From EO Lagos to EO Leadership
They say the more you invest in your EO experience, the more you get out of it. For members like EO Lagos’s Ayo Stuffman, pursuing a leadership position in EO is an investment in his future. In this interview, Ayo talks about his leadership journey and upcoming role as Chapter President.
What inspired you to pursue an EO leadership position?
AS/ “When I was first introduced to EO in 2012 by my office neighbour, Otunba Ayodele Shittu, my interest was immediately piqued by the opportunities the organization presented. I quickly realized the intrinsic value of knowledge derived from peer-to-peer sharing; only another entrepreneur can provide such deep insight into the challenges we all face. As a business owner with so many responsibilities, time is precious to me. Yet, I found myself drawn to the opportunity and soon became one of the founders of EO Nigeria, now called EO Lagos. Because of this, I have a deep-rooted connection to my chapter and a vested interest in growing with it. I am honoured to be President-Elect.”
How are you preparing for your role of Chapter President?
AS/ “My path to leadership in EO has been a steady climb. Serving as EO Lagos’s Membership Chair was a remarkable experience that galvanized me to put forth more effort. I later earned the opportunity to further enhance my leadership foundation as Integration Chair and MyEO Chair for Africa. The pinnacle of my learning commitment came when I was accepted into EO’s Entrepreneurial Masters Program, which challenged me to sharpen my leadership skills in ways I never imagined. I’m also thankful to our current Chapter President, Funmi Ashaye Babington, for working closely with me as I prepare for my most important EO role yet.”
What surprised you about EO or your leadership training?
AS/ “The number of ‘wow’ moments I have experienced thanks to great leaders from around the world, all of whom share their astounding experiences and enlighten us through their courageous actions. My time at the EO New York University, for example, was filled with epiphanies inspired by the unrelenting commitment and focus of fellow leaders. Another unforgettable experience was Jack Daly’s presentation on ‘Sales Playbook for Hyper-Sales Growth,’ where he shared how he built a world-class sales team and doubled sales quickly.”
What skills are you looking to improve as you prepare for FY2017/2018?
AS/ “Although I have vastly improved my leadership skills through EO’s resources in the past five years, I suspect my journey is only just beginning. With this in mind, I hope to enhance my team-building, public-speaking, coaching and mentoring skills by learning from peers. It is a gift to draw from the expertise that only another entrepreneur would have. The knowledge, skills and behaviours gained enable me to make a bigger impact on my team. For example, I’ve learned how to mentor my staff on being accountable for tasks delegated to them. Learning from so many innovative and talented people enhances my business and makes me a better person. I’ve come a long way, but the more I learn, the more I realize I still have a lot to learn!”
Ayo Stuffman (pictured) is EO Lagos’s incoming Chapter President, as well as the driving force behind VAS2Nets Technologies, Ltd., a convergent communications technology company based on his VAS2Nets MVAS platform.
