First Time Facilitator (Leanne Hughes)
Explore every episode of First Time Facilitator
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct 2020 | Curing decision making disorders through the craft of consulting with Deb Zahn (Episode 142) | 00:42:17 | |
Are you exploring or tossing up the opportunity of going out on your own - of being your own boss? As I’m 18 months into my own journey, I always love the opportunity to discuss what it takes to do that, to build and maintain your sanity! Today’s guest is an absolute rock-star when it comes to this, too - so if you’re into building your own facilitation business, or becoming a consultant, you will love this episode. ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST: DEB ZAHN Deb Zahn is a sought-after consultant with 10 years of successful consulting under her belt. As a go-to source in her market, she routinely brings in 6- and 7-figures a year and has built a steady, reliable pipeline of work. Her consulting methods turn her clients into her biggest fans and best marketers. They come back to her again and again and continually send her new clients. As a consultant, Deb is especially known for her ability to cure “decision-making disorders” with individuals and groups. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 13 Apr 2020 | Online learning is about the marriage (not the wedding) with Matthew Mason (Episode 115) | 00:42:24 | |
Today’s guest in Matthew Mason, the Chief Learning Architect at Superb Learning, an innovative content development and training business focused on better training, better outcomes by working with organisations to develop modern and creative learning solutions. We recorded this interview pre-covid however it could not come at a more relevant time, particularly as we talk about how to move our face to face workshop events online, the importance of creating community, and Matthew also shares helpful tools you can use to create online learning and more importantly, keep people engaged. Matthew is recognised both as a Certified Online Learning Facilitator and Certified Learning Professional for the Asia Pacific Institute for Learning & Performance (ILP). This year I’ve volunteered as a Queensland Regional Advocate for the ILP so I’ve seen Matthew a few times around the digs there this year. He’s also the co-director of the Certified Learning Institute providing learning professionals with practical, actionable and relevant training to keep them ahead of the curve AND a director of Reality Creators, an innovative learning and development company, specialising in the development of immersive learning experiences. Through the use of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, 360 degree videos and interactive videos Reality Creators creates engaging and cutting edge learning resources.
Join the conversation when the podcast is over on The Flipchart community on Facebook Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 03 Jan 2021 | Facilitate your own change journey using a sprinkling of constructive delusion with Leanne Hughes (Episode 154) | 00:36:29 | |
What’s the role of a facilitator? I think we’re there to stimulate CHANGE. So what better time to talk about making changes than at the start of a new year? As world leading body language Mark Bowden (also previous guest of 2 x First Time Facilitator episodes) says, “As facilitators, we are the leading signal in the room. People look to us to decide how they should act, think, and feel.” I think then, that if we want our participants to change, we need to be great at making positive changes in our own lives, too. In this episode, I’m looking in the mirror and sharing tools and ideas on how we can create change for ourselves. I’ve latched onto a phrase called: Constructive Delusion. I think we can use this as a force for good, to propel our ambitions, think big, and inspire our participants to do the same. I reflect on my 2020kms running challenge (which I completed on 30 Dec, yass) as fuel for this episode, and also share plans on my 2021 writing challenge. I love harnessing the power of groups for my own habit change!
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 25 Jan 2021 | Driving word of mouth marketing through your workshops with Suzi Dafnis (Episode 157) | 00:45:16 | |
Move over virtual workshops, let’s talk about virtual marathons - more specifically, online events that can span over a couple of days. It’s a different game, with longer interaction, so how do you maintain your energy, and keep your participants wanting more, too? This week’s guest is the perfect person to answer this question because she’s been running online events since 2007! I'm joined by Suzi Dafnis, the CEO of HerBusiness, a collaborative online community of women who are growing and scaling a business. For over 25 years HerBusiness has provided mentoring and training to help women grow a sustainable business. Her big passion is helping women business owners to create the impact, the income and the results that they want through their business and to do what they love, every day. She has grown multiple multimillion-dollar businesses, and that hasn’t been by accident. What struck me from chatting to Suzi is how strategic and intentional she is with all of the things: Having a background in Events, she cleverly uses her workshops to drive incredibly powerful word of mouth marketing opportunities for her business. Facilitators, solopreneurs...okay, ANYONE organising workshops and virtual experiences, you’ll love this one! About today’s guest: Suzi DafnisSuzi Dafnis is the CEO of HerBusiness, a collaborative online community of women who are growing and scaling a business. Her BIG passion is helping women business owners to create the impact, the income and the results that they want through their business and to do what they love, every day. For over 25 years HerBusiness has provided mentoring and training to help women grow a sustainable business. Suzi started her first business in the spare room of her home, in her late 20s, with no savings and no business degree, and built that into an $18million business with 45 staff and offices in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
Resources:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 10 May 2020 | 6/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:11:21 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 22 Nov 2020 | Using the House of Communication to create contrast in your workshops with Michael Grinder (Episode 148) | 00:51:13 | |
Can you use space to create contrast, even in a virtual call? Today’s guest proves that you can! We have an absolute world-leader in the field of nonverbal communication joining us on the show, Michael Grinder. Michael Grinder has over 40 years of experience training thousands of groups. Known as the pioneer of nonverbal communication, Michael helps executives and educators assess people more accurately, connect with others more deeply, and build their charisma. During this conversation, I picked up so many incredibly nuanced things you can do to boost the clarity of my communication in both virtual and face-to-face workshop environments. The beauty of this conversation is how Michael talks about the large and the small, the micro and the macro, the philosophy around what you do, and then the micro: what type of chair you need, in order to do that. We also delve into using space, and how to segment space within our environments: Yes! You can actually use space and non-verbals effectively, even over a Zoom call! There are so many incredible techniques shared in this one. I’d love to thank my co-hosts: Maree Burgess, Leanne Elliot and Mark Howarth for joining in and asking questions, contributing, keeping the conversation flowing beautifully.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 18 Oct 2020 | How to deliver hybrid workshops (sessions with both in-person and virtual participants) with Leanne Hughes (Episode 143) | 00:40:05 | |
In this Flipchart live-stream event, Leanne Hughes answers the following three questions:
Build your facilitation skills:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 May 2020 | 7/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:09:31 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 06 May 2020 | 2/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:12:56 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Make sure you subscribe to get the episodes delivered to your podcast app, as soon as they’re released! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 19 Apr 2021 | How to get your groups to spot (and share) their stories with David Pullan (Episode 169) | 00:34:15 | |
Today, you’ll hear from a guest with tremendous presence (and a matching tremendous voice!). We all know stories are important, but what’s the best way of eliciting those stories from our workshop participants? My guest today is David Pullan, co-founder of The Story Spotters. In this conversation, David shares pragmatic details on questions and x-factor activities we can use in our next workshop, using the Story Spotter framework. He also shares a reassuring phrase we can use as facilitators, to help us relax a little bit (I’m looking at myself here!!). David is a fine example of someone who is excellent at building relationships, and he also shares his ideas on how facilitators make THE best facilitators. I never thought of it that way! David Pullan is the founder of The Story Spotters where he helps leaders and teams use the power of story to build powerful connections one conversation at a time. We dive into the 4 elements of story spotting in this show. He has extensive experience in helping clients sharpen their spoken communications. He specialises in business development communication and key internal presentations, helping clients to unlock the complexity of messages that need to stick with their target audiences. David has been coaching senior leaders since 2005. Working in some of the world’s top organisations and SMEs, he helps clients adapt their communications for different settings from Board and Executive committee sessions, to town hall meetings and video conferences. David was a professional actor for 20 years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre, BBC and Paramount Pictures. He continues to work both as a broadcast voice-over artist and conference host, both of which keep his own communications skills at the sharp end.
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| 22 Apr 2020 | Simple ways to sell tickets to your online webinar/session with Juan Daniel Sobrado (BONUS!) | 00:14:16 | |
Juan Daniel Sobrado hopped on the First Time Facilitator podcast recently, to chat with Leanne Hughes about ticket sales platforms for webinars and online training sessions. Resources mentioned on this show: Check out Juanda’s Zoom magic tricks! Tweet your thanks or thoughts to Juanda or Leanne Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 28 Nov 2020 | Anyone can use Lego Serious Play in their workshops (and here’s how you do it) with Michael Fearne (Episode 149) | 00:49:19 | |
This week, we're talking about the value of tactile objects in your workshop and how they can help unlock great ideas, real conversations and so much more (oh and yes, this can work virtually, too). I’m talking about Lego® Serious Play®. Today's guest, Michael Fearne is all about sharing the Lego® Serious Play® love with the world, and he’s even written a book about it - a book that makes it more accessible for all of us to start digging into the world of LSP. Michael helps clients to break out of the “business as usual” dynamic and be more innovative using the awesome power of Lego® Serious Play®. That’s right Lego + Work = A More Innovative Business. As the founder of Pivotal Play, Michael uses his experience as a professional facilitator and expertise with LEGO Serious Play to help teams to think more creatively, communicate more effectively and deliver more innovative results. He also empowers people to use this technique themselves by coaching and guiding them, giving them the tools and the benefit of his experience so they can get the most out of their meetings. In this conversation, Michael shares how all of us can use lego effectively during our workshops and awesome ideas on how to do so. He describes how using something tactical can really help boost the use of metaphor, and story-sharing, and the value of having a solid routine to start each workshop. His book, The LSP Method is also out right now! I love the practicality of the book, and how Michael even shares how you should setup the room, how to open up using the six bricks activity, so good. Curious? Listen in! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 27 Apr 2020 | Want to be a great speaker? Be a great listener with Julian Treasure (Episode 117) | 00:49:08 | |
In this episode I chat with 5 x TED stage speaker, Julian Treasure about how the design of workspaces affects our productivity and how listening can be beneficial to us as speakers and facilitators. In this episode you will learn how offices are organic spaces that should be designed based on the activity, factors that affect people’s happiness and productivity in work, why is silence is important in improving conscious listening and how to listen to someone you don’t agree with! Julian is a sound and communication expert. He travels the world training people to listen better and create healthier sound. He is the author of the books How to be Heard and Sound Business. His TED talks have been watched more than 80 million times. His latest, How to speak so that people want to listen, is in the top 10 TED talks of all time.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 21 Dec 2020 | A #neverdonebefore serendipitous group interview (Episode 152) | 00:42:26 | |
I thought I’d bring you a festive episode this week! Host of the Workshops Work podcast, Dr Myriam Hadnes put a call out to previous guests on her show and invited us to facilitate a #neverdonebefore virtual workshop experience for the #neverdonebefore 24 hour, global festival. The idea I landed on for my workshop was this: What would it be like, to run a serendipitous group podcast interview, where I had no idea who would show up? I’ve never done a group interview before, and never not prepped before an interview! This episode is only edited lightly, I wanted you to hear what it was like on the call: My participants (who were now podcast guests) had different audio levels, different internet speeds, different voices and ideas. What I loved when I re-listened to this, was hearing how much more comfortable we are in the conversation, as it continues along. My guests today are: Anna from Sweden, Stefan from Luxembourg, Shayne from Sydney (living in Amsterdam), Anna Maria from Germany (who dialled in from Romania), Grace from Hong Kong, Kaushiek from India and Lily from France! We riff on all things related to delivering a successful workshop, how to manage your energy (which leads to a deep conversation on what you put into your body), challenging workshop experiences and dream mentors. It was awesome having such a diverse guest list on today’s episode. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 22 Jun 2020 | Facilitation for Innovation: Mixing together madness, measure and magic sauce with Joeri Schilders (Episode 126) | 00:54:17 | |
If I was playing a game of corporate buzzword meeting bingo, the one word I’d like on my bingo card would be: Innovation! (“Unprecedented” would be my second choice). Many leaders, teams and companies talk about innovation. It’s often a company value. Yet, we still see traditional work practices, and not a lot of real innovation happening. So, what is innovation? What does it even mean? My guest this week, Joeri Schilders believes innovation isn’t a simple 7-step framework. He says it’s more like a street fight (and he’s been in a few) After having lived in the US, UK and China for almost half his life, Joeri set up The Magic Sauce in Singapore in 2013 - a boutique agency that works with global clients around their innovation challenges, culture and capability. Over the past decade and a bit, he has worked on numerous challenges spanning from new product development across Asian emerging markets, digitising traditional manufacturing in Europe, to building systemic innovation cultures around the globe. Joeri bring tons of energy, a pragmatic approach and fresh inspiration, which you’ll also find on his YouTube channel, Joeri the Magic Sauce. In this conversation, discuss many topics, including:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 31 Oct 2020 | Activate your attention: How to prime your natural listening and observation skills for meaningful and rich conversations with Marisa Agrasut (Episode 145) | 00:40:48 | |
In today’s episode, I draw an activity extract out from a recent Virtually Possible 2.0 call, where i was joined by Marisa Agrasut and Joeri Schilders. In this conversation, Marisa shares a virtual session she developed called: Activate your attention; how to prime your natural listening and observation skills for meaningful and rich conversations. I’m sharing this as an episode on the show for two reasons:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 14 Feb 2021 | Bringing swagger into your workshops with Leslie Ehm (Episode 160) | 00:42:00 | |
Things that are easier said than done: “Just be yourself!” Why is this so hard? Here are a couple of reasons:
My guest this week, Leslie Ehm helps people discover their uniqueness and release it into the world. As a Former TV host and advertising Creative Director turned training guru, Leslie Ehm has spent decades travelling the globe with her award-winning company Combustion, working with executives and teams from top organizations like Google, Disney, Pepsico, TD Bank, Uber, HBO, Lenovo, and more. Fuelled by her unrelenting passion for developing human potential, Leslie is now a Swagger Coach, author of Swagger – Unleash Everything You Are and Become Everything You Want, and a keynote speaker. She’s turned technologists into creative forces, bankers into storytellers, and has brought a serious dose of badass-ness to boardrooms everywhere. Tune in to Episode 160 of the First Time Facilitator podcast to hear how you can up your confidence and swagger! P.s. Oh and that other easier-said-than-done-phrase, “Fake it ‘til you make it?” Leslie thinks that’s baloney! In this episode, you will learn how to:
Resources
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 25 Oct 2020 | Discovering your facilitation home base with Jordan Mendoza (Episode 144) | 00:37:12 | |
Having a home base as a facilitator. A metaphorical place in your workshop room, where you can reset. What's not to love about that idea? This week on the show I’m chatting to Jordan Mendoza. The best advice Jordan was given when he was a First Time Facilitator, was about discovering that home base: A place where you can reset/centre yourself during a workshop. Jordan is a sales & training professional with over 25 years experience in sales & marketing and 14 years experience in the Multi-Family Housing industry. He’s also the Host of the Blaze Your Own Trail podcast, he’s never lost a freestyle rap battle in his life, and he’s a breakdancer. Over the last year, he’s amassed a following fo over 60,000 people on LinkedIn. In this episode, he shares a tough experience that helped him develop his facilitation skills very quickly, how he’s helped his team make sales virtually and of course, how he built up his following on social media. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 30 Aug 2020 | How to use body language to increase participation in your virtual workshops with Mark Bowden (Episode 136) | 00:55:34 | |
Mark Bowden is back! It sounds weird to say this: But this guy makes you feel at home when you chat to him. Yes, I know we’re all at home already — he’s curious, he uses your name when he talks to you, he asks questions, he nods, he does all the things to make you feel safe and ready to contribute. I spoke to Mark in Episode 102 of the First Time Facilitator podcast, and it’s the #1 most downloaded episode of all time! So, I brought Mark back on the show, to share how we can use our body language to create engagement and connections quickly, in the virtual world. The answer is more reassuring than you think. From my perspective - he’s been there, done that but my favourite thing about Mark is how funny, down to earth and comfortable he is to be around. With our Virtually Possible community opening last week, I also decided to hand over the microphone to the group, and let them ask Mark some questions. A big thanks to those from VP who joined live and felt comfortable coming off mute to ask Mark a question, you kept the fabulous group interview going, I salute you! About our Guest: Mark BowdenVoted the #1 Body Language Professional in the world for two years running, Mark Bowden is passionate about giving your audience the most influential and persuasive communication techniques to stand out, win trust, and gain credibility every time they speak. Inspiring, energetic, engaging, and entirely entertaining, Mark’s memorable talks and training programs not only educate but have proven life-changing in helping people and organizations grow across all industries and sectors. Join The Flipchart community on Facebook Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 15 Jun 2020 | Holding the mirror up: 3 powerful questions to help you sustain success with Dr Fergus Connolly (Episode 125) | 00:41:00 | |
I invited this week’s guest on the show because I love, love, love sport; I love playing it, I love watching it. I’m in complete awe of high performing athletes and teams, who show up, work hard, have a strong mental game, pull off impossible feats and my guest, helps them do that! Dr. Fergus Connolly is one of the world’s foremost human potential thought leaders and influencers. Author of the bestselling book "Game Changer - The Art of Sports Science" Fergus has applied performance science with leading sports, military, and business teams. He is the only coach to have full time roles in every major sport, including soccer (Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers), professional and college football (San Francisco 49s and University of Michigan), rugby (Welsh national team) and elite military units. We talk about how he works with high performing teams, how he builds trust and rapport quickly, what he’s thinking/feeling when he starts working with amazing athletes, the common challenges amongst sporting and business teams. We also talk about purpose and he shares 3 questions that can help you be content and passionate in what you do everyday and also how he prepares for upcoming speaking engagements. I loved listening to Fergus share all of his experiences and how we can hold the mirror up and answer questions, to help us gain clarity and move forward. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 19 Aug 2020 | Virtual centering and well-being techniques for online meetings with Wade Brill (Episode 134) | 00:40:52 | |
Are you zipping around from one virtual meeting to the next? Clicking Exit on a call, then clicking a new link to jump on the next without getting space in between? I am! How can we facilitate an experience, where our participants arrive into our virtual workshops with renewed energy and focus? That's the conversation I have with today's guest, Wade Brill. Wade is a Mindfulness Coach, Podcaster and Speaker who helps busy professionals experiencing stress and overwhelm be more present, productive and energized. Wade devotes her life’s work to helping others connect to their own inspiration. In this conversation, we discuss virtual centering and wellbeing techniques, and how to build our facilitation skills, as we move virtually to help support team wellbeing. Wade also shared her ideas on how we can use team video calls to work on team connection, listening and attention skills.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 27 Jul 2020 | The conflict of creating interesting conversations (then having to stop them, so we can move to the next one) with Misha Glouberman (Episode 131) | 00:43:45 | |
How did I find today’s guest? Through this article: How to Host a Cocktail Party on Zoom (and have better classes, conferences and meetings, too) written by Misha Glouberman, that Michael Bungay Stanier shared on LinkedIn. As I read the article, my jaw dropped. The level of consideration around facilitating this birthday party was next level! From this one article, you could tell how much he values the finer details of hosting an event. Misha Glouberman teaches communication skills, runs meetings and conferences for organizations, hosts live events, and speaks at conferences. His work has been described as “humanizing relationships—one event at a time." In this episode, you’ll learn how we can get better at our conversations by zooming out, how to be collaborative when solving problems AND he also shares an incident he had as a panellist, when someone in the audience, called him out! Listen in for that story and more imporantly, what Misha learnt from it.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 26 Apr 2021 | Putting grace in the space with Beth Wonson (Episode 170) | 00:35:49 | |
My guest today threw a crazy stat at me in this conversation: 99% of employees want feedback, however 75% of managers don’t like giving feedback. I feel like if you could talk about some of the challenges that are faced in organisations today, you could relate it back to this one statistic. Toady we’re talking about feedback and I’m joined by Beth Wonson from NCDsolution.com. This is a quasi episode mixing up two topics: 1) Feedback conversations - how to get better at having them 2) Facilitation: In particular, how to centre yourself before a workshop, and what you do when you receive negative feedback about your workshop - you know that negative bias we all have? What I love about Beth’s work is the simplicity of what she shares, and how applicable it can be to you - If you know you’e been avoiding feedback for some time, this is a great opportunity and reminder on how to normalise giving and receiving feedback, and taking away that stigma attached to it. About our Guest: Beth WonsonSince 2015, Beth Wonson, CEO and Founder of Navigating Challenging Dialogue®, has coached hundreds of C-suite professionals in Fortune 500s and the non-profit sector to have meaningful, drama-free conversations. Beth has worked in the various industries holding roles including CEO and COO. Beth founded Navigating Challenging Dialogue in 2015 out of frustration for the ways in which traditional leadership skills fail the mission and goals of organizations. Beth realized one of the most critical needs was an awareness of the importance of emotional self-management. By exploring how our brains work, Beth recognized how emotions and thinking errors impact our ability to create positive work environments. By applying what she learned into her practice with clients, she developed the process of Navigating Challenging Dialogue. The four-stage NCD Process is for managing yourself and your ability to communicate effectively with curiosity and clarity. The NCD Process is unique in that it is successful in any place where human interaction is critical. In this episode you will learn:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 17 May 2021 | To stand out, you have to stand up with Mark Garrett Hayes (Episode 173) | 00:37:54 | |
Building a training business! We think we need to do all those things like cold call people, have the best one-liners, be on social media all of the time. Mark Garrett Hayes is my guest today and he shares that there are other ways you can build your training business, which doesn’t rely on what we traditionally think we should do. Mark is the founder of TrainingBusiness.com, a Media and Education platform serving facilitators, trainers, coaches, consultants, learning & development consultants and human development experts around the world, to start, scale and grow their business! I was a guest on Mark’s show last month and loved our conversation around building a business, and wanted to continue it and hear his strategies for outreach and connecting with clients, to create a profitable training business, his podcast, Training Business is a fantastic source of inspiration to help you out with this, too. What I love about this conversation is how we can use our masterful skill of facilitation to grow our business. It really is the best skill around. Mark drops some fantastic, memorable one-liners too, some of my favourites include:
About our Guest: Mark Garrett HayesMark specialises in working with inside sales teams (telesales / digital sales) in technology businesses and has collective experience in working with professional services (legal / finance) and online retail business. His team works with business internationally and the beauty of working with telephone sales people is that we can deliver sales training / sales coaching online remotely whether your business is in the US, UK, EU and APAC. In this episode you will learn:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 15 Nov 2020 | Lecture-breakers and smart tips for virtual summits with Barbi Honeycutt Ph.D (Episode 147) | 00:44:40 | |
My experience with 80% of the university lectures I attended? BORING. This week, I’m talking to someone who has a similar mission as me, but her audience is the higher ed sector! Dr Barbi Honeycutt is my guest and she works with professors, instructors, faculty development professionals, instructional designers, graduate students, postdocs, and entrepreneurs who want to design engaging learning experiences. It's challenging to come up with new, creative ways to engage your students. Every day, when you arrive (or log in) to your classroom, you are responsible for creating a space for students to learn from you and from each other. Barbi provides the structure, strategies, and support you need to engage students and improve learning. When you are successful, your students will be successful. And, that's why she focus’ her energy on supporting you! In this conversation, Barbi shares her experience with teaching others how to create engaging lectures and learning experiences, how she created a virtual summit which drew hundreds of people - we dive into great detail on this one, as well as how she built her facilitation business and gained exposure through one blog article! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 06 May 2020 | 3/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:12:22 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Listen to Jenny Blake’s Pivot podcast about Rapid Course Prototyping Make sure you subscribe to get the episodes delivered to your podcast app, as soon as they’re released! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 27 Sep 2020 | Ready, Fire, Aim: Co-facilitator reflections from Virtually Possible with Joeri Schilders (Episode 140) | 00:25:52 | |
It’s always fun to deliver a project but as we all know as facilitators, many of the lessons learned are discovered in the reflection! Joeri Schilders and I met a few months ago and in space of a few weeks, created a concept for a project, launched it, welcomed members in, created the program and delivered it. In this episode, Joeri and I debrief the first, online collaboration project we delivered together called Virtually Possible. We debrief:
Join the Virtually Possible 2.0 waitlist! Sign up to The Flipchart, a free facilitator Facebook group
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 08 Jun 2020 | How walkshops can help you read the room better with Jacinta Cubis (Episode 124) | 00:42:23 | |
We’ve never really taken a deep dive on the concept of “noticing”. Noticing your perspectives, other people’s perspectives, seeing things in a new light, or a different way. I think this is always relevant, particular as facilitators - noticing, sensing what’s happening in a workshop room (or a Zoom room!). My guest this week, Jacinta Cubis, is one of Melbourne’s most energetic and creative facilitators. She went to uni to become a journalist, exited a filmmaker and developed photographs in a Parisian basement. She’s absolutely thrilled to be hosting Virtual #Facilitography Walkshops. You heard it right, WALK SHOPS. What a cool concept. Curious? Listen to find out more! Jacinta is passionate about bringing out the best in people as a facilitator, coach and mentor. As an author and speaker, she inspires and energises people with insights and ideas. She loves helping thought leaders and experts translate technical information into engaging content, and nail want they want to say, for diverse audiences. For almost 20 years, she has facilitated collaborations, partnerships, workshops and forums on diverse topics for government, education and community sectors. I think you’ll really love how she’s connected street photography and facilitation together, to create something amazingly unique. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 22 Mar 2021 | #bestof Facilitating once in a lifetime workshop experiences with Steve Sims (Episode 165) | 00:46:50 | |
Wouldn't it be cool if you could say to your client: "We'll practise those skills at Sir Elton John's Oscars party!". Today's guest has done that :) Here's one of my #bestof episodes! I'm in deep work mode, working up a new program and busy attempting to pick my own brain. My guest today is Steve Sims and he runs the coolest workshops I’ve ever heard of, no joke. And how does he embed learning at the end of these workshops? By making people practice the skills they’ve learn, when they rock up to Sir Elton John’s Oscars after-party. Steve is the man who created Bluefish, a company that makes once-in-a-lifetime events happen for the rich and famous reveals to the rest of us his trade secrets for making things happen. With his help and expertise, his clients’ fantasies and wildest dreams come true. Steve is the author of the Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen, and he has a podcast of the same name. Steve has spoken at Harvard and the Pentagon, twice. Getting married by the Pope in the Vatican, being serenaded by Elton John, and connecting with powerful business moguls like Elon Musk are just a few of the many projects he has worked on. I really wanted Steve on the show to talk about a few key things - the assumptions we have about asking for things, how confidence; and your approach can take you far and (literally) open doors. We also talk about the perfectionism beast. If you’d like to join the conversation when the show is over, join The Flipchart, a free community on Facebook for First Time Facilitator listeners. About our guest: Steve SimsSteve Sims Steve is the visionary founder of Bluefish: the world’s first luxury concierge that delivers the highest level of personalized travel, transportation, and cutting-edge entertainment services to corporate executives, celebrities, professional athletes, and other discerning individuals interested in living life to its fullest. Resources mentioned in this episode:
Like this show?
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 18 Jan 2021 | Let’s have a conversation that matters with Jan Keck (Episode 156) | 00:40:02 | |
In case you can’t tell, I love conversations. If my life could involve having morning coffees with interesting people, then chatting with other cool people over an afternoon champagne by the water, rinse and repeat every day x 5 days, my life would be complete. What’s interesting is that I’m really not the best (or interested?) in small talk. I don’t love going to the dog park, because the chitter chatter generally seems to go around in circles, talking about our dogs. That’s cool for a few minutes but we talk about things like what they eat and how they sleep… I think I’d enjoy a conversation with today’s guest in a dog park though, because his tagline is all about having conversations that matter. His name is Jan Keck and he is a self-proclaimed community addict. He is the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS, which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal stories on every continent around the globe. You can check out what he does over at http://www.askdeepquestions.com and http://www.jankeck.com In this conversation, we chat about relationships and which ones we invest in, if it’s possible to create a sense of belonging in an organisation. We dive into chats about redesigning virtual calls, scaling connections online, and btw Jan also has a kick-butt youtube channel, so he shares his tips for camera confidence, as well as advice for first time facilitators. About today’s guest: Jan KeckJan Keck is a community addict. He is the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS, which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal stories on every continent around the globe. Jan’s mission is to help people feel less alone, so by creating experiences, workshops and programs he is fueling the movement for deeper human connection. Growing up as an only child he found his soul family at summer camp, in sports clubs and even politics. But when he moved from Germany to Canada in his twenties he had to re-create his community from scratch and learned that the fastest way to make deep connections is through meaningful conversations and experiences. Jan now lives in Toronto with his wife Natalia (aka Cookie), his son Mika and you can often find him hanging out with his mastermind group, attending community events, or camping up north Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 04 May 2020 | They arrive for the content (and stay for the connections) with Andy Storch (Episode 118) | 00:40:46 | |
Talk about a rapid conversation! My guest this week, Andy Storch and I cover it all: How to organise a conference, build your brand on LinkedIn, effective morning rituals, chunking down the book-writing process, experiential learning and more! Andy Storch is a Talent Development Consultant, Coach, Author, Speaker and Connector. He is the host of two podcasts including The Talent Development Hot Seat and The Andy Storch Show as well as the author of the upcoming book, OWN YOUR CAREER, OWN YOUR LIFE, and the founder and host of the Talent Development Think Tank conference. Busy guy right? Stay tuned to hear how he does it all.
Get your invitation to be a founding member of my private community! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 05 May 2020 | 1/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:11:18 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Make sure you subscribe to get the episodes delivered to your podcast app, as soon as they’re released! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 09 May 2020 | 5/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:14:51 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 04 Oct 2020 | Getting you further, faster in career (and in life) with Warren James (Episode 141) | 00:41:14 | |
Okay, we all know it's important to get a good night's sleep, switch off, clarify your vision, and deal with stress. But like most things in life - these things are much easier said than done. The best part of my conversation today with my good friend, Warren James is the pragmatic approach is takes to all of this important life and work stuff (including development our careers and preparing for the dreaded annual performance review!). Warren is a Brisbane-based coach and mentor providing online mentoring, coaching and training to some of Australia’s most talented graduates and employees early in their careers. He also released his first book this week called: Further Faster: The ultimate guide to accelerating your career. Warren has developed his career from the ground-up and has worked with some of the most respected businesses in the industry including BG Group, Shell, QGC, Alinta and Arrow Energy. As an engineer and later, a project manager, he has faced and overcame challenges that many projects managers face. He has managed projects in excess of $50M, overcome competing deadlines and overcome adversity time and time again. Having lived and breathed this industry for more than 10 years, he understands what today’s graduates need to not only survive but thrive. Today, as the founder of Rapid Mentoring, he partners with businesses across Australia who are genuinely interested in the development of their staff. In this episode you will learn:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 Apr 2021 | An L&D Detective solves the ultimate measurement mystery with Kevin M Yates (Episode 168) | 00:32:50 | |
Ooh - how’s this for a first time? It’s the first time we’ve had an L&D detective on the show and he’s here to answer the #1 question that plays on all of our (and our clients’ minds): “How can we measure the results, and the ROI of our workshops?” Known in the global learning and development (L&D) community as “the L&D detective,” Kevin M. Yates answers the question, “What is the impact of learning?” He solves measurement mysteries and investigates how learning activates performance and business goals using facts, clues, evidence, and data. Kevin’s career in the learning and development profession includes over 20 years of experience in local and global roles for facilitation, instructional design, learning technology, program management, leadership development, impact analysis and more. If you’re curious on how to measure your workshop results, setting measurable targets, identifying performance gaps and helpful questions you can use after your workshop, you’ll enjoy this episode.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 08 Feb 2021 | How to win friends and influence your online colleagues with Leanne Hughes (Episode 159) | 00:27:50 | |
Do you rely on your colleagues to provides input and decisions to move a project forward? Do you find that you're constantly chasing people to get things done, and finding it hard to build relationships because you can't catch up with people in person? Then, this episode is for you. When we used to do things face to face, and I had to chase a colleague for information, I'd head out for a coffee. It was semi-strategic. I’d sit at the coffee shop outside of my company’s office. It was a fantastic way of saying hi to people when they were in a good mood (with caffeine, outside, day hadn’t really started), you could easily sneak in a quick question about your project, get an answer, and feel like you’d already won the day. In a virtual world though, it’s hard to orchestrate these conversations… Or, is it? In this episode, I share the tactics I’ve used to build relationships and influence people I’ve never met before. You’ll find this helpful if you’re:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 15 Mar 2021 | The skill that makes you a better human with Maria McDonald (Episode 164) | 00:40:52 | |
You’ll often hear how facilitation is used in the context of workshops and meetings on this podcast. However, today’s guest, demonstrates how it’s an incredibly handy skill for life in general, to. In fact, she used the tool of facilitation alone to build an entire Learning and Development department at the company she worked at. She’s a tremendous example of how you can define what you love, and have the courage to go after it. If you want to build a facilitation career but have no idea how to take the next step, I hope that this conversation will help you find your courage to seek opportunities where you are. My guest today is Maria McDonald. As a Learning & Development consultant (as well as the L&D Manager for Geocaching), Maria is dedicated to helping leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs intentionally shape effective, impactful, and empowered company cultures. In this show, we also discuss how her yoga teaching practice combined beautifully with her facilitation growth, how to demonstrate value-add for teams, how she used facilitation to create a role in her organization (that never existed before!), and how she deals with unpredictable moments in her workshops. Maria uses facilitation skills to demonstrate the value of continuous learning, improve collaboration across the company, clarify mission & goals, improve individual & collective communication skills, enhance brainstorming sessions, guide retrospectives, and mediate conflict. About today’s guest: Maria McDonaldAs a Learning & Development Consultant, Maria is dedicated to helping leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs intentionally shape effective, impactful, and empowered company cultures. Through customized consulting practices, Maria’s innovative and energizing techniques support you in achieving your business goals while proactively developing your people. Her vision is to shift each business into effective paradigms that inspire people at every level of your organization. Maria is also the Learning and Development Manager for Geocaching, where she formulates learning and development strategy based on organizational needs, and creates a culture in which continuous learning and improvement are encouraged, and where employees are equipped with the tools for self-help and empowered to teach and learn from each other. Resources
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 03 Aug 2020 | Getting your foot in the door as a moderator with Kjell Lutz (Episode 132) | 00:36:00 | |
Panel discussions! You see some great ones, you see some ordinary ones. A few years ago I was really into the ABC TV show, Q&A with Tony Jones. Some people didn’t enjoy his style. I loved it. He was direct, funny, great at segueing the conversation and getting panellists to add, argue, contradict each other, which created fantastic drama. It’s really funny, over 131 episodes down and today we explore a topic we’ve never discussed before: The skill of moderating. That’s what we talk about with today’s guest, Kjell Lutz In this one, you’ll hear how Kjell got his start with moderating panels and MCing, how he creates a dynamic conversation between panelists and audiences; how he gets large audiences interacting with content as well. About our Guest: Kjell LutzKjell is fascinated by how people learn. During his studies in organizational psychology, he immersed himself in the theory of knowledge transfer, how can you help people learn. He first applied this with small groups during training, then online with e-learnings and then with large groups during meetings.He further immersed himself in the psychology of making choices, how do we make choices and especially how can we make better choices. Kjell as a chairman is full of energy and enthusiasm. With an appropriate dose of humour and the right interaction, he connects the participants to the theme of the day and the current topics. He loves to lead different work forms that contribute to the learning process of the participants. Let people experience something meaningful in a playful way. As a speaker, he ensures that the dialogue session is properly initiated with an appropriate keynote. As a moderator, he facilitates the rounds of conversations to create the space that is needed.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 20 Apr 2020 | Bringing unpredictability into your voice (tips from voice coach + TikTok sensation), Sally Prosser (Episode 116) | 00:35:21 | |
Sally Prosser is a voice coach who is crushing it on TokTok. She does really cool things - organises events called Voice and Vinho, hosts 6 week voice makeover programs and brings creativity and flair into all the mediums she works in, including workshops. In this episode, we talk about voice coaching, tips for delivering workshops and managing energy (she has a terrific metaphor for energy). I also ask her if it’s possible to change our voice. Sally is a former TV journalist, PR consultant and spokesperson. Prior to her broadcast career she ran a successful Speech & Drama studio. She also hosts the That Voice podcast too
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 08 May 2020 | 4/7: What I wish I knew when I started my facilitation business with Leanne Hughes | 00:31:17 | |
For the next 7 days, in the lead-up to an epic podcast collaboration episode, I’m releasing a tip every day on the podcast, sharing with you things I wish I knew before I started my facilitation business. This is also your invitation to join as a founding member of my private community, Show.Up (doors open for a week). Show.Up is a community for consultants, facilitators and trainers who want to score amazing opportunities (but don’t know how to market themselves with ease...yet!) Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 Jan 2021 | Exceptional self coaching to help you start small and finish strong in 2021 with Daniel Kerr (Episode 155) | 00:46:58 | |
This episode comes with a warning: If you’re not interested in being inspired, then don’t tune in! This week, we have a special guest on the show, who I met during my 20 week consulting gig last year. I was lucky enough to be placed in a team with him, and I say that because when you talk to him it feels like you’re sitting in the front row of a TED talk - meaning, you instantly feel inspired during conversations with him. Daniel Kerr from Exceptional Self Coaching is a a physiotherapist turned high performance coach and he’ll share that transition story with you on this show. Early in this interview, you’ll hear a watershed moment for Dan that steered him towards the work that he does know. And I’d love you to reflect on that word, too. If you do want to reflect on where you’re at, your mindset, your habits, and committing to growth this year, you’ll love this show. About our Guest: Daniel KerrDaniel Kerr is High Performance Certified Coach trained by Brendon Burchard , Certified Mental Performance Mastery Coach, Certified Wellness Coach and a Physiotherapist. In this episode you will learn:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 28 Feb 2021 | How to get people to show up to your workshops (without saying "It's mandatory") with Leanne Hughes (Episode 162) | 00:24:27 | |
“It’s mandatory” - I hear those words, and I involuntarily shudder. Is that what we want our participants feeling before they arrive to our workshops? No! We really can’t control whether someone decides to come along to our workshop, or not, however we can absolutely do our best to influence whether someone wants to come along, and how they feel about joining our session. In this week’s episode, I share 15 tips and strategies you can use as preventative strategies to bolster your workshop attendance rate. It’s problematic when people don’t show up. We know it affects group dynamics, the way you’ve structured your session. If you’ve booked an in-person event, you’re paying for facilities/catering that no longer applies. If you’re external, you might even have to reschedule your dates, which can delay other business for you. I’ve also been the participant who hasn’t shown up. And while life happens, there are numerous other reasons I haven’t showed up to events in the past: I don’t have skin in the game, the session isn’t relevant for me right now, I’ll watch the recording later, I just don’t feel like it… The list goes on! What can we do about it? Listen in. But my #1 tip is to have a Marketing mindset in the lead up to your workshops. It’s an event, treat it like one! These strategies are applicable whether you work internally, you’re part of the Learning and Development team, or you’re an external consultant. ResourcesImagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 03 Feb 2022 | 2020 Leanne Talks Virtual Workshop Facilitation with Andy Storch #friendsoffirsttimefacilitator (Episode 205) | 00:32:25 | |
The legend that is Andy Storch, invited me as a guest speaker as part of his Talent Development Virtual Summit in 2020. I'm sharing this with you as a #friendsoffirsttimefacilitator replay episode because it really captures the essence of that time. Andy is also the host of two podcasts, including The Talent Development Hot Seat and Andy Storch Show, and the co-founder and host of The Talent Development Think Tank Conference and Community. Andy has taught strategy, sales, leadership, finance, and innovation to business leaders all over the world including companies like Salesforce.com, Oracle, Google, Box, Toyota,, State Farm, Red Bull, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, HP, Sony, Bechtel, Cisco, Tiffany & Co and others. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business where he served as President of the MBA program in 2008 and a BS from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) Most importantly, Andy is a husband, father and friend who is on a mission to get the absolute most out of life and inspire others to do the same. Social Media handles:
Connect With Leanne Hughes About Leanne Hughes Chief Engagement Officer, trusted advisor, and virtual facilitator, Leanne Hughes is on a mission to stamp out boring workshops around the world. She helps clients maximise their potential by creating influential and contagious experiences. She has facilitated and led wor Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 09 Feb 2022 | Content curation is key, be intentional! Charles Hsuan interviews Leanne Hughes (Episode 206) | 00:39:29 | |
I'm flying to Las Vegas tomorrow! I booked my flights a few days ago. Why? Life is too short and YOLO. The reason I'm sharing that with you, is because it's a theme that strongly underpins this #friendsoffirsttimefacilitator conversation with Charles Hsuan from Flying Kite. As an avid reader, Leanne appreciates good content. More so, she believes that good content should be packaged in a way that is meaningful. Leanne also shares her journey from a corporate employee to an entrepreneur. She is a firm believer in dreaming big, embracing serendipitous moments, and taking chances. This episode is full of book references, sprinkled with mention of Leanne’s sporting background. So, tune in to learn more about the Three C’s and the importance of focussing on results rather than methodology. And along with all the informative tidbits, you'll be treated to Leanne’s zest for life. About your host: Charles Hsuan Charles Hsuan from Flying Kite is a StorySelling Coach for business owners & sales professionals, he works with growing businesses with a strong culture of learning. Charles believes customers buy with emotion and justify with fact. He also believes that every business owner and sales professional can benefit from a simple and practical framework (Micro-Scripts) that can teach them the skills of using storytelling as a sales tool. Before starting Flying Kite in October 2018, Charles won multiple Sales Performer of The Year Awards as the digital advertising manager of Entrepreneur Magazine SA. It was during this period that he discovered and mastered storytelling as a powerful technique to exceed sales targets. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 21 Feb 2022 | Announcement - Leanne's New Podcast: Work and Live Large | 00:04:05 | |
It's finally here! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 05 Apr 2022 | Matthew Stewart shares how you can add a page to your book of life | 00:57:29 | |
You know how you have those friends from a while ago, and you mainly stay in contact with them by occasionally seeing what they're up to on social media? At an early age, Matt had some profound experiences that taught him how powerful they are at bringing perspective and clarity to life. Wanting to help businesses and individuals dream big and have their own experiences, Matt become uniquely qualified as a Physiotherapist and Chiropractor. Matt also sits on the Board of the 4ASDKids Charity.
Conversation moments
Connect with Matt Stewart Rapid Round Recommendations:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 10 May 2022 | Bonus: What tool should you use to ramp up the engagement in your virtual meeting? (Two by Tuesday) | 00:13:45 | |
I created this episode for my new podcast but thought I'd share it on this feed today because it's definitely a facilitator-focused question! Firstly - purpose we know is the most critical element. That aside, what else is important to consider? In this episode I think two key considerations are your group size and accessibility requirements. What I find is often: The simpler, the better/ Don't go too crazy. Don't think you need to ham up your workshops with all these tech tools, just because you want to impress people, it really has to connect to that purpose. What your favorite tech tool is for your virtual events? Two by Tuesday is a weekly segment on Leanne Hughes' Work and Live Large Podcast. Subscribe to Leanne's weekly mailout. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 10 Jun 2022 | Hawaii Solopreneur Trip Reflections with Leanne Hughes | 00:23:51 | |
Aloha! I've just returned from a week in Kauai with my fellow Alan Weiss Growth Cycle group. What better way to reflect on what we discussed and learnt over there, than by a quick, solo episode. Oh, of course I also reflect on Kauai as a travel destination (spoiler alert: it's awesome).
Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Support this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review, it would mean a lot! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 Jul 2022 | FTF Bonus: If your in-house mentoring program is failing, maybe you need to try this instead. | 00:10:48 | |
Hey First Time Facilitators! I'm dropping a quick episode on this feed as I think some of you may relate to this: You’ve launched a mentoring program in your business. Congrats! Through the first few months of check-ins, you discover that your pairings are meeting together. If you’re in this situation, don’t be alarmed. It’s what I prescribe as Mentor Fade. It’s completely normal. So, what can you do instead? In this sharp, 10 min episode, I share a cool approach to creating more friendtor relationships in your business (thanks to Jenny Blake for sharing that awesome word on her Pivot podcast). For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 07 Sep 2022 | What if you were already there? Leanne checks in! | 00:19:20 | |
"What if you were already there?" Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 29 Sep 2022 | How to facilitate a 2-hour cocktail party with Nick Gray (Episode 208) | 00:41:04 | |
Who doesn’t love a good cocktail party? Watch our conversation on Youtube! I love going to events and meeting new people but gosh, sometimes I feel like I’m not even keeping up the great relationships with the amazing people I already know! Cue this book: The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray. After reading the first chapter, I set a date for my cocktail party and luckily, the day after, I debrief it in this conversation with the author of the book Nick Gray. Nick Gray moved to New York City with few friends and less-than-stellar social skills. But Nick craved new relationships and exciting opportunities. He started hosting non-traditional parties—a move that opened doors he could never have imagined. Today, after hosting hundreds of 2-hour parties, he counts business owners, artists, and inspiring teachers among a circle of friends that helped him launch a multi-million dollar company called Museum Hack. Featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, Nick has been called a host of "culturally significant parties" by New York Magazine. See his best-rated photos online at www.NickGray.net or @NickGrayNews on Instagram and Twitter, email him directly to hello@nickgray.net, or see his party tips on How to Host a Party: www.party.pro In this conversation, you'll hear Nick discuss:
Listen to this, grab his book and start hosting your own cocktail parties! Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 12 Dec 2022 | Creating great training programs and marketing them + see you in USA 2023 with Andy Storch (Bonus!) | 00:39:46 | |
I'm jumping in with a bonus episode I recorded for my friend, Andy Storch's podcast The Talent Development Hot Seat. In this episode we talk about the tactics of facilitation, and marketing your program, so that people show up!
The Talent Development Think Tank Conference was even featured in Forbes as one of the top 10 conferences to have on your radar! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 26 Dec 2022 | The ancient code of togetherness: A belonging conversation with Owen Eastwood | 00:38:28 | |
In this episode, I'm joyfully bringing you a conversation with the author of the book “Belonging: The Ancient Code of Togetherness”, Owen Eastwood. Watch our conversation on YouTube! Have you been in work situations where you might have started in a company and you just didn’t feel like you belonged, which then led to a lot of stress and tension? Join us as we learn how to create a sense of belonging with the Belonging author, Owen Eastwood. Owen draws on his own Maori ancestry and weaves together insights from our evolutionary story and our collective wisdom as he helps people create a sense of belonging, especially in workplaces. In this conversation, you’ll hear Owen and I discuss:
Conversation moments:
Notes/Mentions:
Connect with Owen Eastwood: Rapid Round Recommendations:
Click here for show notes and to subscribe to Leanne Hughes' Work and Live Large podcast. Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 09 Jan 2023 | 2023 Update: Book announcement + workshop Wing-mates! | 00:11:10 | |
Here's a quick life and work update and announcement! I'd love to hear from you and feature you/get your feedback on a book I'm working on about workshop design. I’d love you to be part of this journey.
It's pretty much a co-pilot for anyone wanting to turn the gold inside their head (your content, experience and expertise), into an awesome, interactive workshop experience, with zero stress. I'll cover some of the core philosophies I've shared with you on the podcast, and my masterclasses in this book. I really want this book to be a playbook that book-ends all of the incredible conversations from 200 episodes of the First Time Facilitator podcast.
To start
After that, consider:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 13 Mar 2023 | How to Chair A 2-Day Conference with Leanne Hughes | 00:28:03 | |
Hey there! I wanted to take this solo episode to share some insights from my recent experiences. I also attended Andy's Talent Management Development think tank conference in California, where I met so many incredible people. If you're one of the new people I met there, hello and welcome to the podcast! Shout out to Adina and Christine for inspiring me to think more deeply about how to bring my workshop philosophies into the context of hosting a two-day event.
Overall, these were my key reflections from my recent experiences as a chairperson and attendee at various events. I hope you found them insightful and helpful, and I'd love to hear any thoughts or feedback you might have! Resources mentioned in the show
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 25 Apr 2023 | Coaches Corner: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Change with Petra Zink and Dr Maike Neuhaus (Episode 213) | 00:32:15 | |
In this episode, host Petra Zink, Leanne Hughes, and Dr Maike Neuhaus cover a range of topics related to staying current with emerging technologies, overcoming fear and uncertainty, and building a unique personal brand.
Connect with Leanne, Petra and Maike on LinkedIn. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 22 May 2023 | Facilitating the Future: Douglas Ferguson shares insights on AI, Connection, and Change (Episode 214) | 00:40:53 | |
In this episode, Leanne Hughes engages in a captivating conversation with Douglas Ferguson, the founder of Voltage Control facilitation academy. About our guest: Douglas Ferguson:
Quotes:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 29 May 2023 | FTF215: The Ebb and Flow of Engagement: Anamaria Dorgo's Insights on Building Community | 00:32:11 | |
In this episode, Leanne chats with Anamaria Dorgo, a multifaceted professional in the Learning & Development (L&D) sector. She is the founder of "L&D Shakers", a mentor, community builder, facilitator, and currently the Head of Community at Butter.us. We discuss the importance of community building, engagement, and the power of simplicity in facilitation. Listen in to hear is riff on these topics...
Anamaria Dorgo is a Learning Experience Designer, Facilitator, and the Head of Community at Butter. With degrees in psychology and human resources, she has a lifelong commitment to learning, resulting in her creating engaging learning experiences for a global community. In her free time, Anamaria nurtures a Learning & Development community of practice called L&D Shakers. Through her role at Butter.us, she is striving to build a platform that facilitates collaboration and professional growth amongst facilitators, workshoppers, trainers, design thinkers, and consultants.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 05 Jun 2023 | FTF216: How to Create Productive Struggle in Your Workshops: Zaretta Hammond Shares Her Insights on First Pancake Facilitation | 00:37:05 | |
In this episode, Leanne has a conversation with Zaretta Hammond, an educator, author, and national speaker, who is renowned for her expertise in culturally responsive teaching and learning. Zaretta shares her insights on how to unleash the brilliance in every student, particularly those who come from marginalized backgrounds. She explores the importance of understanding cultural and linguistic diversity in the classroom, and provides practical strategies to create an inclusive and empowering learning environment. What You Will Learn:
Guest Bio - Zaretta Hammond: Zaretta Hammond is an educational consultant and author who focuses on culturally responsive teaching and learning. She has been a teacher, coach, and school leader, and her work centers around empowering educators to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds. Zaretta is the author of the critically acclaimed book "Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students." She is also a sought-after speaker and facilitator, sharing her expertise in workshops and conferences worldwide. Links to Zaretta Hammond's work:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 12 Jun 2023 | FTF217: Call the Game: Ben Crothers Shares His Tips on Being Bold in Your Next Workshop or Meeting | 00:37:30 | |
In this episode, we delve into the world of design and facilitation with our guest, Ben Crothers, who brings over 20 years of experience in the field. Ben shares his journey from being a designer to becoming a facilitator, driven by his desire to improve the often lackluster experience of design critique sessions. We explore the importance of intentional facilitation, the need for questioning the status quo, and the role of visuals in creating better moments and driving productive meetings. Join us as we uncover the power of design in shaping not just how we work, but also how we collaborate and build a better world. What You Will Learn:
About Ben Crothers: A big part of how Ben works has to do with incorporating visuals and visualisation. He regularly does graphic recording (or scribing) at events and meetings, and likes to map conversations on the whiteboard or in online collaboration spaces. This helps to bring ideas to life, and to help everyone listen better, and make better connections throughout complex discussions. He is currently Principal Facilitator at Bright Pilots (his own facilitation consultancy), and the author of three books, including Presto Sketching: Simple Drawing for Brilliant Product Thinking and Design. Ben's books: Where to find Ben online: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 19 Jun 2023 | FTF218: 5 parallels between book and workshop design with Leanne Hughes | 00:24:31 | |
Today I'm chatting to you from my living room (watch the YouTube version)!
Also, Leanne's book The 'Two-Hour Workshop Blueprint' is out next week! Get insights about Leanne's book "The Two-Hour Workshop Blueprint" and its process, purpose, and how it can guide you in running a workshop of any duration. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 26 Jun 2023 | FTF 219: Jo Fitzgerald Shares How Deliberate Planning Creates Presence in Your Workshops | 00:34:33 | |
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes welcomes Jo Fitzgerald, from Jo Fitz Consulting to discuss intentionality in your workshop design. They discuss the challenges of facilitating and the ongoing learning process involved. Jo also shares a personal story about a negative workshop experience and how it shaped her approach as a facilitator. What You Will Learn:
About Jo Fitzgerald: Jo prioritises collaboration and continuous learning, aiming to help leaders and teams better understand themselves and each other. Connect with Jo Fitzgerald:
Join the Conversation: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 03 Jul 2023 | FTF 220: Becoming an Opportunity Creator with Dr. Mechelle Roberthon | 00:33:14 | |
In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes interviews Dr. Mechelle Roberton, a self-confessed talent development nerd and certified professional in talent development. Key Takeaways:
About the Guest: Dr. Mechelle Roberthon is a certified professional in talent development and an experienced career and professional development instructor. She holds a doctorate in education and a master's degree in education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. Mechelle is passionate about effective learning and teaching for adults and has a wealth of experience in the talent development field. To connect with Michelle and learn more about her work, visit her website at drmechellerob.com. Episode Links:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 10 Jul 2023 | FTF 221: Bringing a Bigger YOU 2.0 Into Your Workshops with Mel Loy | 00:31:32 | |
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes welcomes Mel Loy, the founder and host of Hey, Mel Comms and Training, a small agency fueled by boundless energy. Mel has over 20 years of experience in communications across various sectors and specializes in building communication capability through coaching workshops and creative thinking. She is also a co-owner of a gym and the president of the Queensland chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. In this far-ranging conversation, Mel shares her journey from working in corporate communications to becoming a freelance consultant and workshop facilitator. You’ll also hear us discuss:
About the Guest: Mel Loy Mel brings over 20 years of experience in the communications and public relations sector, having worked in the UK and Australia across diverse corporate, non-profit, and government organisations. Episode Links:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 17 Jul 2023 | FTF 222: Being Prepared to Wing It: Workshop Wizardry with Dr. Jason Fox | 00:45:26 | |
Welcome to an enchanting episode of our podcast! In this captivating conversation, we bring you a first-time wizard on the show—Dr. Jason Fox—a wizard-philosopher disguised as a motivational speaker and leadership advisor. His expertise lies in guiding clever teams through the complexities of their quests. With an impressive list of clients that includes Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, HP, Novartis, Red Bull, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, and Honda, Dr. Fox has established himself as a trusted advisor to senior leadership teams worldwide. During our discussion, we embark on a magical journey through various topics. We explore the delicate balance between nurturing ideas and valuing individuals, the importance of holding space for emergent insights, and the personal rituals and preparations that enhance facilitation sessions. We also delve into the struggle with titles and labels, seeking more meaningful and playful ways to communicate one's role and expertise. Moreover, we uncover the concept of channeling the muse, allowing intuitive insights to guide conversations and workshops, resulting in transformative experiences. Dr. Fox has shared his wisdom as a lecturer at three universities and is the bestselling author of "The Game Changer" and "How to Lead a Quest." His remarkable ability to engage skeptical audiences and senior leaders who have "seen it all before" has made him a sought-after keynote speaker. When not liberating the world from the delusion of progress, you'll find Dr. Fox residing in an old chocolate factory in Melbourne, Australia, alongside an illustrator-veterinarian and a feline companion. His passions outside of his work include extreme sports like reading, sun-avoidance, and indulging in the art of coffee snobbery. Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking conversation filled with enchanting insights and practical wisdom. Join us as we uncover the secrets of working with groups, gaining clarity, embracing the power of intuition, and unleashing your own magical potential.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 22 Jul 2023 | Finding x-factor ideas through everyday experiences with Leanne Hughes | 00:15:40 | |
Woo hoo! Fun, pop-up, unedited episode that I felt compelled to jump in and record on a beautiful Brisbane winter day. What You Will Learn:
Your invitation: The 4-Week Workshop Sprint
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 24 Jul 2023 | FTF 223: Energy Is the Currency of What We Do with Andrew Hollo | 00:42:02 | |
Today, I'm chatting to Andrew Hollo, Director and Principal Consultant at Workwell Consulting, who shares his unique insights on facilitation and strategic alignment. I've got to say, after we finished recording, I wanted to share this episode with absolutely anybody who runs a facilitation business! What You'll Learn:
About the Guest:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 31 Jul 2023 | FTF 224: Rethinking Your Workshop Strategy: Lessons from the Mall with Sally Porteous | 00:39:06 | |
In today's episode, I’m delighted to welcome Sally Porteous, the esteemed Managing Director of a renowned event production company. Sally has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to lead transformative workshops and captivating events. Her experience offers a fascinating glimpse into the surprising parallels that exist within these arenas. Sally will walk us through her unique journey into the vibrant world of event management, a journey that was as much about self-discovery as it was about realizing her inherent strengths and discovering her 'zone of genius'. She shares compelling anecdotes that illustrate how natural talents can often be things that others find challenging. We'll be diving deep into the art of setting up the perfect environment for your events and workshops right from the get-go. Sally will share some unusual sources of inspiration, including the simple act of observing interactions at shopping centers or malls. Her perspectives will certainly open up new ways of thinking about event planning. This episode is packed with valuable insights from Sally. She will share a set of powerful closing questions for your workshops that not only ease your workload but also ensure that participants fully engage with and remember the content. It's all about fostering a sense of co-creation. Links and Resources:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 06 Aug 2023 | FTF225: World-Class Speaking Dreams: My Pre-Conference Anticipation with Leanne Hughes | 00:21:48 | |
In today's episode, your host Leanne Hughes delves deep into her journey as a participant and her experiences leading up to a world-class speaking conference in Hobart. She also touches upon the significance of mindset in the world of speaking, facilitation, and beyond.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 14 Aug 2023 | FTF226: Stamp Out Boring Workshops with Leanne Hughes and Prina Shah | 00:37:36 | |
Welcome to a podcast swap! I was a guest on the delightful Prina Shah's podcast, Ways to Change the Workplace recently, and the episode had such wonderful reviews/feedback, I thought I'd bring it onto this feed!
About today’s episode: I speak with Leanne about: How to Stamp out Boring Workshops! Leanne talks about her years of experience as a facilitator and what she has learnt from that, we cover:
About today’s guest: Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker, and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions, and regions. As a workshop designer and facilitator, she combines her experience in Marketing with her education (and obsession) with Group Dynamics and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging experiences. Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator podcast, and now, a book ‘The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint’.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 21 Aug 2023 | FTF227: Workshops that Deliver: Focusing on What Truly Matters with Brendon Baker | 00:32:09 | |
In today's episode, I chat with Brendon Baker, a change leader I've had the pleasure of knowing for over a year and a half. Our professional relationship has grown from friendtorshop to active collaboration. About Brendon Baker: Brendon is dedicated to helping Change Leaders achieve tangible results. He's been at the helm of over $10 Billion in projects and programs, and from these ventures, he's gathered key insights:
Brendon is the author of "Valuable Change" and "Creating High Value PMOs". He lives outside of Canberra, Australia.
Quotes from the episode:
Join us as we navigate the fascinating world of leadership, transformation, and the intricacies of creating meaningful change with Brendon Baker.
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 27 Aug 2023 | FTF228: On Air with Sophie Scott: Broadcast Journalism Techniques, and Emotional Regulation for Workshop Success | 00:44:09 | |
In today's episode, we explore the intricate emotions that facilitators experience right before a workshop – a whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and anticipation. My guest today is the award-winning TV journalist from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sophie Scott OAM. Sophie's multi-faceted career has transitioned her from a household face on TV to a well-renowned speaker and educator, with a prime focus on mental health. Dive into our conversation as we unravel Sophie's personal journey, discover her pre-workshop routines, and delve deep into her experience with burnout. It's a candid, open conversation about the realities of mental well-being, the importance of self-care, and the pivotal role that authentic communication plays in our lives. What You Will Learn:
About Sophie Scott OAM In addition to an extensive career as an award-winning medical TV journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sophie is a professional speaker and educator with expertise in mental health. She has an extensive presence on social media, has been an invited speaker at the World Congress on Positive Psychology, has written two books (Live a Longer Life (ABC Books) and RoadTesting Happiness (Harper Collins), and has won major awards for her journalism and medical reporting including a prestigious Eureka Award Sophie’s mission is to help people help themselves, using evidence-based science and her own personal journey. She is an ambassador for Bowel Cancer Australia, Pain Australia and is a patient reviewer for the British Medical Journal. Sophie is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on topics such as preventing burnout, managing your mental well-being during times of change, the science of high-performance habits, and how to use neuroscience to stick to new habits and overcome unwanted ones. Her talks and workshops help people take better care of their mental health through science-backed techniques so they can build emotional resilience, maximise their potential and thrive at work and at home. Links and Resources:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 04 Sep 2023 | FTF229: Dancing with Workshop Disruption with Jeff Skipper | 00:32:14 | |
In today's episode, I'm delighted to introduce our guest, Jeff Skipper. Jeff and I have been colleagues for the past couple of years, sharing insights in our growth cycle mastermind group. We've connected virtually every two weeks and had the pleasure of meeting in person during a memorable gathering in Hawaii, part of Alan Weiss's community. About Jeff Skipper Jeff possesses a unique talent for creating impactful activities and workshops. He excels at breaking down complex challenges and reengineering them into practical solutions. Exciting news for our listeners, Jeff is currently working on a workshop booklet that will feature his top 30 change activities. During our conversation, we delve into the essential aspects of driving and leading change. Jeff underscores the significance of visible leadership, especially in today's virtual landscape where meaningful connections can be a challenge. We also explore opportunities for meaningful in-person connections and how they contribute to the success of change initiatives. Jeff is the author of the insightful book, "Dancing with Disruption." In this podcast episode, you'll learn:
Quotes from the Episode:
Links and Resources:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 Sep 2023 | FTF230: Turning 40 - Leanne’s 12 Rules for Life | 00:53:53 | |
As you know, I'm here to help you design fast, deliver strong without stress. I'm celebrating and reflecting because I turn 40 this Thursday. What an honour: Every day above ground is a great day. Disclaimer: I'm not an Olympic gold medalist. I haven't climbed Everest. I'm just a type of person who likes having a crack at life, looking for cool opportunities and treating life as an experiment. Are you approaching a watershed moment in your life, whether it's a milestone, you've had a significant life change? It might be nice for you create your own 12 rules! Here are a sneak peak of my 12 Rules for Life:
What do you think? Do any of these rules resonate with you? Let me know! Tag me on socials, send me a message, or email hello@leannehughes.com
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 18 Sep 2023 | FTF231: Nancy Marmolejo on Navigating Workshops with Quiet Confidence and a Sense of Belonging | 00:36:55 | |
I love jumping on The Flipchart Facebook group to see where members are hosting their workshops. My guest today, Nancy Mamolejo, hosts her workshops overlooking the Golden Gate bridge, and she also brings amazing ideas and energy into her sessions, including her emotional support kit.
Find out more by going to TalentAndGenius.com Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 25 Sep 2023 | FTF232: The Power of Frameworks + How to Gift Wrap Your Expertise with Leanne Hughes | 00:20:55 | |
How do you design fast? You create an underpinning framework! In today's episode, host Leanne Hughes shares why she loves frameworks SO MUCH, and some ideas on how to create your own.
Mentioned Resources
Listener Challenge Are you currently using frameworks in your work or life? Do you find them helpful? If you haven't tried, take a moment to think about how a framework could help in your current projects. Share your thoughts or your own frameworks with Leanne @leannehughes Join us for more insightful discussions and practical advice on future episodes. Subscribe now, so you don't miss out! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 02 Oct 2023 | FTF233: Inside three facilitators minds: What goes on (and why we love models!) with John Norcross and Tricia Conyers | 00:49:01 | |
Join host Leanne Hughes as she delves deep into the mind of a facilitator with guests John Norcross and Tricia Conyers from the "Every Little Model" podcast, this episode offers a genuine conversation exploring the intricacies of facilitation, sharing personal experiences, challenges, and models that guide their work.
About Our Guests: John is a change leadership professional who works at the intersection of human centered design, organizational effectiveness, strategy, and implementation. His 25+ years in consulting have taken him from Canada, to the UK, South America, the Caribbean, and to the US working across a range of industries, from energy and chemicals to life sciences and the public sector. John spent over a decade with Evolve Partners, an implementation consultancy, as a geography leader and as SVP for Accounts. He also co-founded a boutique change agency, BridgeOne LLC. Over the last couple of years, he has volunteered as a community change agent in Wisconsin, focused on advocating for public schools as well as diversity and inclusion efforts. He is also the co-host of the Every Little Model podcast, which focuses on exploring the models and frameworks we use to make sense of our organization and our world. Connect with John Norcross on LinkedIn Tricia Conyers Tricia Conyers is a leadership coach, facilitator, trainer, and podcaster. She helps individuals and teams to unlock their full potential and achieve breakthrough results. Through a combination of individual coaching, hybrid professional development programs, facilitated in-person experiential events, and her Every Little Model podcast, she helps leaders to think differently, recognize and leverage leadership moments, and develop the confidence and capabilities they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced business world.
To continue the conversation, join Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 09 Oct 2023 | FTF234: Behind the Mic: My Co-MC and Committee Reflections with Leanne Hughes | 00:19:44 | |
In this solo episode, host Leanne Hughes reflects on the world of event planning, MCing, and the unforeseen challenges that can arise during a charity event. Highlights:
Mentions:
Key Takeaways:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 16 Oct 2023 | FTF235: Using the House of Communication to Create Contrast in Your Workshops with Michael Grinder (#bestof episode) | 00:49:16 | |
Can you use space to create contrast, even in a virtual call? Today’s guest proves that you can! We have an absolute world-leader in the field of nonverbal communication joining us on the show this week, Michael Grinder. Michael has over 40 years of experience training thousands of groups. Known as the pioneer of nonverbal communication, Michael helps executives and educators assess people more accurately, connect with others more deeply, and build their charisma. We explore how to use his famous model, the House of Communication in our workshops. During this conversation, I picked up so many incredibly nuanced things you can do to boost the clarity of my communication in both virtual and face-to-face workshop environments. The beauty of this conversation is how Michael talks about the large and the small, the micro and the macro, the philosophy around what you do, and then the micro: what type of chair you need, in order to do that. We also delve into using space, and how to segment space within our environments. About today’s guest: Michael Grinder Michael Grinder has over 40 years of experience training thousands of groups. Known as the pioneer of nonverbal communication, Michael helps executives and educators assess people more accurately, connect with others more deeply, and build their charisma. Two well-known experts personally trained Michael in the field of communication: Carl Rogers, the father of humanistic psychology, and Michael’s brother, Dr. John Grinder, co-founder of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Over his career, Michael has written 14 books, which have been translated into seven languages. He’s a sought-after speaker for national and international events and has presented on seven continents. Some of Michael’s additional achievements include:
Today, Michael continues to train individuals and companies, and volunteers with community organizations. He lives in Washington State with Gail, the love of his life. In this episode you will learn:
Resources mentioned in the show:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 23 Oct 2023 | FTF236: How I organise my facilitator materials to speed up workshop design with Leanne Hughes | 00:19:56 | |
Welcome to another episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, where your host, Leanne Hughes, goes solo, diving deep into the Keep section of the SPARK framework, a crucial element of her book, "The Two Hour Workshop Blueprint," now available on Audible. Key Takeaways:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 30 Oct 2023 | FTF237: Deciphering culture and facilitation life as a charismatic introvert with Shane Michael Hatton | 00:31:21 | |
What does it mean to truly have the character of a leader? Is culture really something we can influence in an organisation? Watch our conversation on YouTube! Shane Hatton is an author, trainer, coach, and speaker who is passionate about developing remarkable leaders and cultures. He works with organizations to close the leadership gap between mid and senior level leaders. Aside from being the author of the books “Let’s Talk Culture – The Conversations You Need to Create the Team You Want” and “Lead The Room – Communicate a Message That Counts in Moments That Matter”, Shane is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a member of the Forbes Global Coaches Council, and is the Founder of the People Leaders Network. I met Shane on the Clubhouse app, where we had various conversations around various topics, but it was when I attended his book launch earlier this year in Sydney that we finally got to meet in real life. In this conversation, you’ll hear Shane discuss:
Connect with Shane Hatton here: Rapid Round Recommendations:
Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Support this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review, it would mean a lot! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 14 Nov 2023 | FTF238 How to start a workshop: Which comes first - content or an activity? with Leanne Hughes | 00:17:29 | |
Welcome back to another episode with your host, Leanne Hughes. I received a listener question from my friend, Juraj Holub and thought I'd share my thoughts on the show.
Connect with Leanne: Closing Thoughts: Leanne encourages listeners to stay subscribed for upcoming episodes, and welcomes feedback and questions through her social media and email. Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 20 Nov 2023 | FTF239: Tactics for powering yourself up to host a workshop (when you’ve had three hours sleep) | 00:14:01 | |
How do you personally POWER YOURSELF UP to host a workshop when you're sleep deprived? That's the topic Leanne riffs off in this solo episode, where she shares ideas on: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 23 Nov 2023 | FTF240: Get Lucked! How to Cultivate Serendipity in Your Work with Dr. Christian Busch | 00:29:15 | |
Watch our conversation on YouTube! He’s been featured on many TEDx Talks. I recently watched one of the TEDx Talks he was in, and it was so fantastic; I’ve decided to invite him here. Join me as we learn from what Christian has to share today. In this conversation, you’ll hear Dr. Christian discuss:
Conversation moments:
Connect with Dr. Christian Busch here: Rapid Round Recommendations:
Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms: For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Support this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review, it would mean a l Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 11 Dec 2023 | FTF241: Leanne Hughes’ Unofficial 2023 Annual Report | 00:31:37 | |
Leanne Hughes’ 2023 Annual Report podcast/video episode, where I share my favourite UNOFFICIAL business metrics, and quarter by quarter highlights/lessons learnt. Some of my unofficial metrics include:
What unofficial metrics do you like to report on at the end of the year? Offers launched:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 21 Jan 2024 | FTF242: 5 Workshop Hacks Using ChatGPT with Leanne Hughes | 00:19:23 | |
Tune in to discover how to design fast and deliver strong without the stress...using Chat GPT! Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 30 Jan 2024 | FTF243 Unseen facilitation tips: How Phil Woods creates epiphanies in his workshops | 00:34:17 | |
In today's conversation, Phil Woods from Catalyst Strategy shares his journey from a legal career to becoming an independent strategy and team development consultant. Conversation prompts:
Connect with Phil Woods Other things mentioned: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 29 Feb 2024 | FTF244: Get to the Point with Sally Prosser | 00:19:11 | |
In the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes introduces guest Sally Prosser, a voice and confidence coach.
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| 20 Mar 2024 | FTF245: Preparing to be spontaneous in your workshops with Lisa Leong | 00:40:16 | |
Today, I'm joined by Lisa Leong, a broadcaster, author, and facilitator. She presents on ABC Radio Melbourne on Sundays and also hosts 'This Working Life' on ABC Radio National, which is an awesome show.
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| 12 Apr 2024 | FTF246: Alan Weiss on speedy design + why workshops can be the worst solution for a client | 00:43:25 | |
Watch our conversation on YouTube.
Connect with thousands of facilitators from all over the world in our free Facebook group called The Flipchart: / firsttimefacilitator Learn more about the host, Leanne Hughes' work at https://www.leannehughes.com Alan Resources
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| 07 Jun 2024 | FTF247: From Workshop to Written Word: Translating Ideas into Books with Mel Loy and Jade Miller | 00:34:16 | |
Are you currently running workshops, generating ace ideas, have some cool toolsup your sleeve? Maybe you should turn all of that great stuff into a book!
Connect with Mel Loy
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| 21 Jun 2024 | FTF248: Mid-year check-in + sneak peak of Talk the Walk with Alan Weiss | 00:36:43 | |
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes provides an update on her activities as a solopreneur and content creator, sharing insights from her recent experiences and projects.
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| 01 Aug 2024 | FTF249 Michael Bungay Stanier's Co-Facilitation Tips & Brisbane Event Preview! | 00:15:48 | |
Come along to our event! https://lu.ma/rooftopbne | |||
| 16 Aug 2024 | FTF250: Building trust and driving change in workshops with Hitomi Whitlock | 00:29:34 | |
In this episode, we're joined by Hitomi Whitlock, Organizational Change Manager at the University of Washington's Housing and Food Services, and an experienced real estate investor. 🔍 What You’ll Learn:
About Hitomi Whitlock 📌 Links Mentioned in the Episode:
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| 09 Sep 2024 | FTF251: How we sold out our event in 24 hours (Behind the scenes of How to Face Change) with solo reflections from Leanne Hughes | 00:24:53 | |
Host Leanne Hughes takes you behind the scenes of the recent "How to Face Change" event she co-hosted with Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS). Expect candid reflections, actionable tips, and a whole lot of fun as Leanne shares the highs, challenges, and big wins from this Brisbane-based event. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Episode Highlights:
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Upcoming Events with Leanne:
Join the Conversation: What resonated with you from today’s episode? Let us know! Share your thoughts on social media and tag Leanne and Michael. | |||
| 26 Sep 2024 | FTF252: Obsess over the participant (not the meeting room) with Steven Demedio + a sneak peak of our Red Carpet Campout | 00:27:23 | |
In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, I am thrilled to welcome Steve Demedio to the show. Steve shares his inspiring journey from a career in sales leadership to becoming a passionate facilitator obsessed with creating engaging and memorable learning experiences. What You'll Learn:
About Steven Demedio Steve Demedio is an entrepreneur, facilitator, travel consultant, and home-made pizza and camping enthusiast, but above all, a devoted father and husband. His career is built upon a foundation of roles in sales, management, learning, and facilitation across the travel, IT, and corporate services sectors. Recently, Steve joined forces with his long-time friend Mark Hodgson, who founded Mind & Body Travel in 2019. Together, they’ve created a unique synergy between travel, training, and events. Connect with Steven Demedio: Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 24 Oct 2024 | FTF253: The Delegate Experience: Conferences Done Differently with Mary-Louise (ML) Huppatz | 00:32:34 | |
In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes welcomes Mary-Louise (ML) Huppatz, CEO of the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM), to discuss her unique approach to conferences, leading change, and facilitation. Episode Highlights:
Innovating the Role of the MC: The Conference Catalyst
ML’s Personal Leadership Journey
Key Takeaways:
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 13 Nov 2024 | FTF254: Talk the Walk with Alan Weiss (How to avoid gambling away your career) | 00:31:09 | |
Fresh off a Las Vegas red carpet experience, Leanne Hughes sits down with legendary consultant Alan Weiss for a candid conversation about career risks, professional reinvention, and the art of strategic decision-making. What You'll Learn:
Key Quote: "You need to pursue what you love doing that can make you money... The ideal thing is you should be making money to support the lifestyle to which you aspire and loving what you do every day." - Alan Weiss Whether you're an independent consultant, corporate professional, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers practical wisdom for making strategic career moves without gambling away your future. Want to connect?
Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 17 Dec 2024 | FTF255: How we built my new brand in 4 weeks with Jason Knight | 00:42:25 | |
I’m so excited to take you behind the scenes of my rebranding journey—aka Leanne 3.0. In this replay, I chat with Jason Knight, the brilliant mind behind my new brand. Jason and I first connected on my First Time Facilitator podcast back in 2019, and five years later, I finally brought him on board to reimagine how I show up in the world. But this episode isn’t just about the shiny new website (even though I love it)—it’s about the process. Rebranding wasn’t even on my radar this year, but during my Radical Reboot on the Gold Coast, I realised my old brand was... fine. But “fine” isn’t what I want to offer my clients. Jason and I dive into the messy middle of branding—balancing tensions like approachability vs. luxury, identifying my essence (hello, “Tropical Courage”), and figuring out how to reflect me through visuals, words, and vibes. If you’ve ever thought about rebranding or just need a confidence boost, this one’s for you. 10 key insights:
Why this matters to you: If you’re thinking about rebranding, or you’re stuck in the “good but not great” phase, here’s what I’ve learned:
This was such a fun journey, and I hope it Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||
| 24 May 2021 | Out of the box facilitation + business building with Jimbo Clark (Episode 174) | 00:38:34 | |
What I love about my conversation with today’s guest is his knack and ability for jumping in, trying things, being open for the possibilities. I think that’s an incredibly important facilitator skill and he demonstrates it, not only with the way he runs his business and facilitates workshops, but his life as well! My guest today is Jimbo Clark from Innogreat. In this conversation, Jim also shares how he got started in facilitation and pretty much self-funded his experience, how he facilitates mindset change and really values connection over content in his workshops. Probably As you’ll hear, Jimbo’s goal is to be a catalyst of creative change, to support those he comes in contact with, to become who they need to be, to answer the burning questions of their lives. Psst…Jimbo is sharing TWO amazing offers for First Time Facilitator listeners - yeaaah! 20% off Upgrade your B❒X: The Hybrid Experience This session combines: a) what we've learned from running hundreds of face to face B❒X sessions, and b) what we learned in the last 18 months running more than 100 virtual sessions into a bundled hybrid product that kicks box. Jimbo is offering 20% off the already discounted pre-release price How to claim? Navigate to: https://box.innogreat.com/upgrade-your-box/ Use coupon code: upgradel2 If you can't attend a session, Jimbo is also happy to provide 50% off his book, which is also available here. Coupon Code: boxbook50 In this episode you will learn how to:
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Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025… | |||