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Explore every episode of the podcast First Time Facilitator

Dive into the complete episode list for First Time Facilitator. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
FTF261: How to Design High-End Client Experiences with Alan Weiss (Talk the Walk replay)24 Apr 202600:28:27

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Leanne Hughes and Alan Weiss explore what it really takes to design premium client experiences — from large-scale thought leadership conferences to intimate high-touch group gatherings in penthouse suites around the world. Alan shares the frameworks, courage, and lifestyle philosophy behind his most successful events, and Leanne reflects on her own recent red carpet camp-out experience.

Topics Covered

  • Defining high-end experiences — Alan's two models: large group conferences (125–150 people) vs. intimate groups (7–10 people in premium locations)
  • The large format event — Outside speakers (Dan Pink, Jonah Berger), a $30–35K AV crew, volunteer wranglers, concurrent sessions, and how to turn a cost-neutral event into $150K in spinoff business
  • The intimate group format — Penthouses in London, Paris, and LA; Michelin-starred dinners; provoking IP over socialising
  • The role of location — Why venue matters more for small groups, and how Alan used his Kauai suite to transform a stuffy session
  • Program design — Overwhelming with value, reframing problems rather than solving them, and the story of Mike Robert's legendary Pebble Beach strategy program
  • Courage and filling seats — Becoming an "object of interest," the chain reaction of attraction, and why you should never lead with price
  • Accessibility as a brand strategy — Being the most accessible expert in a niche, and where to draw the line
  • Curating the right room — Why sophistication and maturity matter more than income, and the one time someone didn't belong
  • Lifestyle as the real brand — Why people follow Alan for the life he lives, not just his consulting expertise
  • What people get wrong — The experience should showcase you, not the venue; using Broadway plays, tours, and dinners as vehicles for IP
  • Virtual high-end experiences — Why Alan believes in-person is essential for high-touch, community-building work
  • Planning and promotion — Shameless promotion, letting your wife veto the destination, and the 24-hour sign-up experiment

Key Quotes

"You don't solve problems. You recast and reframe them, so people say, 'I never looked at it like this before.'" — Alan Weiss

"The higher high-tech goes with AI, the higher touch is required." — Alan Weiss

"I prove that you can do it — and more importantly, that you can do it unashamedly." — Alan Weiss

"If we're not pissing somebody off every day, we're not doing our job." — Alan Weiss



Resources & People Mentioned

  • Dan Pink — Author and speaker
  • Jonah Berger — Wharton School professor, author of Contagious
  • Michael Bungay Stanier — Author of The Coaching Habit
  • Randy Gage — Author, prosperity mindset expert
  • The Innovation Formula — Alan Weiss & Mike Robert (1985)

Connect

  • Alan Weiss: alanweiss.com
  • Leanne Hughes: First Time Facilitator
  • Talk the Walk — next episode: first week of June

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FTF260: The Campfire Method with Jan Keck: A Better Way to Build Trust in Groups02 Apr 202600:38:14

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Jan Keck is back on First Time Facilitator for a pop-up episode, and this one is for anyone who wants to create connection without making people cringe. 

Jan first appeared on the podcast in Episode 156, and in this conversation he shares the thinking behind his new book, The Campfire Method, plus what he’s learned from three years of writing, testing, and refining his ideas in public. 

We talk about why Jan moved away from the old “icebreakers” framing, and how his work evolved into a bigger idea: creating the conditions that help people feel safe enough to connect, contribute, and take risks. He shares how small moments before a session even starts can shape the whole experience, from pre-event communication to what people see when they first enter the room. 

In this episode, Jan shares:

  •  why the best facilitators build a risk ramp, not a risk jump 
  •  how to make space for quiet participants without putting them on the spot 
  •  the five conditions that help “melt the ice”, including the importance of choice 
  •  what happened when he asked 350 TEDx attendees to create secret handshakes with strangers 
  •  how writing his book in public, with weekly community feedback, helped him stay consistent for three years 
  •  why he now prefers facilitator promises over group agreements or rules 

If you work with groups, workshops, retreats, learning experiences, or team sessions, there’s a lot in here for you.

About Jan Keck
Jan Keck is a facilitation trainer, TEDx speaker, and author of The Campfire Method. On his official book page, the book is described as a practical guide for empathetic leaders who want to design group experiences that spark engagement, encourage vulnerability, and build deeper connection. 

Grab or pre-order Jan’s book here

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FTF251: How we sold out our event in 24 hours (Behind the scenes of How to Face Change) with solo reflections from Leanne Hughes09 Sep 202400:25:06

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Host Leanne Hughes takes you behind the scenes of the recent "How to Face Change" event she co-hosted with Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS). 

From brainstorming ideas, locking in the perfect venue, to manufacturing demand for tickets, Leanne spills all the details on how they turned a bold idea into an unforgettable experience.

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:

  1. How to Create Demand for Your Event: The strategic move that got 150 people onto the event waitlist within 24 hours (without selling a single ticket!).
  2. The Power of Venue: Why the rooftop bar venue was a major player in getting people excited to attend—and how venue choice can impact your marketing strategy.
  3. Collaborating with the Best: Leanne shares insights from working with Michael Bungay Stanier and how their creative synergy shaped the event’s success.
  4. Marketing Magic: A peek into the marketing tactics, including leveraging scarcity, early bird offers, and social proof to sell out the event in record time.
  5. Content vs. Experience: Why Leanne spent more time focusing on creating an experience for her attendees than on the content itself—and why that was the key to success.
  6. Behind-the-Scenes Decisions: The tools and tech that helped Leanne and MBS manage a seamless collaboration across time zones, from Google Docs to a private podcast.
  7. Post-Event Reflections: What worked, what Leanne would tweak, and the overwhelming LinkedIn love that followed the event.

Episode Highlights:

  • The quote that inspired Leanne to aim big with her venue choice: "If I made small decisions, I would hate myself forever."
  • How to "manufacture demand" and why giving your audience a waitlist (before selling tickets) can validate your event idea.
  • The importance of creating a memorable experience (hint: it’s not all about the content!) and how a rooftop venue turned their event into a “brag-worthy” moment.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Upcoming Events with Leanne:

  1. Red Carpet Group Experience: Las Vegas with Leanne Hughes
    📅 October 30, 2024

  2. Get to the Point Workshop with Sally Prosser
    📅 November 19, 2024 | Brisbane
     
  3. Luxury Glamping Retreat: Red Carpet Campout
    📅 Dates: 10-12 March 2025 | Location: Private property, 90 mins from Brisbane
     

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.

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Turning a monologue into a dialogue with Johnny Quinn (Episode 171)03 May 202100:37:21

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This week we’re focusing on two of my favourite things, that I mention on this podcast over and over again (aren’t you lucky!):  Unpredictability and Contrast. 

My guest today, Johnny Quinn from Audience Alive, epitomises both.

This is a masterclass episode in how to do things differently in your workshops. 

I’m not saying that lightly either, literally, there are at least 10 ideas in this podcast, you can use, or share with your company, or anyone running events, workshops, presentations to immediately create audience engagement.

Raised and Educated in Ireland, Johnny arrived in Dubai in 1996 determined to make the difference between presentations that fell flat, and that sealed the deal. 

After several years with Philips Middle East he started AudienceAlive Dubai, and then in 2015, expanded the operation to beautiful Queenstown, New Zealand.

He’s been a DJ, Postman, Van Driver, Theatre, Technician, Cameraman, Engineering Manager, Business, Development Manager, Company Owner and his burning desire is to travel to the worlds top 10 beaches (I’m sure Cable Beach in WA would be up there, that’s my favourite beach!)

In this episode, Johnny also shares some very memorably analogies, one liners and expressions, you can also use to help influence others to be brave, and try things differently.

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Putting grace in the space with Beth Wonson (Episode 170)26 Apr 202100:35:31

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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 Wonson

Since 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:
  • How to master getting feedback during workshop
  • Identifying feedback and ensuring it is fact-based
  • How to normalise the process of giving feedback, and using it as an opportunity to provide support
  • How to regulate your emotions when you receive feedback
  • Being responsible to the energy you bring to the room

Handy links

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How to get your groups to spot (and share) their stories with David Pullan (Episode 169)19 Apr 202100:33:58

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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.


In this episode you will learn:
  • The stories that you need to spot, shape and share stories: Listen to David share his valuable story-spotting framework

  • How to make your workshops the best experience for all involved

  • Some refreshing advice for first time facilitators

  • How to connect people’s ideas to concepts and key messages

  • How to extend the life of your voice, using the UFO technique

  • What keeps David motivated as a business owner

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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An L&D Detective solves the ultimate measurement mystery with Kevin M Yates (Episode 168)11 Apr 202100:32:33

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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.  

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How to turn a workshop into a killer keynote speech with Leanne Hughes (Episode 167)05 Apr 202100:31:28

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Your workshops are amazing: So amazing that you’ve been asked to share your expertise in a keynote presentation! How do you convert your interactive group content, to something that can be delivered from the stage in front of hundreds of people?

That’s the topic I explore today, where I share actionable tips on how I prepare for a keynote speech. Spoiler alert: The first thing I do when designing a speech is to step away from my computer, and go out for a walk!

Thanks to Adele Spurgin, who asked the following question in The Flipchart this week:

“Traditionally I am right at home facilitating so today when a keynote speaking gig in front of 750pax was offered to me, I just said YES & am now starting to workout the how!

Any advice, insights etc would be greatly appreciated!!! As I haven’t done this size crowd in a while.

Leanne Hughes I saw your LinkedIn post and although this is not an MC role maybe you could help shed some insights pls!

I mean how hard can it be, right?”

Listen in to hear how I design, prepare, rehearse and deliver my keynotes in this week’s episode.

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Creating an atmosphere of "serious fun" with Diversity Dana #Bestof (Episode 166)29 Mar 202100:41:52

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Energy is the most important thing when it comes to your workshops, and I discovered this nice and early when I geeked out on an energetic conversation with today’s guest, Dana James-Edwards.

This is a #bestof episode - I spoke to Dana back in 2018, when she called herself “Dana the Trainer”. Through a series of pivots and discovering her passion, she is now known as “Diversity Dana".

Today’s conversation is as relevant as ever - you’ll learn

  • Ways to make facilitation more fun, colourful and engaging
  • How to balance or lift your energy levels when required
  • What to do when things don't go to plan (hint: prevention is better than cure)
  • How to create content for new workshops

I want to share her website copy on her About page as a way of introducing her:

"My favourite word is the F-Word – FUN

(Wait a minute … what F word were you thinking about?).  Seriously!

As you can tell I take an unconventional approach to learning focusing on fun, colour, enjoyment and making things as practical and relevant as possible to make sure that key learnings make it back to the workplace.

What is it that I facilitate? Great question!

I have my fingers in many pies, but my 3 core areas are *drumroll please*

Diversity & Inclusion, Train-The-Trainer (or Coach) and Agile

And if that sounds like an eclectic mix of things that shouldn’t go together and make no sense  you’re going to have to read the rest of my bio to find out why and how it all came about. To confuse you even further I sometimes even dabble in some Management & Leadership bits … but that’s a story for another day.

Read the rest of Dana’s story here.

What’s new with Leanne and First Time Facilitator?

So excited to share that I’m partnering with Slido on their Online Meetings Revolution trend report. Come along to the launch and hear the interesting data + predictions to make your online meetings as engaging and relevant as possible. It’s on 14 April 2021, here’s the link to sign up.  

Join the conversation when the show is over with 1300 facilitators from all over the world in our free group called The Flipchart

Support the show (and my ideas) by buying me a coffee

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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#bestof Facilitating once in a lifetime workshop experiences with Steve Sims (Episode 165)22 Mar 202100:46:33

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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 Sims

Steve 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? Quotes of the show:

“I'm a great believer in keeping liability low.”
“The greatest growth co

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The skill that makes you a better human with Maria McDonald (Episode 164)15 Mar 202100:40:35

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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 McDonald

As 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

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One Zoom Cheat Sheet to Rule Them All with Jan Keck (Episode 163)07 Mar 202100:16:54

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Here’s the scenario: You’re working with some new clients, and they haven’t used Zoom before. You pull together some slides, videos and helpful pointers and send them these beforehand. During the session, you dedicate the first few minutes to sharing features, and getting them to feel comfortable using Zoom.

You’re happy with what you’ve created but then, BAM, Zoom delivers another upgrade, which means screenshots have changed. 

As we know, it takes time and effort to update your Zoom onboarding calls.. UNTIL this week!

Previous guest of the show, Jan Keck has pulled together an incredible resource for anyone who uses Zoom. As a facilitator, you can share this with your clients prior to your workshops - it will save you so much time!

This week, I hopped on a quick fireside chat and brought Jan back on the show to talk through this cheat-sheet, how it will help us as facilitators, how his team put it together, and more.

Don’t forget to reach out to Jan to say thanks for this piece of gold dust he’s brought us!!

About today’s guest: Jan Keck

Jan 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 fuelling 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.

Resources

 

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How to get people to show up to your workshops (without saying "It's mandatory") with Leanne Hughes (Episode 162)28 Feb 202100:24:09

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“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.

Resources

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FTF250: Building trust and driving change in workshops with Hitomi Whitlock16 Aug 202400:29:47

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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. 

Hitomi shares her journey from moving to the U.S. as a child to leading change at one of the nation's top universities—all while managing a successful real estate business.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

  • How Hitomi uses her strengths (Futuristics, Discipline, Positivity, Woo, Learner) to drive success.
  • The tech tools she leverages, like ClickUp, Miro, Loom, and GoodNotes, to streamline workflows, eliminate unnecessary meetings, and enhance collaboration.
  • Tips for running effective hybrid workshops that keep everyone engaged, whether in-person or remote.
  • How a customer-centric focus in both her roles has led to zero evictions and high tenant satisfaction in her real estate ventures.
  • Strategies for building trust quickly in workshops, from pre-session videos to effective icebreakers.
  • The importance of balancing big-picture vision with disciplined execution in both professional and personal life.

About Hitomi Whitlock
Hitomi is an Organizational Change Manager at the University of Washington's Housing and Food Services and a real estate investor, co-owning a property management business in the Seattle area since 2005. She attributes her success to her customer-centric focus and effective communication, always thinking about how to best serve her customers. Hitomi loves making new connections and friends while nurturing existing relationships. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, attending concerts, and exploring new restaurants/bars with family and friends.

📌 Links Mentioned in the Episode:

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Connecting, empowering and leading groups in the outdoors with Phil Brown (Episode 161)21 Feb 202100:39:08

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When did I realise I loved talking about group dynamics? When I was 16, at a netball camp, we did a team-building high ropes course together.

Btw - I hate high ropes, but I loved the debriefing part afterwards!

The reason I share this, is because this week’s guest Phil Brown works for an adventure company called High 5 Adventure, and he joined the High 5 team as a lead trainer in 2015. 

Phil will  get you thinking about a lot of things: 

What happens when we graduate from being a first time facilitator, where’s the career progression? 

How do we define what we do to people who are outside our industry? 

And he also shares a really great way of explaining work related to teams, and breaking these into three categories: Team bonding, team building and team development. Clever!

Originally from England, Phil first came to the US in 2008 working as an Outdoor Educator and Challenge Course Coordinator at the New York YMCA Camp. It was here that his love for the Adventure Education field was ignited, discovering the joy and rewards playing and teaching inside and out alongside such a varied range of people, all who benefit from the experience. 

His work in the realms of summer camp, outdoor education, and physical education give him an invaluable perspective for working with of High 5’s varied clientele. 

Phil believes that each experience with every group member is a learning opportunity for him, no matter who he’s working with. He also has a podcast called Vertical Playpen, sharing tips on adventure and experiential learning.

Connect with Phil Brown!

Other helpful links:

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Bringing swagger into your workshops with Leslie Ehm (Episode 160)14 Feb 202100:41:42

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Things that are easier said than done: “Just be yourself!” Why is this so hard?

Here are a couple of reasons:

  • It’s sometimes hard to see the label when we’re inside the bottle and this creates so
  • We’re scared to share who we really are with the world, in case we get rejected...

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:
  • See people’s truth to help them to manifest who they really are
  • The difference between self-belief and confidence
  • Fundamental drivers of swagger
  • How to discover your own swagger
Resources
  • Swagger: Unleash everything you are and become everything you want
  • Visit Leslie Ehm’s website
  • Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn
  • Tweet Leslie to let her know you watched this episode!

Other helpful links:

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How to win friends and influence your online colleagues with Leanne Hughes (Episode 159)08 Feb 202100:27:33

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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:

  • Having to get people’s time/attention and you’re struggling because they don’t respond to your emails / you don’t have direct authority (you’re influencing / in a dotted line relationship)
  • Partnering with an organisation to achieve goals, and you need to work with leaders/subject matter experts, but they’re too busy to give you the input you need to move forward.

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Facilitating digital change? Prioritise the people, not the tech with Mike Knapp (Episode 158)31 Jan 202100:35:40

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Digital transformation is so hot right now! And isn’t it amazing that  my guest today suggests that our superpower of facilitation can help create this transformation in organisations?!

Mike Knapp believes there is a better way for business owners and leaders to build their businesses and achieve their big goals.

In this conversation, he shares how he transitioned from the IT guy, to someone who led digital transformational projects, leveraging facilitation to make the change effective.

“Mural Mike” also creates incredible templates using Mural, and he structures these in a way to create stories and contrast in his sessions.  He also shares the importance of energy and how his practice in meditation allows him to create a welcoming space for his groups.

This is a great conversation to listen into if you work in complex organisations implementing change, or you want to step into the world of change management.

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Driving word of mouth marketing through your workshops with Suzi Dafnis (Episode 157)25 Jan 202100:44:59

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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 Dafnis

Suzi 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: 

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Let’s have a conversation that matters with Jan Keck (Episode 156)18 Jan 202100:39:45

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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 Keck

Jan 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

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Exceptional self coaching to help you start small and finish strong in 2021 with Daniel Kerr (Episode 155)11 Jan 202100:46:40

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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 Kerr

Daniel 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:
  • What it takes to show up as your best self

  • Having an action plan as a way to make the shift in 2021

  • Reflecting and planning your next goal

  • Finding your authenticity and niche to make yourself better and grow

  • Fear of not being good enough makes you start making excuses

  • Make your audience visualize the message you’re sending across

  • What Dan values when he prepares to run a workshop

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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Facilitate your own change journey using a sprinkling of constructive delusion with Leanne Hughes (Episode 154)03 Jan 202100:36:11

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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!

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#Bestof: Storytelling works! (Because no one's ever asked to see a Powerpoint presentation twice) with Matthew Dicks (Episode 153)28 Dec 202000:35:40

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Guess what? You can become that amazing storytelling you secretly want to be!

In this First Time Facilitator re-run of Episode 8, internationally bestselling author Matthew Dicks shares why storytelling so important, and how telling stories is not simply sharing a series of events; it’s the manipulation of emotions.

It’s a skill that can be taught and he shares some of the techniques he uses to engage his audience, whether they're 10 year old kids, or politicians.

So many cool things happened after this podcast was released on 8 April, 2020:

I met Kate Norris and Thomas Krafft from Presentation Boss (we basically caught up and just spoke about how great Matthew was!)

They started their own podcast, Presentation Boss, and then a live storytelling event in Brisbane called Life Out Loud (based on Matthew’s event in the US called Speak Up Storytelling).

Earlier this year, I shared a story during the virtual Life Out Loud event and guess who was the surprise guest story-sharer… you guessed it, Matthew Dicks!

Stop binging shows on Netflix and start binging Matthew Dicks’ stories on YouTube. They’re brilliant, and always stir an emotional response - ranging between laughter, or goose-bumps.

In this episode you’ll learn:
  • What a story is (and what it isn’t)

  • The details you should leave in your story and more importantly; the details you can leave out

  • How you can become more memorable by sharing things that are vulnerable, amusing or embarrassing

  • The power of assuming that no one wants to listen to anything you have to say

  • How you can start collecting your own stories by reflecting on everyday moments (Homework for Life!)

About today’s guest: Matthew Dicks

Matthew Dicks is the internationally bestselling author of the novels Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, Something Missing, Unexpectedly, Milo, The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs, and the upcoming Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling. His novels have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide. His new novel, “The Other Mother” is set for release in January 2021. You can join the live book launch by signing up here.

When not hunched over a computer screen, Matthew fills his days as an elementary school teacher, a storyteller, a speaking coach, a blogger, a wedding DJ, a minister, a life coach, and a Lord of Sealand.

Matthew is a 35-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 5-time GrandSLAM champion. He has also told stories for This American Life, TED, The Colin McEnroe Show, The Story Collider, The Liar Show, Literary Death Match, The Mouth, and many others.Heis also the co-founder and creative director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England.Matthew is the creator and co-host of Boy vs. Girl, a podcast about gender and gender stereotypes. 

Resources mentioned in this episode

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A #neverdonebefore serendipitous group interview (Episode 152)21 Dec 202000:42:08

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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.

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FTF249 Michael Bungay Stanier's Co-Facilitation Tips & Brisbane Event Preview!01 Aug 202400:16:00

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Come along to our event! https://lu.ma/rooftopbne

In this episode, host Leanne Hughes chats with Michael Bungay Stanier on their upcoming event in Brisbane together on 3 Sep 2024, and the art of co-facilitation.

Reflecting on their first podcast experience in Brisbane, they dive into topics such as managing facilitation dynamics, preparing for keynotes, and what makes their upcoming event in Brisbane unique.

They also share personal anecdotes and practical tips for successful facilitation, offering valuable insights for anyone interested in leadership and change management.

Welcome and Introduction
Reflecting on Past Collaborations
Upcoming Event: How to Face Change
The Art of Co-Facilitation
Why You Should Attend
Closing Remarks and Excitement

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Leanne's favourite facilitator things: A holiday wishlist! (Episode 151)14 Dec 202000:32:33

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I’m taking inspiration from Oprah’s Favourite Things to bring you the Ultimate Facilitator Holiday Wish list!

You may want to share this episode with a loved one, if they want some last minute stocking-filler ideas, or x-factor gift ideas to ramp up your facilitation game.

Many of the suggestions here focus on the virtual facilitation world and span across tech tools, tech upgrades, workshop design tools, and more!

I’d like to thank members of our free Facebook group, The Flipchart, for sharing their facilitation wish list items, too!

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50 episodes / 50 weeks: Facilitation and business lessons with Leanne Hughes (Episode 150)07 Dec 202000:36:14

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Wow, Episode 150. How did we get here?

In this solo episode, I wanted to reflect on the last 50 weeks (and 50 episodes) and what I’ve learnt both from podcast episodes, from business and also from, well, LIFE in 2020. Hasn’t this year been a great teacher for us all?!

I weave between random topics, all linked through some lessons learnt on the show, and how that’s played out in my life and the way that I show up to workshop experiences and clients.

What’s been your biggest facilitation lesson in 2020?

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Anyone can use Lego Serious Play in their workshops (and here’s how you do it) with Michael Fearne (Episode 149)28 Nov 202000:49:01

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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!

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Using the House of Communication to create contrast in your workshops with Michael Grinder (Episode 148)22 Nov 202000:50:55

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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.

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Lecture-breakers and smart tips for virtual summits with Barbi Honeycutt Ph.D (Episode 147)15 Nov 202000:44:23

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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!   Click here for show notes. Join our free Facebook group: The Flipchart!

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Workshop Design in the Moment (and from your back pocket) with Meg Bolger (Episode 146)08 Nov 202000:40:11

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I spend TOO many time designing workshops, making sure every activity, every piece of content is fit for purpose!

Wouldn't it be great if planning a workshop was as easy as shuffling some cards around?

Today's guest thought so, too!

Meg Bolger is a facilitator working to create a more beautiful and just world. She's the co-developer of Facilitator Cards, a deck of 60 processing tools for facilitators. 

Meg is also the co-author of Unlocking the Magic of Facilitation and the co-creator of The Safe Zone Project, a free online resource for creating powerful, effective LGBTQ+ awareness and training workshops. 

In this conversation, we talk about how Meg found her feet in facilitation, how she became clever at structuring her facilitation activities and process, and how she can pretty much, create a workshop from thin air, using a cool tactical tool - her deck of Facilitator Cards.

We also explore the role of facilitator and how we can often wear many hats. 

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Activate your attention: How to prime your natural listening and observation skills for meaningful and rich conversations with Marisa Agrasut (Episode 145)31 Oct 202000:40:33

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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:

  1. Listen to the activity she delivers and consider how you could weave it into an upcoming session and

  2. As part of the activity, Marisa and I reflect on 5 amazing facilitator prompts, which may inspire ideas on how you define the value you bring in your work as a facilitator.

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Discovering your facilitation home base with Jordan Mendoza (Episode 144)25 Oct 202000:36:55

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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.

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How to deliver hybrid workshops (sessions with both in-person and virtual participants) with Leanne Hughes (Episode 143)18 Oct 202000:39:48

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In this Flipchart live-stream event, Leanne Hughes answers the following three questions:

  1. How do you embed leadership workshop material through coaching sessions held after your workshop?

  2. How do you facilitate a hybrid workshop, where you have guests in-person, and guests who dial in?

  3. How do you say goodbye and end your virtual workshop, without it being too awkward?

Build your facilitation skills:

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Curing decision making disorders through the craft of consulting with Deb Zahn (Episode 142)10 Oct 202000:42:00

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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. She is the host of the Craft of Consulting podcast, which features other successful consultants who share their strategies and insights about building their consulting businesses and delighting their clients as well as cons

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FTF248: Mid-year check-in + sneak peak of Talk the Walk with Alan Weiss 21 Jun 202400:36:56

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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. 

She provides an update on her book, some of the work she's delivered this year, including a recent innovative conference presentation focused on flexibility. 

She also shares upcoming events like a rooftop workshop in Brisbane with Michael Bungay Stanier and a small group workshop in Las Vegas. 

You'll also hear the first episode of Talk the Walk with Alan Weiss, a bi-monthly broadcast coming to you on LinkedIn and YouTube!

Cool events:

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Getting you further, faster in career (and in life) with Warren James (Episode 141)04 Oct 202000:40:56

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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:
  • How to handle stress, that feeling of overwhelm and exhaustion from work
  • How to get started writing a book
  • How personal life, career goals, bucket list and finances are important in accelerating your career
  • Creating balance by planning ahead and creating a vision of what you actually want 
  • Switching off, sleeping better
  • Accelerating your career during Covid

 

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Ready, Fire, Aim: Co-facilitator reflections from Virtually Possible with Joeri Schilders (Episode 140)27 Sep 202000:25:36

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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:

  • Benefits and advantages of co-facilitation

  • Process of building, creating the Virtually Possible facilitation program

  • Virtually Possible platform - the channels, activities, and fun challenges

  • SIFT - Stuff up, Insights, First times and Transformation

  • Virtually Possible 2.0

Join the Virtually Possible 2.0 waitlist!

Sign up to The Flipchart, a free facilitator Facebook group

 

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Activating your strengths to facilitate results in workshops (and in business) with Charlotte Blair (Episode 139)21 Sep 202000:44:35

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Today, I’m chatting to someone who also shares my love for the Clifton Strengths tool.

It’s all well and good to find a tool you love, that echoes back what you think + feel about yourself but more importantly? It’s what you do with it that matters!

Today’s guest, Charlotte Blair from The Strengths Partners shares how we can apply and activate our strengths across various contexts: In the way we facilitate, the way we show up to strengthen our network, how we build our business, and how we apply what we learn.

Charlotte  has a passion for helping others maximise their potential.  She’s a a highly experienced Gallup-Strengths Certified Coach, consultant and facilitator with over 20 years proven success managing relationships and developing business in highly complex sales environments.

At the end of our conversation, she also shares her favourite workshop activities that you could pretty much design a workshop from, they cover all the key elements!

What I admire about Charlotte is the way she demonstrates her love for connecting, serving and helping others. 

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There's no such thing as a difficult group, only an inflexible facilitator with Marcus Crow (Episode 138)13 Sep 202000:47:26

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We’ve been delivering in-person workshops for years. We’re comfortable. Give us a marker pen, some butcher’s paper and some decent catering: We’re good to go!

When Covid hit earlier this year, many of us had to shift gears and deliver workshops online. We had to adjust to new technology, new ways of experiencing workshops, a range of energy levels. We all started feeling like First Time Facilitators!

That’s the conversation I have with today’s guest, Marcus Crow.

Marcus has an insane amount of in-person workshop experience. He’s also the co-founder of 10,000 HOURS. They design and deliver content for Training, Conferences and Offsites, and they have been honing their craft for more than 20 years. Prior to starting 10,000 Hours, he co-founded, built and sold Phuel / Oxygen Learning to John Singleton's STW (now WPP).

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • What it takes to adapt a face to face workshop, and move it online

  • How you can build your flexibility muscles as a facilitator

  • What to do when you encounter resistance from someone in your workshop

  • Good tips for timing for your virtual sessions

  • Key considerations if you’re thinking of dropping your job and starting your facilitation business

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What a group fitness class taught me about virtual facilitation with Leanne Hughes (Episode 137)07 Sep 202000:22:46

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Ever since I spoke to Jacinta Cubis on the show, I've started noticing more facilitation lessons around me, every day.

In this week's episode, I share the story of my return to a group fitness class at the gym, and what I learnt about virtual facilitation as a result.

 

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How to use body language to increase participation in your virtual workshops with Mark Bowden (Episode 136)30 Aug 202000:55:18

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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 Bowden

Voted 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.

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Using virtual events to supercharge your business growth with Ken Burgin (Episode 135)23 Aug 202000:42:47

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Have you been running webinars but finding it difficult to get people through the door? This week’s guest is great at tuning in to topics that people actually want, and he’s figured out a pretty neat system to do this!

Ken Burgin works with foodservice operators to assist them to be more popular & successful. He is a former cafe and restaurant owner in Sydney, and started the online management platform Profitable Hospitality. He now works for hospitality finance company SilverChef, focused on educational content and events for business owners.

In this conversation, we flip between talking about the virtual facilitation side of things, and providing value to our people; then we hear how Ken really grew his business and sold out his workshops on weekends; how he connects with people, how he adds value.

Ken has many years of experience providing training and content to help transform the hospitality industry. He likes finding out the 'why' of business success, and the 'why not' of business problems, keeping track of the latest technology & presentation techniques, and updating his photography skills.

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Virtual centering and well-being techniques for online meetings with Wade Brill (Episode 134)19 Aug 202000:40:35

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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. 

 

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Serving 132,000 students worldwide from a spare bedroom in remote Australia with Sarah Cordiner (Episode 133)10 Aug 202000:40:51

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Anytime you’re live - whether that’s presenting a webinar, or a face-to-face workshop, you’re essentially exchanging your time for money.

Today’s guest, Sarah Cordiner has helped over 132,000 students from all over the world. You don’t do that by running workshops, you do it by scaling what you offer through digital programs and courses.

Where do you start if you want to scale? That’s the conversation I have with Sarah today.

Sarah Cordiner is a Qualified Course Creation Specialist, trusted by over 20,000 Course Creators & Educators in 146 countries.  She helps you turn your expertise into profitable digital products and programs.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to start, how to build an audience and how one idea from a video, can be used to market in so many different ways.

More than that, it’s an inspiring episode looking at failure and how all that matters with failure, is deciding what to do next.  If you’ve ever held yourself back, or have reasons to not do things, I think you’ll also be inspired by what Sarah shares in this conversation.

Show notes for Episode 133

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Getting your foot in the door as a moderator with Kjell Lutz (Episode 132)03 Aug 202000:35:44

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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 Lutz

Kjell 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.

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FTF247: From Workshop to Written Word: Translating Ideas into Books with Mel Loy and Jade Miller07 Jun 202400:34:29

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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!

If you're curious how to do that, you'll love today's conversation with fellow first-time authors and Brisbane business owners, Mel Loy and Jade Miller.

Both Jade and Mel are experienced workshop hosts, and they share their journeys from facilitating workshops to writing books. We discuss how their workshop experiences influenced their writing, the challenges they faced, and tips for turning workshop content into a book.

Connect with Jade Miller

Connect with Mel Loy

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5 ways to ramp up the energy in your virtual workshops (by being a bit lazy) with Leanne Hughes and Joeri Schilders (Bonus!)29 Jul 202000:59:46

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In this episode, Leanne and Joeri share 5 super simple (some might say, lazy?) ways to keep up the energy in your virtual sessions.

This is the audio replay of a really fun webinar we ran on 23 July 2020.

Enjoy the webinar? Then, you’re going to love our new program called Virtually Possible

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The conflict of creating interesting conversations (then having to stop them, so we can move to the next one) with Misha Glouberman (Episode 131)27 Jul 202000:43:27

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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.

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Taking you back-stage: How to find a collaboration buddy and facilitate a solution with Leanne Hughes (Episode 130)20 Jul 202000:46:00

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I’m taking you backstage to share how Joeri Schilders and I are collaborating to bring you the Virtually Possible program. 

With everyone in lockdown, this may be a good time to reach out to someone and put your heads together, to solve a problem.

We haven’t really done things the traditional way: We don’t use emails to communicate at all!

In this episode, I share details on how you can find someone to collaborate with, what systems/tools you can use to communicate, and how we co-facilitated work/sprint sessions last week to create the program’s outline and structure.  

Collaboration is also a great teacher. I’ve learnt a lot about myself through this process!

I’d love this episode to inspire you to consider: Is there someone in this world who you could collaborate with on a problem? 

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