First Time Facilitator

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

Send Leanne a message Jan Keck i s back on First Time Facilitator for a pop-up episode, and this one is for anyone who wants to create connection without making people cringe.   Jan first appeared on the podcast in Episode 156, and in this conversation he shares the thinking behind his new book, The Campfire Method , plus what he’s learned from three years of writing, testing, and refining his ide...

Send Leanne a message Today, I’m thrilled to welcome back my friend, leadership strategist, and powerhouse of positivity — Neen James — to the show! If you haven’t seen the YouTube version yet, go and watch it. Neen radiates light, energy, and fun — she’s truly a walking champagne moment . Fun links: Discover Your Luxury Mindset Self-Assessment Luxury Is A Mindset Neen James Luxury Mindset Researc...

Send Leanne a message In this episode of First Time Facilitator , I chat with Dr Liz O'Riordan about her leap from the operating theatre to the workshop room.  After being diagnosed with cancer and leaving surgery, Liz turned to speaking, writing, and now — facilitation. With only days to prepare, she discovered my book The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint , raided her kitchen cupboards for props, a...

Send Leanne a message I wrote this article this after being on a group call where one person dominated the airtime. You know the ones, right?  As facilitators, it’s our job to respect the room, the time, and the energy of everyone there. And sometimes, that means stepping in. Yes, interrupting can feel awkward — but if you do it with care, it can completely transform the vibe of your sessions. In...

Send Leanne a message Hey, thanks for tuning in today. I just wrapped up a webinar for a long-time client — an organization that delivers live , critical , and completely anonymous support via webinars. That’s right. No faces. No names. Just silence... and a flurry of comments in the chat. So how do you respond when the comments start rolling in — especially when the stakes are high and the people...

Send Leanne a message I’m so excited to take you behind the scenes of my rebranding journey—aka Leanne 3.0 . In this replay, I chat with Jason Knight, the brilliant mind behind my new brand. Watch our conversation on YouTube to see the brand! Jason and I first connected on my First Time Facilitator podcast back in 2019, and five years later, I finally brought him on board to reimagine how I show u...

Send Leanne a message Fresh off a Las Vegas red carpet experience, Leanne Hughes sits down with legendary consultant Alan Weiss for a candid conversation about career risks, professional reinvention, and the art of strategic decision-making.  Drawing parallels between Vegas gambling and career moves, this episode delivers unexpected insights about when to hold steady and when to make bold moves in...

Send Leanne a message In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes welcomes Mary-Louise (ML) Huppatz , CEO of the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM), to discuss her unique approach to conferences, leading change, and facilitation. ML's passion for people and creating meaningful learning experiences comes through as she shares insights into how sh...

Send Leanne a message 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. Join us for our retreat: The Red Carpet Campout Psst.. Come along to our Red Carpet Campout 10-12...

Send Leanne a message Host Leanne Hughes takes you behind the scenes of the recent "How to Face Change" event she co-hosted with Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS).  From brainstorming ideas, locking in the perfect venue, to manufacturing demand for tickets, Leanne spills all the details on how they turned a bold idea into an unforgettable experience. Expect candid reflections, actionable tips...

Send Leanne a message 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. 🔍 Wha...

Send Leanne a message Come along to our event! https://lu.ma/rooftopbne In this episode, host Leanne Hughes chats with Michael Bungay Stanier on their upcoming event in Brisbane together on 3 Sep 2024, and the art of co-facilitation. Reflecting on their first podcast experience in Brisbane, they dive into topics such as managing facilitation dynamics, preparing for keynotes, and what makes their u...

Send Leanne a message In this episode, host Leanne Hughes provides an update on her activities as a solopreneur and content creator, sharing insights from her recent experiences and projects.  She provides an update on her book, some of the work she's delivered this year, including a recent innovative conference presentation focused on flexibility.  She also shares upcoming events like a roof...

Send Leanne a message Are you currently running workshops, generating ace ideas, have some cool toolsup your sleeve? Maybe you should turn all of that great stuff into a book! If you're curious how to do that, you'll love today's conversation with fellow first-time authors and Brisbane business owners, Mel Loy and Jade Miller. Both Jade and Mel are experienced workshop hosts, and th...

Send Leanne a message Watch our conversation on YouTube. 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...

Send Leanne a message Today, I'm joined by Lisa Leong, a broadcaster, author, and facilitator. Watch us chat on YouTube. 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.  Wed...

Send Leanne a message 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&a...

Send Leanne a message 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. Watch our conversation on YouTube. Phil outlines how he uses frameworks to guide organisations through transformation, draws on his command and activator strengths for maximum impact, and explains the impor...

Send Leanne a message 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...

Send Leanne a message 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 a...

Send Leanne a message   Watch our conversation on YouTube! My experience with luck has been, you can actually optimize for luck. So, what is this got to do with workshops and facilitation and hosting group events? I think it has a lot to do with it. If your goal is next year to create more workshops, to work with really great clients, to be more aligned with the work that you do-- yhere's an...

Send Leanne a message How do you personally POWER YOURSELF UP to host a workshop when you're sleep deprived? That's the topic Leanne riffs off in this solo episode, where she shares ideas on: * * Insights from her personal story on powering up after facing challenges like jet lag and disrupted routines. * How personal energy significantly impacts workshop facilitation and the need to sho...

Send Leanne a message 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.&q...

Send Leanne a message What does it mean to truly have the character of a leader? Is culture really something we can influence in an organisation?   Watch our conversation on YouTube! Shane Hatton is an author, trainer, coach, and speaker who is passionate about developing remarkable leaders and cultures. He works with organizations to close the leadership gap between mid and senior level leaders....