How the ‘Fish Deep Dive’ Changed Me for the Better

Rob Cheesman, EO Queensland Member since 2018

Have you ever had a moment where a single piece of feedback changed the entire course of your career? For me, that moment came early in my EO journey, and it’s a story I now call the ‘Fish Deep Dive’.

When I joined EO in 2018, I was hesitant. A member challenged my excuse of being too busy. Reflecting back, it’s hard to imagine I was so caught up in the day to day I was paralysed by the idea of taking on more.

Taking a four-hour break each month from my business provided me with the breathing space to rethink my leadership and business strategies. EO taught me better time management, delegation, and gave me the headspace to focus on what truly mattered.

One of the most transformational parts of my EO journey came from a presentation I gave in my first year. I received hard-to-hear feedback from fellow members. Their insights, drawn from their own experiences, revealed that the issues I was facing stemmed from my leadership. It was a harsh realisation but a crucial one: I needed to change.

Why the ‘Fish Deep Dive’?

Because a fish rots from the head down.

I took their feedback to heart. I reassessed our business values, involved the team in rewriting them, and committed to leading by those values. This led to difficult decisions. Two team members who weren’t aligned with our new direction left. It was a tough but necessary step to stay true to our mission.

Without EO and its members, I wouldn’t have managed the growth my business experienced, nor the success we achieved before selling it two years ago. EO instilled in me a greater belief in my abilities, transforming my initial imposter syndrome into confidence and clarity.

EO has allowed me to connect deeply with like-minded business people, proving that none of us have all the answers, but together, we can find clarity. EO didn’t just change my business; it changed me. True leadership starts with self-awareness and the courage to make tough decisions.