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In today's episode, I'm delighted to introduce our guest, Jeff Skipper. Jeff and I have been colleagues for the past couple of years, sharing insights in our growth cycle mastermind group. We've connected virtually every two weeks and had the pleasure of meeting in person during a memorable gathering in Hawaii, part of Alan Weiss's community.

About Jeff Skipper

Jeff Skipper is a recognised expert in accelerating change with over 25 years of experience. He has worked with renowned clients such as IBM, Suncor, Goldman Sachs, and the Salvation Army, helping them achieve remarkable results in their strategic transformation efforts by infusing complex change with a motivating mission.

Jeff possesses a unique talent for creating impactful activities and workshops. He excels at breaking down complex challenges and reengineering them into practical solutions. Exciting news for our listeners, Jeff is currently working on a workshop booklet that will feature his top 30 change activities.

During our conversation, we delve into the essential aspects of driving and leading change. Jeff underscores the significance of visible leadership, especially in today's virtual landscape where meaningful connections can be a challenge. We also explore opportunities for meaningful in-person connections and how they contribute to the success of change initiatives.

Jeff is the author of the insightful book, "Dancing with Disruption." 

In this podcast episode, you'll learn:

• The role of emotions in leading change
• Practical strategies for engaging people during times of disruption.
• How leaders can inspire trust and commitment in their teams
• The significance of consistency in messaging,
• The contagious nature of both resistance and enthusiasm in organisational change.

Quotes from the Episode:

• "It's hard to generate that level of excitement until you're out there, shaking hands with people, patting them on the back, and telling them they're doing a good job."
• "Even if your organization's life depends on it, not everyone's gonna get on board. So what do you need to do?"
• "It's important to give people space to connect. When we have an hour to just talk and unpack things, that's where we really start to connect and build levels of trust."
• "You're trying to engage people on an emotional level. Yes, I need to help them build new competencies to navigate a change, but I'm trying to keep a positive viewpoint around what's going to happen."
• "If I dip my toe in the water, it's going to be safe. Again, the role of leaders is to create that safety for people."

Links and Resources:

• Jeff Skipper's Website
• Jeff Skipper's Book: "Dancing with Disruption"
• Connect with Jeff Skipper on LinkedIn

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In today's episode, we explore the intricate emotions that facilitators experience right before a workshop – a whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and anticipation. 

My guest today is the award-winning TV journalist from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sophie Scott OAM. Sophie's multi-faceted career has transitioned her from a household face on TV to a well-renowned speaker and educator, with a prime focus on mental health. 

Dive into our conversation as we unravel Sophie's personal journey, discover her pre-workshop routines, and delve deep into her experience with burnout. It's a candid, open conversation about the realities of mental well-being, the importance of self-care, and the pivotal role that authentic communication plays in our lives.

What You Will Learn:

• Sophie's transition from a journalist to an advocate for mental well-being and a sought-after speaker.
• The personal story of Sophie's encounter with burnout, which she faced while in the public eye.
• The "Spotlight Effect" – A mechanism to center oneself and focus on the audience while facilitating.
• Physical Reactions to Anxiety: Even when well-prepared, your body might still show signs of anxiety, but recognizing these signs and continuing to move forward can be beneficial.
• Facilitation vs. Journalism: Both roles involve extracting information and insight, and the techniques used in journalism can apply to facilitation.
• Tips and ideas on how to host engaging panels or events.

About Sophie Scott OAM

In addition to an extensive career as an award-winning medical TV journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sophie is a professional speaker and educator with expertise in mental health.

She has an extensive presence on social media, has been an invited speaker at the World Congress on Positive Psychology, has written two books (Live a Longer Life (ABC Books) and RoadTesting Happiness (Harper Collins), and has won major awards for her journalism and medical reporting including a prestigious Eureka Award

Sophie’s mission is to help people help themselves, using evidence-based science and her own personal journey.

She is an ambassador for Bowel Cancer Australia, Pain Australia and is a patient reviewer for the British Medical Journal.

Sophie is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on topics such as preventing burnout, managing your mental well-being during times of change, the science of high-performance habits, and how to use neuroscience to stick to new habits and overcome unwanted ones.

Her talks and workshops help people take better care of their mental health through science-backed techniques so they can build emotional resilience, maximise their potential and thrive at work and at home.

Links and Resources:

• Sophie Scott's Website - A central hub where you can find all of Sophie's content, including links to her social media platforms.
• Insight Timer and Balance App: These apps are mentioned in the conversation, suggesting they might be tools for personalization or well-being.

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

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In today's episode, I chat with Brendon Baker, a change leader I've had the pleasure of knowing for over a year and a half. Our professional relationship has grown from friendtorshop to active collaboration. 
We discuss the core of his workshops, how to deliver real value, and his personal experiences with business growth.

About Brendon Baker:

Brendon is dedicated to helping Change Leaders achieve tangible results. He's been at the helm of over $10 Billion in projects and programs, and from these ventures, he's gathered key insights:

1. Change is tough, so it needs to be worth the effort.
2. Simple solutions often yield the best results.
3. Traditional methods and 'best practices' don't always translate well into practical situations.

Brendon is the author of "Valuable Change" and "Creating High Value PMOs". He lives outside of Canberra, Australia.

What you'll learn:

• The story behind Brendan Baker's business growth and his journey towards helping leaders.
• The significance of understanding the "reality" in corporate scenarios.
• The essence and application of workshops in creating change.
• Perception of Last-minute Work: Reframing that last-minute preparation might be seen as scrappy or inadequate. 
• The value of being in communities to find your next career role model.

Quotes from the episode:

• "I've come to call that a point of arrogance... they think that what they're delivering is right and ultimately they don't know."
• "If you focus on what truly needs to matter, then you don't have to do as much work and you can focus on shifting the dial."
• "Workshops are for teaching people new things and for collaboratively solving problems."

Join us as we navigate the fascinating world of leadership, transformation, and the intricacies of creating meaningful change with Brendon Baker.

Connect with Brendon

• Visit Brendon’s website
• Connect with Brendon Baker on LinkedIn

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

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Welcome to a podcast swap! I was a guest on the delightful Prina Shah's podcast, Ways to Change the Workplace recently, and the episode had such wonderful reviews/feedback, I thought I'd bring it onto this feed!

• What are some common mistakes that workshop facilitators make that lead to boring workshops?
•  How can workshop facilitators create a safe and inclusive environment where all participants feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions?
• What are some creative approaches to workshop design that can help break up the monotony of traditional lecture-style presentations?

About today’s episode:
Today I chat with my friend Leanne Hughes all the way in Brisbane, Queensland. Leanne is a thought-provoking entrepreneur with an upcoming book called the 2 Hour Workshop Blueprint and it is great – I have been an early reader and have user-tested it myself in the workshops that I deliver! 

I speak with Leanne about: How to Stamp out Boring Workshops!
Watch the youtube version here: https://youtu.be/HTkZi8Uw7dQ 

Leanne talks about her years of experience as a facilitator and what she has learnt from that, we cover: 

• Common mistakes that workshop facilitators make that lead to boring workshops.
• How important it is to engage workshop participants from the outset, and some effective ways to do so.
• The role technology plays in creating more dynamic and engaging workshops.
• I ask how important is it to have a clear purpose and desired outcome for a workshop, and how can facilitators ensure that participants are aligned with these goals?
• We discuss ways to keep energy levels high throughout the workshop, particularly during long sessions.
• How workshop facilitators can create a safe and inclusive environment where all participants feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions.
• Some creative approaches to workshop design that can help break up the monotony of traditional lecture-style presentations.
• Some common myths about what makes a workshop successful, and how we can dispel them to create more effective learning experiences.
• And listen in to Leanne’s answer to my question: if you had a magic wand, what is one way you would change the workplace? 

About today’s guest: Leanne Hughes is a consultant, speaker, and facilitator, maximising team potential by creating influential, contagious work experiences that scale across teams, functions, and regions.

As a workshop designer and facilitator, she combines her experience in Marketing with her education (and obsession) with Group Dynamics and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging experiences. 

Leanne has distilled her knowledge and experience into The First Time Facilitator podcast, and now, a book ‘The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint’.

Resources and links

• Grab the book The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: Design Fast. Deliver Strong. Without Stress: https://2hourwork.shop
• Website: https://www.leannehughes.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannehughes/

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

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In today's episode, your host Leanne Hughes delves deep into her journey as a participant and her experiences leading up to a world-class speaking conference in Hobart. She also touches upon the significance of mindset in the world of speaking, facilitation, and beyond.

She also touches upon the significance of mindset in the world of speaking, facilitation, and beyond.

What you will learn:

• The importance of setting the right pre-conference expectations and the art of crafting a powerful pre-event experience.
• How the location of an event can significantly shape a participant's experience and perspective.
• Dressing the Part: The Psychology of Becoming a World-Class Speaker
• The value of provoking thought, over disseminating information
• What does being "world-class" mean to you?
• What I get ready before I attend an event, and how I decide to choose my accommodation.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Check out the workshop hosts: Andrew Griffiths and Keith Abraham
• Jenny Blake's TED conference episode: 10+ Conference Networking Strategies with Alisa Cohn
• "The Referrable Speaker" by Michael Port
• Review my new book, The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint on Amazon 
• Send me an email: [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

📝 Subscribe for free at work.fa.me 

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In today's episode, I’m delighted to welcome Sally Porteous, the esteemed Managing Director of a renowned event production company. Sally has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to lead transformative workshops and captivating events. Her experience offers a fascinating glimpse into the surprising parallels that exist within these arenas.

Sally will walk us through her unique journey into the vibrant world of event management, a journey that was as much about self-discovery as it was about realizing her inherent strengths and discovering her 'zone of genius'. She shares compelling anecdotes that illustrate how natural talents can often be things that others find challenging.

We'll be diving deep into the art of setting up the perfect environment for your events and workshops right from the get-go. Sally will share some unusual sources of inspiration, including the simple act of observing interactions at shopping centers or malls. Her perspectives will certainly open up new ways of thinking about event planning.

This episode is packed with valuable insights from Sally. She will share a set of powerful closing questions for your workshops that not only ease your workload but also ensure that participants fully engage with and remember the content. It's all about fostering a sense of co-creation.

About today’s guest
Sally Porteous is Managing Director of event production company Red Lanyard, where she produces festivals, conferences, events and meetings. She is the creator of the Event Planners Workshop, a series of training, coaching and mentoring products to bridge the gap between accredited education and learn-by-doing. She also coordinates and facilitates The Event Managers Network, a membership that connects, supports and networks suppliers and event managers.

Links and Resources:

• Connect with Sally Porteous on LinkedIn
• Attached is the questionnaire that Sally shares on the show.
• Credit to Michael Doneman, Founding Director of Edgeware Creative Entrepreneurship
• Link to Sally’s simple Pre-Event Checklist 

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

📝 Subscribe for free at work.fa.me 

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Today, I'm chatting to Andrew Hollo, Director and Principal Consultant at Workwell Consulting, who shares his unique insights on facilitation and strategic alignment. I've got to say, after we finished recording, I wanted to share this episode with absolutely anybody who runs a facilitation business!

What You'll Learn:

• The importance of organising and summarising information (and how you can get better at it)
• How feeling under-prepared can sometimes foster agility in facilitation
• The power of directing conversations with two or three key questions
• How to maintain visibility and engagement with potential clients
• Navigating challenging situations in a leadership development session

About the Guest:
Andrew Hollo is Australia’s leading expert in getting diverse interests to reach a strategically aligned position. As the Director and Principal Consultant at Workwell Consulting, he works with organisations that deliver societal benefits and are community-invested. 

Andrew has led over 1000 projects for clients who deliver substantial public value, including government and non-government bodies, privately held companies, and non-profits since 1999. His expertise lies in challenging existing paradigms and driving diverse views to clear, high-value conceptual agreements in the shortest possible time.

Links and Resources:

• Connect with Andrew on his website workwell.com.au and LinkedIn
• Grab Andrew's book "From Impossible to Possible"
• Sign up for Andrew's weekly newsletter
• Visit our website firsttimefacilitator.com for more resources
• Participate in our LinkedIn challenge and stand a chance to win a copy of our book!

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

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Woo hoo! Fun, pop-up, unedited episode that I felt compelled to jump in and record on a beautiful Brisbane winter day.

Today, I share an exciting example from a conference she recently worked on and how we incorporated something unpredictable, based on a fairly predictable conversation :) 

What You Will Learn:

• How to find inspiration in everyday moments and translate them into your workshop design. Leanne shares her personal experiences and interesting anecdotes that sparked unique ideas.
• How to incorporate X-Factor ideas into your workshops to make them stand out. Leanne shares the example of a 'morning show' theme she implemented during a conference, which became a hit with the attendees.

Your invitation: The 4-Week Workshop Sprint
Let’s spend four weeks together, going beyond the pages of The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint to make your workshop the best, damn, thing ever, and something you’re incredibly proud to showcase, host, and share with the world.

This is a live program starting on the 7th of August, 2023, limited to 16 people, where Leanne offers personalised support and feedback for your program, to get you producing great workshops, with a bit of x-factor thrown in!

• Find out more about The 4-Week Workshop Sprint
• Grab a copy of Leanne's new book, The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

📝 Subscribe for free at work.fa.me 

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Welcome to an enchanting episode of our podcast! In this captivating conversation, we bring you a first-time wizard on the show—Dr. Jason Fox—a wizard-philosopher disguised as a motivational speaker and leadership advisor. His expertise lies in guiding clever teams through the complexities of their quests.

With an impressive list of clients that includes Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, HP, Novartis, Red Bull, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, and Honda, Dr. Fox has established himself as a trusted advisor to senior leadership teams worldwide.

During our discussion, we embark on a magical journey through various topics. We explore the delicate balance between nurturing ideas and valuing individuals, the importance of holding space for emergent insights, and the personal rituals and preparations that enhance facilitation sessions.

We also delve into the struggle with titles and labels, seeking more meaningful and playful ways to communicate one's role and expertise. Moreover, we uncover the concept of channeling the muse, allowing intuitive insights to guide conversations and workshops, resulting in transformative experiences.

Dr. Fox has shared his wisdom as a lecturer at three universities and is the bestselling author of "The Game Changer" and "How to Lead a Quest." His remarkable ability to engage skeptical audiences and senior leaders who have "seen it all before" has made him a sought-after keynote speaker.

When not liberating the world from the delusion of progress, you'll find Dr. Fox residing in an old chocolate factory in Melbourne, Australia, alongside an illustrator-veterinarian and a feline companion. His passions outside of his work include extreme sports like reading, sun-avoidance, and indulging in the art of coffee snobbery.

Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking conversation filled with enchanting insights and practical wisdom. Join us as we uncover the secrets of working with groups, gaining clarity, embracing the power of intuition, and unleashing your own magical potential.

Resources mentioned:

1. Choose One Word: Jason Fox's program focused on finding one word to serve as a fuzzy contextual beacon. Choose One Word
2. "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis" by John Vervaeke: A 50-part YouTube series exploring the concept of meaning and its implications in society. Awakening from the Meaning Crisis
3. Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication: A philosophy and communication method emphasizing empathic listening and effective dialogue. Nonviolent Communication
4. Jason's websites: Dr Jason Fox or FoxWizard

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

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In this episode, host Leanne Hughes welcomes Mel Loy, the founder and host of Hey, Mel Comms and Training, a small agency fueled by boundless energy. Mel has over 20 years of experience in communications across various sectors and specializes in building communication capability through coaching workshops and creative thinking. She is also a co-owner of a gym and the president of the Queensland chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.

What You Will Learn:

In this far-ranging conversation, Mel shares her journey from working in corporate communications to becoming a freelance consultant and workshop facilitator. 

You’ll also hear us discuss:

• The importance of staying calm in crisis communication and workshop facilitation, and how to manage unpredictable situations effectively.
• Insights into building communication capability through coaching workshops and creative thinking, based on over 20 years of experience in the field.
• The parallels between crisis communication and facilitating sessions, including the need for composure, problem-solving, and quick adaptation.
• How being a group fitness instructor can enhance facilitation skills, including the ability to energise participants, create connections, and handle unexpected challenges.
• Tips for preparing for workshops and managing the tension between designing content and ensuring a smooth, confident delivery, including time-blocking, creating run sheets, and prioritising self-care.

About the Guest: Mel Loy
Mel Loy is an expert in change, crisis, and internal communications, demonstrating a strong passion for fostering capability within teams and organisations. With a focus on creating better stakeholder experiences through effective communication, trust-building, and reputation management, Mel, along with the team at Hey Mel! Communications & Training, has collaborated with numerous prominent corporate and non-profit brands in Australia. 

Mel brings over 20 years of experience in the communications and public relations sector, having worked in the UK and Australia across diverse corporate, non-profit, and government organisations. 

Episode Links:

• LinkedIn: Mel Loy on LinkedIn
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heymel.comms/?hl=en
• Website: Hey Mel! Comms and Training 
• Podcast: Less Chatter, More Matter
• Flip Chart Facebook Group: Join the community of facilitators at https://www.facebook.com/groups/flipchart/
• My new book is out: The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: Design Fast. Deliver Strong. Without Stress.
• Write an Amazon review, and I'll invite you to two webinars (value $299 each). 

If you're nodding along to today's First Time Facilitator episode, you're going to love my written companion: Work Fame — a weekly Spublication designed to help you stand out in your work, build your reputation, and get the opportunities others don’t.

📝 Subscribe for free at work.fa.me 

See you in your inbox. 

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