I’m joined by Mark McKeon—ex-AFL player, high-performance coach with Collingwood, creator of The Go Zone and Everyday Counts. We dig into the real-world parallels between elite sport and facilitation: preparation, energy management, room design, AV (yes, batteries!), and what it truly means to be audience-centric.

Why listen

If you want practical, field-tested ways to run the room (from set-up to mindset) and still have fuel left in the tank, this one is gold.

What we cover

• Serendipity to stage: How a one-off corporate talk turned into 1,400+ presentations.
• Sport → Facilitation: The “you on game day” mindset and why it matters when you’re the one with the ball (aka the mic).
• Start with the end in mind: The magic-wand briefing question: “If this goes perfectly, what three outcomes happen?”
• Audience-centric delivery: Get out of your own head; read the room; respond to cues (phones out = change it up).
• Split-brain skill: Stay present and steer the session toward outcomes—at the same time.
• Room craft (the unsexy advantage):
• Avoid long, skinny rooms; position yourself in the middle if you must.
• Always use a stage for big rooms.
• Ditch the lectern; go lapel mic (hands free).
• Ask AV for fresh batteries (non-negotiable).
• Prefer rounds, open at the front for smaller groups; block off the back in large rooms so people sit closer.
• Expect the unexpected: Sirens, alarms, gear hiccups—your calm sets the tone.
• Energy management: Arrive early, then disappear until showtime. Take breaks solo. One coffee. Move your body in the morning. No alcohol the night before.
• The Go/Slow/No Zone system (sustainable peak performance):
• Go Zone (≈2 hrs): Door shut, notifications off, single-task the most important items. Buzzer on.
• Slow Zone: Still productive, lighter context-switching.
• No Zone: True recovery—phone off, do what restores you.
• Aim for a 2:1 ratio of Go:No across the week; schedule both and move it, don’t lose it.
• Memorable, not gimmicky: Use images/props only when they’re congruent with the message (007 = Organization, Optimism, 7 Habits; crocodile suit = thick skin in sales). Don’t let tricks upstage the teaching.
• Breaking in: Do every rep you can (Rotary, clubs, internal meetings). The best marketing? Do a great job.

Favorite lines

• “Be audience-centric. You’re there to serve them, not your slide deck.”
• “Stress isn’t the problem—lack of recovery is.”
• “Don’t be a prisoner to your structure—steer toward outcomes.”
• “Move it, don’t lose it—especially your No Zones.”

Practical checklist (use before your next workshop)

• Ask the magic-wand outcomes question.
• Confirm room shape, stage, seating, lectern = no, lapel mic = yes.
• Fresh batteries in the mic pack.
• Schedule this week’s Go blocks (2 hrs) and No blocks (recovery).
• Plan a “phone-out pivot” (what you’ll do if attention dips).
• Decide your entrance and first 60 seconds.
• Script 2–3 audience-centric checkpoints (pause, pulse questions, turn & talk).

Timestamps

• 00:00 Intro & Mark’s left-field path to facilitation
• 06:30 Sport → stage: pressure, ownership, performance
• 12:10 Briefing right: outcomes first, then design
• 17:45 Audience-centric delivery & reading cues
• 23:20 Room set-up that actually helps you facilitate
• 31:05 Mic choices, AV etiquette, and battery rules
• 36:30 Energy rituals: pre-show, breaks, and recovery
• 43:20 The Go/Slow/No Zone system (with ratios)
• 52:10 Stories vs. gimmicks: making images serve the message
• 58:00 First-time facilitator advice that still hits

Links & mentions

• Mark McKeon – Go Zone & Everyday Counts (search his site/books to dive deeper)
• Collingwood FC (context for Mark’s high-performance background)

Try this this week

Block one Go Zone (120 minutes) before lunch, every day for five days. One task at a time. Door shut. Notifications off. Then book three No Zone hours across the week. Report back—I want to hear what changed.

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Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com

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