push beyond old habits and discover new facets of empowerment in their leadership toolboxes.

“I've learned to be more of a compassionate leader, rather than a dictator. It's more about bringing out the best in people. That's the leadership facet that I've really learned to grow,” said Jag Gill. “Whereas before it was very much 30 years of asking people (employees) to do things and expecting it to be done. Becoming more compassionate has helped me not only in my role as a father, a husband, and a friend, but also in my business life.”

Kim Whitaker shared an Aha Moment: True leadership often means asking better questions, rather than having all the answers.

“Most of the time, it's not about me knowing the right answer — it's about my ability to ask the right questions. Most leaders know the truth inherently, they simply need someone who believes in them and is not afraid to ask direct questions,” Kim Whitaker stated. “This has helped me in my business as a growth coach and even helped me navigate personal relationships — for example. with my kids.”

Ivanka Menken shared some of the skills she attributes to her time serving EO: “I learned a lot of the skills and philosophies that I use on a daily basis through the opportunities Path of Leadership has given me,” Ivanka noted. For example:

• How to lead a team of diverse individuals
• Leading from my true self
• Leading authentically and being prepared for the future
• The value in having those difficult conversations earlier

Why to Apply to EO's Path of Leadership

Here’s the thing: You’ll never know what you might gain from EO's Path of Leadership unless you apply. You can view application timelines and position descriptions on the EO's Path of Leadership page.

Still unsure? Check out what other EO member leaders shared about their Path of Leadership experience:

• “The EO Path of Leadership is a beautiful journey. I've gained so much knowledge, friendships, and I also feel that I'm giving back to a community that has given me so much,” said Valentina Humar of EO Bogota, who served as a Member Experience Director for two years and is now a Growth Portfolio Team Member. “Being part of POL is not only the way that I grow, but I help EO grow. I think we'll be stronger together if we all give a little bit to this amazing organization.”
• “I choose to serve within EO because I found that it grows me in different aspects: It helps me in my business as a leader, it helps me in my personal life as a husband, and as a father,” said Wesley Naidoo, who served as chapter president of EO Durban. “I am thoroughly enjoying the experience. It's my intention to follow the Path of Leadership for as long as I possibly can.”

EO's Path of Leadership Applications are Open

Are you an EO member who is ready to step into a new level of leadership?

EO's Path of Leadership applications for FY26/27 opened on 1 September and are due 15 October for Tier 2 roles including Regional Council Members, Standing Committee Members, and Portfolio Team Members.

On 1 October, Path of Leadership applications for the Tier 3 role of Experts will open and are due 1 December. Learn more and submit your PoL application today.

Related posts:

• 3 Reasons to embark on the EO Path of Leadership
• Empowering Members to Lead Leaders: EO’s Path of Leadership
• Embark on EO Path of Leadership and Uncover its Amazing Advantages