First Time Facilitator

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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 your professional life. 

Whether you're contemplating a career pivot or looking to level up your impact, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on professional risk-taking.

What You'll Learn:

• 🎯 The crucial difference between smart risks and dangerous career gambles
• 💼 Why overhead kills consulting businesses (and what to do instead)
• 🔄 How to balance high competence with personal energy and passion
• 🚀 The mindset shift from "what you want to do" to "who you want to be"
• 📚 Strategic approaches to writing books while maintaining a consulting practice
• 🎯 Why staying "one step ahead" of clients isn't enough (and what to aim for instead)
• 🧠 The danger of "news diets" and why staying informed matters
• 💡 How to present yourself as truly unique rather than a commodity
• 🎭 The art of switching between consulting and coaching modes
• 📈 Why "working harder on yourself than your job" might be the wrong approach

Key Quote: "You need to pursue what you love doing that can make you money... The ideal thing is you should be making money to support the lifestyle to which you aspire and loving what you do every day." - Alan Weiss

Whether you're an independent consultant, corporate professional, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers practical wisdom for making strategic career moves without gambling away your future.

Want to connect?

• Join our next live stream: November 27th at 4pm Eastern (US) / November 28th at 7am Eastern (Australia)
• Share your thoughts with Leanne: Connect on LinkedIn or email [email protected]

Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025…
Coming to you in March, it's The Red Carpet Campout!
If you love building connections, creating communities, and generously sharing their ideas, you'll LOVE this experience.
I’d love to see you there!

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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 she transforms conferences from routine events into transformative experiences.

Abut today's guest: ML Huppatz
ML is CEO for the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM) - a job that she describes as being the #1 cheerleader for people working in the sector. She is passionate about people with a capital P - and focuses on creating learning experiences which support self mastery and confidence, development of an individual's leadership, and helping people to thrive in their own career journeys.

On a Thursday night you will find her moonlighting as Rakali - a Joey leader at 5th Brunswick Scouts, and loving nurturing the next generation of leaders."

Episode Highlights:
The Delegate Experience: Redefining Conferences:
ML discusses the importance of creating meaningful networking opportunities and how ATEM designs conference spaces to encourage organic connections.

Key Strategies for Crafting Unforgettable Conferences

•  ML highlights the importance of first-time delegate experiences, explaining how they organize dedicated welcome drinks and smaller group sessions to ease people into the larger event.
• Post-lunch energy dips are tackled with "keystone sessions," where all conference participants engage in the same experience across multiple rooms, creating a shared reflective and bonding opportunity.
•  ML shares her aversion to the term "networking" and how she prefers to create informal spaces for delegates to connect naturally, without the pressure often associated with formal networking.

Innovating the Role of the MC: The Conference Catalyst

• ML explains how ATEM has redefined the traditional role of the MC by introducing the concept of the “conference catalyst.”Rather than just announcing speakers and keeping time, the catalyst becomes part of the event’s personality, helping to build connections and engage attendees on a deeper level (and I, Leanne, was thrilled to play this role!)

ML’s Personal Leadership Journey

•  ML reflects on her career journey, which includes a diverse range of roles in journalism, HR, strategy, and facilitation, all leading to her current position at ATEM.

Key Takeaways:

• Conferences can and should be more than just events; they are opportunities to create lasting change, connection, and learning.
• Networking doesn’t need to be formal or intimidating—providing organic, informal spaces can make it easier for people to connect.
• The role of the MC can be transformed into a more engaging, interactive experience with the concept of a “conference catalyst.”
• Embracing your strengths and allowing yourself to be “you” in professional settings leads to more authentic leadership and engagement.

Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025…
Coming to you in March, it's The Red Carpet Campout!
If you love building connections, creating communities, and generously sharing their ideas, you'll LOVE this experience.
I’d love to see you there!

Support the show

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 March, 2025, only 90 mins from Brisbane, Australia. Only six tents remain!

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:

• www.mindandbodygroup.com.au
• www.mindandbodytravel.com
• Steven Demedio on LinkedIn

Imagine the Best Professional Development Experience of 2025…
Coming to you in March, it's The Red Carpet Campout!
If you love building connections, creating communities, and generously sharing their ideas, you'll LOVE this experience.
I’d love to see you there!

Support the show

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, and a whole lot of fun as Leanne shares the highs, challenges, and big wins from this Brisbane-based event.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

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

Episode Highlights:

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

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Watch the 3-minute event highlight video on YouTube
• Michael Bungay Stanier's work
• Our Luma event site
• Diary of a CEO interview with Daniel Priestly

Upcoming Events with Leanne:

1. Red Carpet Group Experience: Las Vegas with Leanne Hughes
   📅 October 30, 2024
   
   
2. Get to the Point Workshop with Sally Prosser
   📅 November 19, 2024 | Brisbane
    
3. Luxury Glamping Retreat: Red Carpet Campout
   📅 Dates: 10-12 March 2025 | Location: Private property, 90 mins from Brisbane
    

Join the Conversation: What resonated with you from today’s episode? Let us know!  Share your thoughts on social media and tag Leanne and Michael.

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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:

• Connect with Hitomi Whitlock on LinkedIn
• Tools discussed: ClickUp, Miro, Loom, GoodNotes

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

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

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

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

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

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In this episode, host Leanne Hughes provides an update on her activities as a solopreneur and content creator, sharing insights from her recent experiences and projects. 

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

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

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

Cool events:

• How to Face Change with Michael Bungay Stanier in Brisbane 3 September
• Return on Las Vegas: Small group experience in Las Vegas with Leanne 30 October (email [email protected] if you want details!)
• Cast your vote: Once in a lifetime learning experiences
• Join our Talk the Walk live broadcast with Alan Weiss

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Are you currently running workshops, generating ace ideas, have some cool toolsup your sleeve? Maybe you should turn all of that great stuff into a book!

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

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

Connect with Jade Miller

• Jade Miller's book: Making Lemonade
• Jade's website
• Connect with Jade on LinkedIn

Connect with Mel Loy

• Mel's book: Change Isn't Hard
• LinkedIn: Mel Loy on LinkedIn
• Website: Hey Mel! Comms and Training and MelanieLoy.com
• Podcast: Less Chatter, More Matter

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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 years ago)
• Interactions between AI and Humans, what works?
• The ageing population in the workforce and how to manage it

Connect with thousands of facilitators from all over the world in our free Facebook group called The Flipchart:    / firsttimefacilitator 

Love Alan’s shares? Contact him and let him know!

• Alan Weiss on LinkedIn

Learn more about the host, Leanne Hughes' work at https://www.leannehughes.com
Grab Leanne’s book, The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: https://2hourwork.shop

Alan Resources

1. Alan Weiss's Website: This is the primary source for accessing all of Alan Weiss's content, books, and workshops. 
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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. 

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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. 

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

• Lisa Leong on LinkedIn
• Lisa Leong on Instagram
• Lisa's profile on ABC Radio

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:

• Lisa's Favorite Mindfulness Apps
• "The Skilled Facilitator" by Roger Schwarz

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