Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 41: Unleash your inner intrapreneur: How facilitators can liberate innovation and creativity in organisations with Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw

Today's guest is on a mission to liberate innovation, creativity and leadership within organisations.On this episode, you’ll hear how Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw transitioned from a high school teacher to become Australia’s leading expert on creativity and innovation.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Today's guest is on a mission to liberate innovation, creativity and leadership within organisations. On this episode, you'll hear how Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw transitioned from a high school teacher to become Australia's leading expert on creativity and innovation.

Today's guest is on a mission to liberate innovation, creativity and leadership within organisations.On this episode, you’ll hear how Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw transitioned from a high school teacher to become Australia’s leading expert on creativity and innovation.  Listen in when she discusses the strategies she uses to facilitate knowledge retention and behaviour change in the workshops. We also talk about the role of Intrapreneurs in organisations, and how they’re the future of organisations.If you’ve ever heard anyone say they’re not creative, or you think you’re not creative, it’s also worth taking note of Irena’s response to that statement,.If you want to stay connected to First a Time Facilitator when the show's over, join our community on Facebook called ‘The Flipchart’.  In the group, we have 50+ other listeners  around the world, who are all sharing tools, tips, techniques to help each other deliver killer content and workshops.

On this episode you’ll learn:

  • How she transitioned from a high school teacher to become Australia’s leading expert on creativity and innovation

  • The differences she observed from teaching high school students, to adults in corporate life (and why it’s important to give adults an immediate benefit from attending a workshop)

  • The pre-work she asks participants to do before attending

  • What an intrapreneur is; and why they’re so the future of organisations

  • How intrapreneurs can push through perceived bureaucratic barriers to add value to their organisations

  • How she developed her presence as a powerful presenter and communicator

  • Her response when people say the words, ‘I’m not creative’

  • How she recharges her energy to deliver day workshops

  • Her advice for subject matter experts who are asked to share their knowledge with others

About our guest

Dr. Irena Yashin-Shaw, PhD. is an innovation, creativity and communication specialist with a Doctorate in creative problem-solving and a Masters Degree in Adult Education. Prior to starting her consultancy in the private sector she was a Senior Research Fellow and academic at Griffith University.  Here, she worked on a number of university-wide strategic improvement initiatives while lecturing in various academic programs.A sought after speaker and educator Dr. Irena has delivered keynote presentations and workshops in the UK, Russia, China, India, New Zealand, Malaysia and Australia.  She has authored and co-authored numerous publications locally and internationally. Recognising that innovation and creativity are the key drivers of the Twenty-First Century global economy, she has developed a suite of programs designed to assist organisations to increase their innovation capacity by developing a culture of innovation and creative leadership.

Resources

A gift for the First Time Facilitator audience

Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw is offering an incredible for First Time Facilitator listeners - a 50% off discount to The Australian Intrapreneurs Summit . Simply use the code AISDISC50 when purchasing your ticket.

Like this show?

Episode transcript

Click here to read my conversation with Dr Irena Yashin-Shaw on the First Time Facilitator podcast.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 40: A conversation with a CEO (Chief Education Officer) - Martin Probst

The challenge with facilitating or running any type of training program, is ensuring that the lessons stick with participants. This week, I chat to Martin Probst from PROfound leadership on how you can help your learners retain their knowledge, and change their behaviour long after they have left the workshop.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. The challenge with facilitating or running any type of training program, is ensuring that the lessons stick with participants. This week, I chat to Martin Probst from PROfound leadership on how you can help your learners retain their knowledge, and change their behaviour long after they have left the workshop.

The challenge with facilitating or running any type of training program, is ensuring that the lessons stick with participants. This week, I chat to Martin Probst from PROfound leadership on how you can help your learners retain their knowledge, and change their behaviour long after they have left the workshop. Martin is an author, a Career Coach, Professional Mentor, a Chief Education Officer and Managing Director of PROfound Coaching. He created the PROfound methodology to assist clients achieve ultimate success through a platform of self-awareness, building effective human dynamics, as well as strong and healthy work relationships that go beyond the nine-to-five demands of the job.

Martin believes that facilitation is a brain-based conversations where you think, use more assistance, or help people to know how to think that can create an independent learners create their own success.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • The two mindsets: How being aware of the two different mindsets can help you shift focus and become a better facilitator

  • Tips and tricks when starting your own business (or writing a book!)

  • The three stages of embedding learning: learn, implement & teach

  • How to comfortably share your knowledge or ideas with others as first time facilitator

About our guest

Martin Probst is a Chief Education Officer and Managing Director at PROfound Leadership. PROfound Leadership is a Melbourne-based business that offers professional training and coaching for managers. Their aim is to increase confidence and fulfilment in managers to empower them and create a positive impact on the people around them through authentic leadership and actions.

His work directly impacts the lives of many managers in Australia and around the globe through his leadership development books, online training, public speaking events, in-house workshops, and one-on-one coaching.

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.

Tweet Leanne your number one takeaway from this episode!

Click here to tweet your thanks to Martin.

Quotes of the show:

  • “No matter what you do or what you're- for your success will come down to how you deal with people and how you facilitate your conversations with a clear outcome. It doesn't really matter if it's networking, marketing, sales, customer relations, you name it. These are really important skills to have because ultimately, you will be the voice or the brand of your business.”

  • “Change doesn't happen by chance; it happens by choice.”

  • “I think what we need to help people as well is getting out of their heads and getting more into the heart space, that also a really important part. And also, feeling comfortable to feel uncomfortable and ask those uncomfortable questions because that's where the learnings are.”

  • “Once you implement things, you then teach, you facilitate. When you share your knowledge with other people, this requires you to be able to language your learnings; and to translate that in your own words to teach other people. I think that's when your learning is embedded for the rest of your life.”

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 39: Discover your facilitator zone of genius (and monetise your facilitation skills) with Sarah McVanel

Sarah McVanel is a recognition expert, author, an experienced and dynamic speaker and coach. She helps leaders leverage the exponential power of recognition to retain top talent and sustain healthy bottom-lines. She helps organisations by curating healthy workplace cultures through her FROG methodology (Forever Recognize Others' Greatness), as well as through speaking, training, coaching and mentoring others.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Sarah McVanel is a recognition expert, author, an experienced and dynamic speaker and coach. She helps leaders leverage the exponential power of recognition to retain top talent and sustain healthy bottom-lines.

Sarah McVanel is a recognition expert, author, an experienced and dynamic speaker and coach. She helps leaders leverage the exponential power of recognition to retain top talent and sustain healthy bottom-lines.  She helps organisations by curating healthy workplace cultures through her FROG methodology (Forever Recognize Others' Greatness), as well as through speaking, training, coaching and mentoring others.

Her philosophy is that once we rediscover that understanding of our own greatness, we can use it to recognize that greatness all around us and improve ourselves, our workplace and the organization’s bottom line.Sarah also helps intrapreneurs to shake off the golden handcuffs, like she did, and launch successful six to seven figure businesses they love.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • Tips on how to magnify your own greatness as a facilitator

  • Her thoughts on being a generalist vs being an expert in one field

  • How to monetise your skills as a facilitator and steps to develop your side hustle

  • How external consultants can help internal presenters when used in organisations

  • The impact of recognition in an organisation (and how the FROG model helps)

About our guest

Sarah McVanel is a recognition expert based in Ontario, Canada. She holds a Master’s Degree in Family Therapy and research, as well as an Honours BA in Psychology. She has excelled in the field of organisational development, training, and communications for over 15 years. She offers the business evidence to back up how recognizing greatness in ourselves and others is key to sustained business success through improved morale, increased top talent retention, and generating a positive corporate culture.

Her book "Forever Recognize Others Greatness: Solution Focused Strategies to Satisfied Staff, High Performing Teams and Healthy Bottom Lines" and other practical tools leave audiences with the process and insights needed to take action and make a positive difference.

Sarah McVanel has inspired, challenged, and focused her audiences, leaving them with a powerful new understanding of their work, their colleagues and their lives!

A gift for First Time Facilitator listeners

Click here to book a free 15 minute call with Sarah McVanel, to talk through your facilitation ideas.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Quotes of the show:

  • “If you have one core area of expertise then you don't have to be up on the literature in a hundred different places.”

  • “Your amazingness as a facilitator; that goes with you, no matter your area of expertise.”

  • “No organisation has enough bank (even Google) to have people around who are not fulfilling an important function.”

  • “There's no one straight way to becoming a facilitator - I think we can be proud of that because that's how we bring our genius and our authentic greatness to whatever group were working with. It’s a combination of all of our unique experiences.”

Episode transcript

View the episode transcript of my conversation with Sarah McVanel.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

The ultimate facilitator packing checklist (and how the MOST method saves you energy) with Leanne Hughes (Episode 38)

Ep38-Packing.jpg

How do you go about packing when you're off to deliver a workshop?I’ve been travelling quite a bit and spending a lot of time and energy packing.  I thought it was high time I developed some kind of system or checklist around this because spending time and energy on things that can be automated, is not a great use of time.  So I’ve developed a packing system for facilitators, it’s called the MOST method.Have you ever been in a workshop and realised that you forgot the attendance sheet, to print the name of people coming along, you’ve forgotten your laptop charger, your phone charger.  It’s easy to forget things because your mind is probably more focused on your delivery, and the content. If we want to up our professionalism as a facilitator, and to take opportunities that may come at a moment’s notice, it’s important to have a dedicated facilitator kit that we can use, when required.  It's also about getting a really good night’s sleep. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night before a workshop, thinking, ‘Oh gosh, did I pack that worksheet? Did i print that diagram?’ Having a checklist of what to go, to trigger that, before you go to sleep that night is probably the best thing you can do, to ensure you have that energy for the next day.The model I’ve created is an acronym called ‘MOST’ and it stands for categories on my facilitator packing list: M = Me, OS stands for ‘Office Supplies’ and T stands for ‘Tech’.

Facilitator resources mentioned in this episode:

I want the checklist!

Click here to get a free copy of the Ultimate Facilitator packing checklist delivered to your inbox.

Contact the host: Leanne Hughes

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 37: Announcement: Facebook Group is finally here (p.s. It's called 'The Flipchart')

This week’s episode is a bit unusual, it’s a lot shorter than others and it’s really an announcement episode. For a while, like more than six weeks, I’ve promised to launch a Facebook group for the First Time Facilitator audience, or really, anyone that wants to become a better facilitator, trainer or workshop content developer.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. This week's episode is a bit unusual, it's a lot shorter than others and it's really an announcement episode. For a while, like more than six weeks, I've promised to launch a Facebook group for the First Time Facilitator audience, or really, anyone that wants to become a better facilitator, trainer or workshop content developer.

This week’s episode is a bit unusual, it’s a lot shorter than others and it’s really an announcement episode. For a while, like more than six weeks, I’ve promised to launch a Facebook group for the First Time Facilitator audience, or really, anyone that wants to become a better facilitator, trainer or workshop content developer.

Where can I find The Flipchart group on Facebook?

The Facebook group is called ‘The Flipchart’, like the name of my e-newsletter. email newsletter.You may be wondering why it's called The Flipchart and not First Time Facilitator. The reason is that I know many of you are beginning your side hustles, or consultancy, business in this space, and you probably don’t want to be seen in a Facebook group called ‘First Time Facilitator’,as it may create an incorrect assumption.The reason I started this group is because, as a facilitator, I spend a lot of time scouring the internet and YouTube, trying to find a perfect activity, exercise, game, video, image to support my learning material.  I'm sure there's a few of you out there who are doing the same thing! Let's make it easier for each other. This is a global community for facilitators who want to get better at their craft, and also more efficient at developing their workshop content. In this group, we share awesome training tips, hacks and recommendations to help you with the next workshop you deliver. I haven’t gone too prescriptive on what this page really looks like but to give it a bit of guidance, here are some of the daily hashtags - but don’t worry if you want to post something and it’s not related to the daily hashtag, just go ahead and post it!

Group daily Hashtags are:

And then at anytime,

I’d love for you to join the group. Just head on over to The Flipchart on Facebook 

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 36: 7 attributes of a superhero facilitator (and how to rescue a workshop from a fate worse than death) with Leanne Hughes

What does it take to get to get to superhero status in the facilitation game?In this solo episode, Leanne Hughes explores and explains the 7 key attributes she thinks are critical to becoming a superhero facilitator.So, how does a facilitator carry out the responsibilities of a facilitator like a superhero (Lycra optional)? Listen in!

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. What does it take to get to get to superhero status in the facilitation game? In this solo episode, Leanne Hughes explores and explains the 7 key attributes she thinks are critical to becoming a superhero facilitator.

What does it take to get to get to superhero status in the facilitation game?In this solo episode, Leanne Hughes explores and explains the 7 key attributes she thinks are critical to becoming a superhero facilitator.So, how does a facilitator carry out the responsibilities of a facilitator like a superhero (Lycra optional)? Listen in!

In this episode you'll learn

  • The seven key attributes that First Time Facilitators should consider when wanting to level up their game

  • Key questions/statements facilitators can use in their next workshop

  • The APPLE technique, and how you can employ this the next time you're in front of a group

About your host

Leanne Hughes is the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and is based in Brisbane, Australia. She works in the field of Organisational Development. She loves to shake up expectations and create unpredictable experiences and brings over 12 years’ of experience across a variety of industries including mining, tourism, and vocational education and training and believes anyone can develop the skills to deliver engaging group workshops.

Like this show?

Episode transcript

View the transcript of Episode 36 with Leanne Hughes.

Your thoughts

What do you think? Did Leanne miss any? Do you think any of these attributes are more important than others? Let us know! Comment below.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 35: Shift your focus: Be with your audience (not just in front of them) with Hadiya Nuriddin

In today’s episode, I talk to Hadiya Nuriddin. Hadiya is a speaker, a learning strategist, instructional designer and an e-Learning Developer based in Chicago. She has nearly 20 years' experience in all levels of learning and development and has extensive experience in designing, developing, and delivering both technical and professional development courses.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. In today's episode, I talk to Hadiya Nuriddin. Hadiya is a speaker, a learning strategist, instructional designer and an e-Learning Developer based in Chicago. She has nearly 20 years' experience in all levels of learning and development and has extensive experience in designing, developing, and delivering both technical and professional development courses.

In today’s episode, I talk to Hadiya Nuriddin. Hadiya is a speaker, a learning strategist, instructional designer and an e-Learning Developer based in Chicago. She has nearly 20 years' experience in all levels of learning and development and has extensive experience in designing, developing, and delivering both technical and professional development courses.

Hadiya is extremely enthusiastic about ensuring her messages stick. In this episode, we not only talk about using  stories to engage your audience, but she also shares how you can use them in your interactions with clients -which is so helpful if you’re starting a side business, or going out all on your own and trying to drum up business.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How story sharing helps to build rapport with potential clients

  • Tips on finding the right story to tell

  • How she pivoted from a tech support role; into instructional design; and discovered the world of facilitation

  • How the developed her confidence as a facilitator by shifting her focus

  • Hadiya's explanation of the 'story spine' and how this can apply to you as a facilitator

About our guest: Hadiya Nuriddin

Hadiya Nuriddin is the owner of Focus Learning Solutions. She has a MEd in Curriculum Design, an MA in Writing, and a BA in English. She holds the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP), and is MBTI certified. She designs and develops eLearning courses using Articulate Studio, Articulate Storyline, and Captivate. Hadiya is the author of the book StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect.

When she is not working with clients, she consults with other self-employed L&D professionals to help them start and build their own businesses. Hadiya also facilitates courses nationwide on instructional design and development for the Association for Talent Development. She has a Master’s degree in both education (M.Ed.) and writing and publishing (M.A.). She is also a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Quotes of the show:

  • “You may be nervous and scared and trust me; If you begin to change your thinking and realise this journey is “for them” not “for me” then, you will put more on the onus and more of the focus on them and less on yourself.”

  • “Don’t think that one event only has one lesson.”

  • “The point is not just for you to tell stories. The point is to make them, the learners, feel comfortable enough to share their own stories with each other.”

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Hadiya Nuriddin.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 34: How a chemical engineer is changing the way academics present (because life is too short for bad presentations) with Toon Verlinden

In today’s episode, I talk to Toon Verlinden. Toon is an international presentation coach and expert in scientific communication. He is a freelance science and travel journalist and a Biochemical Engineer by profession.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. In today's episode, I talk to Toon Verlinden. Toon is an international presentation coach and expert in scientific communication. He is a freelance science and travel journalist and a Biochemical Engineer by profession.

In today’s episode, I talk to Toon Verlinden. Toon is an international presentation coach and expert in scientific communication. He is a freelance science and travel journalist and a Biochemical Engineer by profession. Together with Hans Van de Water, they started a blog and wrote a book called 'The Floor is Yours: Because Life is too Short for Bad Presentations', and now train thousands of researchers in the techniques necessary to prepare and give effective presentations. 

Listen in when I ask about the coolest and craziest thing he has done in a presentation.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How one presentation provided the opportunity for a career pivot

  • Tips on how to make slides more compelling with your audience.

  • Tips on creating engaging presentations as first time facilitators.

  • The importance of PowerPoint slide design for a workshop (and how a second version can help with your handouts)

About our guest

Toon Verlinden is a freelance science and travel journalist and a Biochemical Engineer by profession. His expertise as an engineer lies in subjects such as water purification, food safety, climate and biochemistry. Emerged with a joint purpose, he wrote the book 'The Floor is Yours: Because Life is too Short for Bad Presentations' along with his good friend, Hans Van de Water,to support researchers at universities, university colleges and organisations in bringing clear and attractive research presentations.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Quotes of the show:

  • “If you are presenting, you are important; not your PowerPoint.”

  • “I think as a facilitator, you need to be very honest with yourself and with your audience.”

  • “Don’t go too broad with your audience. It may also makes it more easier to focus your workshops towards your audience.”

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Toon Verlinden.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 33: The pre-workshop questions you can use to drive a great outcome with Steph Clarke

On today’s show, I chat to Steph Clarke. Steph is originally from the UK and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She runs her own business, using her experience in learning, leadership development and executive coaching to develop courses to help organisations develop and professionals become more confident, productive and effective leaders.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. On today's show, I chat to Steph Clarke. Steph is originally from the UK and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She runs her own business, using her experience in learning, leadership development and executive coaching to develop courses to help organisations develop and professionals become more confident, productive and effective leaders.

On today’s show, I chat to Steph Clarke. Steph is originally from the UK and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She runs her own business, using her experience in learning, leadership development and executive coaching to develop courses to help organisations develop and professionals become more confident, productive and effective leaders.

We cover topics in this episode, ranging from how she pivoted from being an accountant into the world of Learning and Development, and how she grappled with being a First Time Facilitator.  She also shares why she’s decided to focus her business on leadership and creating effective teams; and how she’s created a very unique and cool personal brand.

Listen in when she shares a book recommendation that's really influenced the way she sets up her learning environment, and gives her the language to challenge clients on some of their decisions in the lead-up to delivering a workshop or meeting.

In this episode you'll learn

  • Why it's important to challenge decisions made prior to a workshop

  • How Steph changed careers and entered the world of Learning and Developments

  • How Steph uses self-discovery techniques to keep her participants engaged

  • Why she decided to focus her business on teaching leadership skills for emerging managers/technical experts

  • Her Venn diagram process for leadership (and how she created this model)

  • Her book recommendation and how it changes her outlook on why we bring people together

About our guest

Steph Clarke is a learning and development professional and pommy (that’s a Brit living in Australia for the uninitiated) based in Melbourne.After starting life as an accountant she realised she enjoyed developing others more than deciphering technical accounting standards. Cue a career pivot and for the last nine years she has worked in learning and development in a global professional services organisation. Steph runs her own business, using her experience in learning, leadership development and executive coaching to develop courses to help organisations develop and professionals become more confident, productive and effective leaders.She also hosts the 'Future Leaders Collective'; a meetup in Melbourne for emerging leaders across industries to come together and learn, collaborate and hear from other successful professionals.When she's not creating and curating killer content, you’ll find her in the pilates studio, in the kitchen, on a plane or hiding somewhere with a podcast, book or a great Spotify playlist

Resources mentioned in this episode

Like this show?

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator transcript of my conversation with Steph Clarke.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 32: Does co-facilitating mean half (or double) the work? with Leanne Hughes

Today’s episode is all about co-facilitating. I’ve been wondering how to do it more effectively - particularly if you need to develop the actual content together as well. If you’re handed something off the shelf to deliver, it’s a lot easier to co-facilitate- but doing both the development and delivery together sometimes can be a little tricky.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Today's episode is all about co-facilitating. I've been wondering how to do it more effectively - particularly if you need to develop the actual content together as well.

Today’s episode is all about co-facilitating.  I’ve been wondering how to do it more effectively - particularly if you need to develop the actual content together as well. If you’re handed something off the shelf to deliver, it’s a lot easier to co-facilitate- but doing both the development and delivery together sometimes can be a little tricky.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • The advantages of co-facilitation

  • A process to use the next time you co-facilitate

  • A core document called the ID map that should underpin your workshop development plans

  • Learning objectives: Why they're so critical

  • Systems, tools and apps that enable better collaboration between you and your co-facilitator

Resources mentioned in this episode

About your host

Leanne Hughes is the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and is based in Brisbane, Australia. She works in the field of Organisational Development. She loves to shake up expectations and create unpredictable experiences and brings over 12 years’ of experience across a variety of industries including mining, tourism, and vocational education and training and believes anyone can develop the skills to deliver engaging group workshops.

Like this show?

 

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 31: It’s time to stop recreating content: How to be a more productive facilitator with Sally Foley-Lewis

When you're asked to deliver another workshop, do you find you’re having to recreate content, or dig around different folders, trying to find that one slide or activity that worked really well all those years ago? This happens to me. It drives me crazy. I wish I had a better way, or system to store these resources.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. When you're asked to deliver another workshop, do you find you're having to recreate content, or dig around different folders, trying to find that one slide or activity that worked really well all those years ago? This happens to me.

When you're asked to deliver another workshop, do you find you’re having to recreate content, or dig around different folders, trying to find that one slide or activity that worked really well all those years ago? This happens to me. It drives me crazy. I wish I had a better way, or system to store these resources.

If you listen in our guest today, Sally Foley-Lewis has a solution for you.

Sally is obsessed with productive leadership, helping dedicated professionals (like you), achieve more, reduce your stress and take back two hours per day! 

Listen in to her when I ask about her tips on how she embeds learning on her workshop.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • Valuable and time-saving hacks for first-time facilitators

  • Coping mechanism on dealing with feedback

  • The three big elements of productivity: personal productivity, professional productivity and people productivity.

  • Essential questions you need to to ask yourself before standing in front of your audience.

  • Skills needed as a first-time facilitator.

About our guest

Sally Foley-Lewis is a dynamic and interactive presenter, MC, and much sought after facilitator and executive coach. Blending 20+ years of working with a diverse range of people and industries, in Germany, the UAE, Asia, and even outback Australia, with exceptional qualifications; a wicked sense of humour and an ability to make people feel at ease, she’s your first choice for mastering skills and achieving results. Obsessed with productive leadership, Sally helps you achieve more, reduce stress and take back two hours per day!

She has written three books, her latest is The Productive Leader and she gives presentations and runs workshops to help people become Productive Leaders. Sally's clients rave about her because she leaves the audience equipped to take immediate positive action.

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!

Click here to tweet your thanks to Sally

Quotes of the show:

  • “The goods are good; don't devalue good. It's good and that's a positive word.”

  • “I think for facilitators, it's being okay to play, be flexible and adaptive and to continue trying to work things out because your audience wants to get it".

  • “The more content you shove in; the more shallow you're going to be. I think that's that balancing act that makes it very hard for facilitators sometimes.”

Transcript

View the transcript of my conversation with Sally Foley-Lewis.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 30: A hostage, a hard-worker and a holiday maker walk into a workshop… with Murray Guest

Murray Guest is a coach, consultant, facilitator and speaker based out of Newcastle, Australia. His consultancy is called ‘Inspire my business’ which is apt, because as you will be able to tell from the conversation, he’s an inspirational bloke.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Murray Guest is a coach, consultant, facilitator and speaker based out of Newcastle, Australia. His consultancy is called 'Inspire my business' which is apt, because as you will be able to tell from the conversation, he's an inspirational bloke.

Murray Guest is a coach, consultant, facilitator and speaker based out of Newcastle, Australia.  His consultancy is called ‘Inspire my business’ which is apt, because as you will be able to tell from the conversation, he’s an inspirational bloke. 

After over 20 years in corporate roles which included roles as a QA Manager, L&D Manager, BD Manager and Facilitator, Murray followed his heart and started his own business as a business coach, facilitator and consultant.  

We cover a range of topics in this conversation, ranging from the importance of professionalism as a facilitator; to the questions he uses to get people to start talking to each other at the beginning of a workshop; through to behaviour management.

Listen in when we also talk about teams in organisations and reasons why they may not be performing as effectively as they could/should.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How Murray got his break into the world of facilitation

  • His philosophy around TGIF

  • The importance of professionalism and what that means for facilitators

  • What you can do when you have participants who demonstrate resistance in your workshops

  • The three types of audience members in your workshop

  • How he uses the Gallup Strengths Finder tool everyday; in both his personal and professional life

  • Why it’s important to create foundations in a workshop (and how long Murray spends doing this)

  • How to survive (and keep your energy and sanity) during consecutive days of facilitation and

  • Ideas on when you should start reflecting on a workshop you’ve just run (hint: Don’t reflect immediately!)

  • His advice for First Time Facilitators

About our guest

Murray Guest is one of Australia’s leading Strengths coaches, helping over 1,000 people unlock and apply their strengths to achieve their professional and personal goals. As a Gallup certified Strengths coach he partners with organisations to build strengths-based cultures and realise the benefits a strengths-based approach brings. 

The founding director of Inspire My Business, he combines his diverse experience in HR, QA and Business Development to inspire leaders and their teams along the pathway of change and continuous improvement. 

His recognition includes one of only two coaches to speak at all three of the Gallup Strengths Summits in Omaha and receiving the HMA Excellence in Training Award for leading significant improvements as the Learning and Development Manager of Tomago Aluminum.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Murray Guest.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 29: Adventurous agendas and other tools you can use in your next meeting

Ever had to facilitate a strategic or planning session, or important meeting, and wanted some fresh ideas on how to do it, and how to make that agenda come to life?I recently had a fantastic opportunity to facilitate a three day annual planning meeting.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Ever had to facilitate a strategic or planning session, or important meeting, and wanted some fresh ideas on how to do it, and how to make that agenda come to life? I recently had a fantastic opportunity to facilitate a three day annual planning meeting.

Ever had to facilitate a strategic or planning session, or important meeting, and wanted some fresh ideas on how to do it, and how to make that agenda come to life?I recently had a fantastic opportunity to facilitate a three day annual planning meeting.  As part of my preparation, I discovered some interesting tools (and received some really useful advice), that I think listeners of the First Time Facilitator podcast could really benefit hearing about.On that note, I was thinking of creating some kind of peer-support group for First Time Facilitators, maybe a closed Facebook group, where we can start sharing these tools & getting support from each other. If that’s something you’d be interested in, let me know - you can email me - hello@firsttimefacilitator.com, or add me on LinkedIn. I think it would be really great to start leveraging the activities we’re doing around the world, and supporting each other.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • An interesting, adventurous way to present an agenda and set expectations

  • A tool you can use if the right level of detail isn't being addressed in a meeting

  • Some general facilitation advice I received from two experts

Resources mentioned in this episode:

About your host

Leanne Hughes is the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and is based in Brisbane, Australia. She works in the field of Organisational Development. She loves to shake up expectations and create unpredictable experiences and brings over 12 years’ of experience across a variety of industries including mining, tourism, and vocational education and training and believes anyone can develop the skills to deliver engaging group workshops.

Like this show?

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator podcast transcript of Episode 29.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 28: Facilitation is all about the tempo with Joshua John

In today’s episode, you’re going to hear from a good mate of mine, Joshua John. Josh has been living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and has been working as a Language, Literacy and Numeracy trainer at North Regional TAFE. It’s a pretty challenging gig for trainers in the region. It’s normal for trainer to drive hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres in a week to deliver training to students at remote communities.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. In today's episode, you're going to hear from a good mate of mine, Joshua John. Josh has been living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and has been working as a Language, Literacy and Numeracy trainer at North Regional TAFE.

In today’s episode, you’re going to hear from a good mate of mine, Joshua John. Josh has been living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and has been working as a Language, Literacy and Numeracy trainer at North Regional TAFE. It’s a pretty challenging gig for trainers in the region. It’s normal for trainer to drive hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres in a week to deliver training to students at remote communities.

The reason I asked him on the show, was to talk about these challenges, even down to the detail of what he packs on the road… but also talk about his side hustle in the world of MC’ing too.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How to keep participants moving in a workshop (literally!)

  • How he responded when his mind went blank at the national stand-up comedy festival

  • How he prepares for his MC work

  • His take on using humour in your presentations

  • Josh's packing list when he trains people remotely

About our guest

Joshua John is an Access (Literacy, Language and Numeracy) lecturer based in Broome, Western Australia.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Quotes of the show:

  • People try to stick in so much content and it's too much. It's like a tsunami of information. It overwhelms people.

  • One of the most important things across every industry is that ability to communicate.

  • What that individual will see is, every other person in the class has spoken and no one has laughed. When it gets to their turn, they're able to say something - and it's more part of that desire to be part of the group. No individual is going to go against that and not speak. They're engaged, and then from there, the classroom environment is working well.

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator podcast transcript with Joshua John.

Read More
Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator Podcast Episodes First Time Facilitator

Episode 27: Being comfortable (with feeling uncomfortable) with Leanne Hughes

Usually on the show I interview amazing facilitators, speakers and leaders but I’m going solo for today’s episode. This is the third solo episode I’ve recorded and these ones are usually spurred on by questions I receive from listeners. The question this week was from a colleague and it was this, “Leanne, how did you get the confidence to speak in front of large groups?”There's a bit to unpack in that question. Its different for everyone. Interestingly, this question is about confidence; not about developing the skill.

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. Usually on the show I interview amazing facilitators, speakers and leaders but I'm going solo for today's episode. This is the third solo episode I've recorded and these ones are usually spurred on by questions I receive from listeners.

Usually on the show I interview amazing facilitators, speakers and leaders but I’m going solo for today’s episode. This is the third solo episode I’ve recorded and these ones are usually spurred on by questions I receive from listeners.  The question this week was from a colleague and it was this, “Leanne, how did you get the confidence to speak in front of large groups?”There's a bit to unpack in that question. Its different for everyone.  Interestingly, this question is about confidence; not about developing the skill.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • The real opportunities I had that lead me to feel more confident speaking in front of large groups.

  • How I compare training for a marathon with becoming a better public speaker

  • How I found opportunities within roles I held to practise speaking in public more often

  • Why time on your feet matters (and how you find those opportunities)

  • My driver for doing things differently in front of an audience

  • The joys of being a wedding MC

About our guest

Leanne Hughes is the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and is based in Brisbane, Australia. She works in the field of Organisational Development. She loves to shake up expectations and create unpredictable experiences and brings over 12 years’ of experience across a variety of industries including mining, tourism, and vocational education and training and believes anyone can develop the skills to deliver engaging group workshops.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Like this show?

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator podcast transcript of Episode 27.

Read More