FTF252 Obsess over the participant (not the meeting room) with Steven Demedio
In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, I am thrilled to welcome Steve Demedio. Steve shares his inspiring journey from a career in sales leadership to becoming a passionate facilitator obsessed with creating engaging and memorable learning. Join us for our Red Carpet Campout in March 2025.
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:
Steve’s facilitation journey: How he transitioned from sales leadership to facilitation, inspired by books like Sharon Bowman’s Training from the Back of the Room.
Adapting to curveballs in facilitation: Steve’s tips for handling unexpected moments, such as tech glitches, by staying in the moment and focusing on participants.
Participant obsession: Why being fully focused on participants, rather than content, is key to creating interactive and impactful learning experiences.
Outdoor learning and creativity: Steve’s passion for moving beyond traditional meeting rooms to outdoor settings that boost creativity and connection. Learn how a simple shift in environment can lead to a 50% increase in creative thinking!
Challenging the status quo: How Steve challenges clients to rethink their agenda, venues, and reliance on tech to achieve deeper, more meaningful outcomes.
The Red Carpet Campout: A sneak peek into our upcoming luxurious camping retreat, where facilitators can unplug, rejuvenate, and engage in creative thinking in nature.
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.
Steve’s career has been full of unexpected twists, yet his clear purpose has always been rooted in people, connection, and communication.
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.
As Director of Mind & Body Group, Steve curates and facilitates inspiring retreats and training programs that bring teams together, unlocking deeper levels of authentic connection and collaboration.
Connect with Steven Demedio:
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF250: Building trust and driving change in workshops with Hitomi Whitlock
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.
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:
Tools discussed: ClickUp, Miro, Loom, GoodNotes
Love Alan’s shares?
Contact him and let him know!
Alan Weiss Resources
Alan Weiss's Website: This is the primary source for accessing all of Alan Weiss's content, books, and workshops.
Monday Morning Memo: This is a regular communication from Alan that provides insights and advice, likely a valuable resource for listeners interested in regular updates from him.
A Minute with Alan: A series of one-minute videos where Alan Weiss shares quick insights. These videos are beneficial for viewers looking for short, impactful advice.
Upcoming Workshops and Zoom Sessions: Specifically, any current or upcoming workshops or sessions that Alan mentioned during the interview, like his $100 workshop aimed at adding value for existing and prospective clients.
Memorable quotes
"The more people feel like they're part of the process, the more they’re invested in the change—it’s all about co-creation."
"I’ve learned that balancing big vision with disciplined execution is the key to making things happen, whether it’s leading change or managing real estate."
"Using technology effectively isn't just about saving time; it's about enhancing collaboration and creating a better experience for everyone involved."
"When you treat people like they matter—not just as transactions—you build trust, and that’s the foundation for lasting relationships."
"Sometimes, you just have to go for it. If you feel comfortable, take the risk—there’s no growth without a bit of a leap."
"Even in the face of resistance, involving people in the process and making them feel heard can turn opposition into collaboration."
"I’ve found that being intentional with pre-session videos sets the stage for successful workshops—it gives people clarity and reduces anxiety before they even walk in the door."
"In the past, I felt like I had to be 200% sure before I could act—now, I know that taking action and learning from it is the best way forward."
"Centralizing everything in one place, whether it’s notes, tasks, or ideas, has been a game-changer for staying organized and on track."
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF246: Alan Weiss on speedy design + why workshops can be the worst solution for a client
Alan Weiss, the rock star of consulting is BACK on the First Time Facilitator podcast with host Leanne Hughes.
Alan Weiss returns to the podcast this week, for the third time, to (metaphorically) poke me in the eye again.
In this conversation, we riff on:
Speedy workshop design
How Alan turns an idea into an offer almost immediately
How consultants need to focus on helping their clients innovate, and fail fast
How consultants should market now (vs. 5 years ago)
Interactions between AI and Humans, what works?
The ageing population in the workforce and how to manage it
Love Alan’s shares?
Contact him and let him know!
Alan Weiss Resources
Alan Weiss's Website: This is the primary source for accessing all of Alan Weiss's content, books, and workshops.
Monday Morning Memo: This is a regular communication from Alan that provides insights and advice, likely a valuable resource for listeners interested in regular updates from him.
A Minute with Alan: A series of one-minute videos where Alan Weiss shares quick insights. These videos are beneficial for viewers looking for short, impactful advice.
Upcoming Workshops and Zoom Sessions: Specifically, any current or upcoming workshops or sessions that Alan mentioned during the interview, like his $100 workshop aimed at adding value for existing and prospective clients.
Memorable quotes
"You don't have a business life and a personal life. You just have a life."
"People are very conscientious and want to show that they're busy with accountability and discipline. But the problem is, they express that in tasks, in deliverables, in things. You have to break away from that and understand that you're most successful when you're producing results for clients."
"The problem is you keep saying to yourself, how can I help this person? I keep saying to myself, what's in it for me. And that's a fundamental difference as a starting point."
"There are a lot of different ways to do a workshop. I realized there were different ways to do a workshop and started to build them around my strengths and personality."
"A lot of things I just riff, a lot of things that I just do extemporaneously, but you have to be fearless."
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF245: Preparing to be spontaneous in your workshops with Lisa Leong
Today, I'm joined by Lisa Leong, a broadcaster, author, and facilitator.
Her superpowers, which you'll hear very clearly in this episode, are curiosity and creativity.
We delve into the parallels between having talk-back radio and getting listeners to call in to hosting workshops and being truly present.
We also talk about energy, meeting the room where it's at, and the best ways to prepare to be spontaneous—an awesome oxymoron, right?
And Lisa shares how she does this, even down to the detail, like her unique research approach, which includes a bit of LinkedIn stalking.
She presents on ABC Radio Melbourne on Sundays and also hosts 'This Working Life' on ABC Radio National, which is an awesome show.
Today, I'm joined by Lisa Leong, a broadcaster, author, and facilitator.
Her superpowers, which you'll hear very clearly in this episode, are curiosity and creativity.
She's a former IP, technology, and wine lawyer—yes, that's actually a thing. She caught the radio bug in 2001, which is exactly why I brought her on the show.
Wedelve into the parallels between having talk-back radio and getting listeners to call in to hosting workshops and being truly present.
We also talk about energy, meeting the room where it's at, and the best ways to prepare to be spontaneous—an awesome oxymoron, right?
And Lisa shares how she does this, even down to the detail, like her unique research approach, which includes a bit of LinkedIn stalking.
Lisa draws on her unique experiences, combined with design thinking and mindfulness practices, to bring a fresh approach to conversations and connection.
She presents on ABC Radio Melbourne on Sundays and also hosts 'This Working Life' on ABC Radio National, which is an awesome show.
Connect with Lisa Leong
Why you can't miss this episode
It's not every day you get to hear from someone who's mastered the art of engaging people through radio, law, and facilitation. Lisa's stories are not just inspiring—they're packed with actionable tips you can use to level up your facilitation game. Plus, her take on mindfulness and presence is a game-changer for anyone looking to connect more deeply with their audience.
Memorable Quotes:
"Jumping into facilitation was like jumping into a whole new world with both feet. Scary, but thrilling!"
"You don't have to be a Zen master to make mindfulness work for you in workshops."
"Inclusivity isn't just nice to have; it's a must-have for unforgettable workshops."
"Preparation meets improvisation—that's where the magic happens."
Resources Mentioned:
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF244: Get to the Point with Sally Prosser
In the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes introduces guest Sally Prosser, a voice and confidence coach.
We riff on the concept of 'breveloquence', a portmanteau of brevity and eloquence, and how they aim to develop and use this tool in verbal and written forms.
We also take you behind the scenes of our new workshop called Get to the Point, which we're co-hosting in Brisbane on 16 April 2024.
In the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes introduces guest Sally Prosser, a voice and confidence coach.
We riff on the concept of 'breveloquence', a portmanteau of brevity and eloquence, and how they aim to develop and use this tool in verbal and written forms.
We also take you behind the scenes of our new workshop called Get to the Point, which we're co-hosting in Brisbane on 16 April 2024.
Find out more about the Brisbane workshop and grab your ticket here.
Conversation time-stamps
00:31 The Importance of Brevity in Communication
02:17 The Power of Storytelling and Brevity
02:59 The Art of Asking Questions
03:43 The Value of Silence and Pausing
04:14 The Power of Personal Stories
04:40 The Role of Confidence in Communication
05:07 The Importance of Setting Rules in Communication
05:27 The Excitement of Co-Facilitating
06:05 What to Expect in the 'Get to the Point' Workshop
07:35 Closing Remarks and Workshop Details
About today's guest: Sally Prosser
Sally helps you fire-up your voice so you can share your light with the world.
Her background as a TV reporter, company spokesperson and speech & drama teacher gives her the ideal skill set to work with professionals, biz owners and corporate teams on -
⭐ Building confidence
🥊 Combating a fear of public speaking
❤ Producing a warm, trustworthy voice
🎤 Speaking with clarity and impact
🎥 Media Awareness and Spokesperson Training
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF243 Unseen Facilitation Tips: How Phil Woods Creates Epiphanies in His Workshops
In this conversation, Phil Woods joins Leanne Hughes, host of the 'First Time Facilitator Podcast' to share his journey from a legal career to becoming an independent strategy and team development consultant with Catalyst Strategy.
Phil outlines how he uses frameworks to guide organisations through transformation, draws on his command and activator strengths for maximum impact, and explains the importance of managing energy in workshops.
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.
Phil outlines how he uses frameworks to guide organisations through transformation, draws on his command and activator strengths for maximum impact, and explains the importance of managing energy in workshops.
From strategic ideation to facilitating self-realisations, Phil offers valuable insights into his facilitation style and how he prioritises the participant experience.
Phil delivers impactful strategy and positive, strengths-orientated team transformation for a diverse mix of clients in Australia and abroad. He has a practical, no-nonsense style leveraging decades of real-world experience, and brings contagious energy and authentic passion to his client collaborations.
Conversation prompts:
Introduction and Welcome
Phil Woods: A Journey Through Career Phases
The Power of Engaging Teams and Co-Creating Strategy
The Art of Making Workshops Engaging
Balancing Facilitation and Self-Discovery
The Role of Powerful Questions in Facilitation
Bringing the X Factor into Workshops
Leveraging Strengths in Facilitation
Maintaining Energy and Engagement in Workshops
Final Thoughts and Advice for First-Time Facilitators
Connect with Phil Woods
Other things mentioned:
Want to book out five more workshops, for every workshop you deliver? Join the Booked Out Facilitator on demand program.
Enjoy the episode. Support the show
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions and regions.
Whether launching a change initiative, enabling shifts in performance, or building a culture to achieve next-level success, Leanne's workshops impact both business and lives.
Especially skilled with virtual events (both delivery and behind the scenes advice and coaching) Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator and now, a book 'The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint'.
In 2022, Leanne was inducted into The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame, recognised by her peers as being among the world leaders in consulting. In 2021, Leanne was the winner of Learning Professional of the Year at the Asia Pacific Learning Impact Awards.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF242: 5 Workshop Hacks Using ChatGPT with Leanne Hughes
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes discusses five ways she uses chat GPT to improve and enhance her workshop experiences and delivery.
She shares examples of how she uses Chat GPT for image creation, generating questions, creating case studies, generating frameworks, and coming up with attractive titles for her workshops. You'll also hear some personal updates and experiences related to her work.
Tune in to discover how to design fast and deliver strong without the stress...using Chat GPT!
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes discusses five ways she uses chat GPT to improve and enhance her workshop experiences and delivery.
She shares examples of how she uses Chat GPT for image creation, generating questions, creating case studies, generating frameworks, and coming up with attractive titles for her workshops. You'll also hear some personal updates and experiences related to her work.
How are you using it to supercharge your workshop design?
Let us know in The Flipchart
Want Leanne's support for 30 days? Join Leanne on Demand
Grab her book, The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: Design Fast. Deliver Strong. Without Stress.
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF241: Leanne Hughes’ Unofficial 2023 Annual Report
Leanne Hughes’ 2023 Annual Report podcast/video episode, where I share my favourite UNOFFICIAL business metrics, and quarter by quarter highlights/lessons learnt.
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:
📈 # of countries visited
📈 Clients I loved partnering with
📈 New topics explored
📈 Messages about the book and its impact
📈 How often did I wake up, look at my calendar and get excited about the day?
What unofficial metrics do you like to report on at the end of the year?
Offers launched:
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF238 How to start a workshop: Which comes first - content or an activity? with Leanne Hughes
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.
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.
Here's the question:
I'm thinking about the flow of a session.
Let me share more details.
Goal: I'd like the workshop participants to practice and learn "how to open a presentation."
Option A:
- Participants go first and deliver their opening to their current best capabilities.
- We debrief each opening (What went well? What could be improved?)
- After that, I'll share and add additional tips on how to best open a presentation.
Option B:
- We start with a group brainstorming about the best ways to open a presentation.
- Only then do participants get the chance to step on stage and deliver their opening.
- We debrief each opening
What are your thoughts?
What factors would you consider in your response?
Resources Mentioned:
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.
The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint is now available to LISTEN to on Audible, Spotify, and wherever great audio books are sold.
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF237: Deciphering culture and facilitation life as a charismatic introvert with Shane Michael Hatton
Today, Leanne goes solo, diving deep into the Cape section of the Spark framework, a crucial element of her book, "The Two Hour Workshop Blueprint," now available on Audible.
What does it mean to truly have the character of a leader? Is culture really something we can influence in an organisation?
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:
His book, “Let’s Talk Culture – The Conversations You Need to Create the Team You Want”
The insights of culture
Practical things leaders can do to build and reinforce their culture
His personal insights on how he handles his energy
How he manages the contrast of being the person in front of the room and while also thriving behind the scenes
Rapid Round
Connect with Shane Hatton here:
Rapid Round Recommendations:
Tool/App: ClickUp
Quote: “The moment we begin to think we have all the answers, we forget all the questions.” – Madeleine L’Engle
Quote: “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” – Naguib Mahfouz
Connect with Leanne Hughes on all the platforms:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
For suggestions, collaborations and queries, email me hello@leannehughes.com. Support this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review, it would mean a lot!
Thanks for being here. See you next week.
The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint is now available to LISTEN to on Audible, Spotify, and wherever great audio books are sold.
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF236: How I organise my facilitator materials to speed up workshop design with Leanne Hughes
Today, Leanne goes solo, diving deep into the Cape section of the Spark framework, a crucial element of her book, "The Two Hour Workshop Blueprint," now available on Audible.
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:
Continuous Improvement: Learn about the importance of reflecting on what worked well in your past workshops and what didn't, to continuously improve and design more effectively for future sessions.
Personal Organisation: Leanne shares her personal system of organising facilitator materials
Leveraging the Keep Method: Understand the intricacies of the Keep method in workshop desig
Smart Resource Management: Learn about innovative ways to manage your resources, including using cloud services, books, and Post-it notes, to bookmark and quickly access your favorite workshop activities.
Efficient Post-Workshop Practices: Find out why sending workshop show notes within 24 hours is crucial, and learn a practical approach to preparing and disseminating these resources promptly.
Building a Resource Bank: Learn how to proactively compile and categorize a variety of resources, from books and podcasts to videos and articles, for easy access and reference.
The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint is now available to LISTEN to on Audible, Spotify, and wherever great audio books are sold.
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
FTF235: Using the House of Communication to Create Contrast in Your Workshops with Michael Grinder (#bestof episode)
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.
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.
There are so many incredible techniques shared in this one, that you can implement straight away.
I’d love to thank my co-hosts: Maree Burgess, Leanne Elliot and Martin Haworth for joining in and asking questions, contributing, keeping the conversation flowing beautifully.
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:
National Director of NLP for Education
Teacher of the year at three different schools in California, Washington, and Oregon.
Recipient of the 2019 DACH “Mediator of the Year.”
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:
Importance of non-verbal elements in virtual workshop
Tips to better utilise our voice in a workshop
How you can “block/anchor” elements of the room during face-to-face and virtual workshops
How to be confident during in-person and online workshops
How to use your hands effectively, anytime you communicate
The difference between Intellectual safety vs. Emotional safety
ABC's of conveying a message for in-person or virtual facilitation
Here are some questions I asked Michael during the interview:
What led you into the path of exploring and diving deep into the world of communication?
How do you find the virtual world of communicating as opposed to the joy we have with being in person?
How can we bring the elements of non-verbal into the virtual world?
How can we get better at utilizing our voice?
What are things that we can do about things that are going off-track?
How can we block elements in a virtual workshop?
Resources mentioned in the show:
Learn more about Michael Grinder on his website
Learn more about non-verbal communications tips by Michael Grinder on House of Communications
Connect with Michael Grinder on LinkedIn
Watch more non-verbal communications tips on Michael’s YouTube channel
Quote
“You can be confident and not credible, and you can be credible and not confident.”
Watch the video!
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
She’s the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and was a finalist in the 2018 Australian Learning Impact awards for Learning Professional of the Year.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
Episode 167: How to turn a workshop into a killer keynote speech with Leanne Hughes
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.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
About your host: Leanne Hughes
Leanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work.
She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.
Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development. She has over 13 years’ of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.
She’s the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and was a finalist in the 2018 Australian Learning Impact awards for Learning Professional of the Year.
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!
Grab my cheat sheet:
The 5 unpredictable ways to start a Zoom meeting (that predictably work)
Episode 166: Creating a learning atmosphere of “serious fun" with Dana the Trainer #bestof
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 Jane-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”.
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.
Here we go:
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.
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:
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Click here to let Leanne know about your number one takeaway from this episode!
Quotes of the show:
"There are so many things that you can do to bring learning, to bring a classroom alive to make things not so painful for people".
Even when you know the content and you're familiar with it, you’re still thinking, 'Who's going to be there tomorrow?', 'What if this exercise doesn't work?', 'What do I have as a backup for this?', 'Did I pack this thing?'
'You cannot be rigid, sticking to your lesson plan. The classroom is a place of surprise. The best facilitators pull the learning out of what is happening in the room, instead of sticking to the script'.
Episode transcript
View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Dana the Trainer.
#Bestof: Facilitating once in a lifetime workshop experiences with Steve Sims (Episode 165)
Today’s guest 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.
Today’s guest 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.
Not too many people can say that to their clients...But today’s guest, is a one of a kind guy.
His name is Steve Sims. 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:
Steve Sims Website
Like this show?
Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally.
Click here to let Leanne know your number one takeaway from this episode!
Quotes of the show:
“I'm a great believer in keeping liability low.”
“The greatest growth comes from the greatest accidents.”
“It’s incredible to have people just be able to realize the rich people are poor people with a lot of money; things don't change, just that bank account.”
“I'm a great believer that perfection is a blue unicorn with three testicles; it doesn't exist.”
“I don't believe speakers should give speeches. I think speakers should have conversations with thousands of people or hundreds of people.”
Episode transcript
View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Steve Sims.