The Water Under the Wall: Leading with Composure and Intent

Serving as EO Global Board Chair continues to stretch me in ways I did not fully anticipate. Each chapter visit, each board discussion, and each moment of reflection reveals new lessons. Along the way, I have had the good fortune to meet with EO members around the world, including an enriching trip to Malaysia and Vietnam earlier this month.

There is a saying about travel that I have come to deeply appreciate: “The first person you meet when you get off a plane is you.”

I have found this to be profoundly true as I continue to connect with entrepreneurs around the world in the places they call home: I discover more about myself through those interactions and journeys.  

Legacy and Stewardship in Malaysia

Quini, with EO Malaysia members, was impressed with the generosity
and hospitality that are cornerstones of Malaysian culture. 

Founded decades ago, EO Malaysia has made a major impact on EO globally. With more than 160 members, it has produced six past Global Board Directors and two past Global Chairs, including Rosemary Tan, a two-time Mark Lincoln Award recipient, and Vijay Tirathrai, who later served as  EO’s CEO.

The chapter has hosted both a Global Leadership Conference and EO University. It continues to contribute through leaders such as George Gan, past Global Board Director, Lincoln Award recipient, and Global Leadership Academy formator.

During my visit, Chapter President Rabin Nijhar generously hosted me. We attended a MyEO event on AI at a member’s home, discussed the Path of Leadership, and celebrated the Lunar New Year together. He personally picked me up and dropped me off at the airport, something I later learned is a chapter policy that reflects their culture of hospitality.

Entrepreneurship transcends building companies. It is about designing a life. It has given me the freedom to lead, to serve, and to pursue what challenges me physically and spiritually. Deep water soloing requires trust, composure, and presence. Leadership requires the same.

- Joaquin “Quini” Cordero (EO Guatemala)

Past Global Board Director Sharan Valiram adjusted his schedule to host me for lunch at his mother’s home during an important national moment, as he was involved in chairing events surrounding the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Malaysia. That gesture spoke volumes about the spirit of EO Malaysia. Its culture is steady, values-driven, and deeply committed to service beyond itself.

Leadership is not treated as status but as stewardship. Members who have served regionally and globally continue contributing at the chapter level, demonstrating that service transcends titles. 

My time in Malaysia reminded me that chapters do not simply serve their members today: They help shape the organization we will become tomorrow.

Vietnam: Perspective and Responsibility

Quini and EO Global Board directors met with members of the EO Vietnam chapter. 

In Vietnam, we engaged with the EO Vietnam chapter, a smaller but fast-growing and energized community filled with young entrepreneurs. They are so spirited: grinding hard and are eager to solve problems. Meeting with them made me want to tap into that energy and reminded me of the spirit I had when I was first embarking on my own entrepreneurial journey.

We shared dinner at a new member’s restaurant, met founding member and APAC Area Director David Hajdu, and encouraged members to consider how the Path of Leadership can shape their own journeys as it has ours.

Our Board gathered in Ho Chi Minh City for its February meeting to advance EO’s strategic plan and thoughtfully design the next evolution of our organization. During our meeting, a consultant we have been working with offered a thoughtful observation: Around the midpoint of a chair’s term, he noted, they often feel restless and worry that they should have already accomplished more. Sometimes, that pressure can tempt leaders to push initiatives driven by a desire to build legacy rather than meeting institutional needs.

We smiled, but the point was serious. Leadership can quietly shift from stewardship to urgency. That reminder stayed with me. I neither want to lead from anxiety nor accelerate decisions simply to leave a mark. If we build what EO truly needs for its long-term health, legacy becomes irrelevant. As the Stoics reminded us centuries ago, time humbles us all.

Outside the boardroom, we visited the Cu Chi tunnels, which are remnants of war. Standing inside those narrow passages was deeply humbling. History feels different when you stand within it. Several of our directors from the Untied States reflected on how warmly they were received despite the difficult past the nations shared. There was no tension, no resentment, only hospitality. It was a powerful reminder of humanity’s capacity to move forward.

EO operates in nearly 100 countries across diverse political systems, religions, and cultures. None of that impedes our mission of moving the world forward by unlocking the full potential of entrepreneurs.

Why?

Because we rise above the noise. We focus on contribution. Entrepreneurs understand responsibility: the weight of supporting families; the discipline required to deliver; the courage to create value amid uncertainty.

That shared experience transcends ideological or cultural differences.

Water Under the Wall

I have been climbing since 1998, and I have now climbed in 20 countries across four continents. After the board meeting, I ventured to Cát Bà island to attempt deep water soloing, a form of climbing above open water. With no ropes or protection, only the water itself is there to break your fall. The routes ranged as high as 15 meters and, as the tide receded, the climbs effectively grew taller: The higher you ascend, the longer the fall.

Quini climbed with no ropes and only the water below. 

The challenges are as much psychological as they are physical. The higher you go, the more intentional you must be. I found that those circumstances demanded more precision. You cannot climb as aggressively you might with ropes because you need to be able to control your fall. As you ascend, you are not thinking about the endpoint, but about a prudent process and remaining under control. Plus, with age and a bit of wisdom, I probably risk things less than I did when I was a younger climber and younger leader.

That experience felt aligned with the theme of “water” that shaped our Global Board meeting, and it reminded me of something essential: Entrepreneurship transcends building companies. It is about designing a life. It has given me the freedom to lead, to serve, and to pursue what challenges me physically and spiritually. Deep water soloing requires trust, composure, and presence. Leadership requires the same.

You cannot eliminate the fall. Instead, you accept it. You cannot eliminate risk. Instead, you adapt your style to mitigate it.  

Like water, we can adapt without losing strength. We can challenge one another while preserving respect. We can build institutions while also building lives we are proud to live.

“The first person you meet when you get off a plane is you.”

Each chapter visit, each board meeting, and each climb offers that opportunity again. To meet ourselves. To refine ourselves. To lead with strength, safety, and intention.

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