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Welcome to Unprofessionalism! My shiny new podcast, a provocation in the making, and the place to challenge everything we’ve been taught about being professional.

Together, we’ll be peeling back the limitations of professionalism, on a mission to restore our humanness and bring joy, defiantly, back to work. You’ll hear stories from scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and true masters of their craft as we question the very construct of professionalism, its silent expectations, how we can break free, and seek to be unprofessionals in all that we do!

But first, join me from the very beginning. In episode 000, we’ll journey from the birth of professionalism to its existence in the age of AI, and why the only sustainable thing left for us to be is our real, brilliant, unfiltered selves.

Find out about:

• The history of professionalism, its construct, and why it has become such a paradox
• The wonderful guests I’ll be interviewing in the coming weeks, and the topics we’ll be exploring
• The Unprofessionalism book I am writing alongside the podcast, and the research that has led me here

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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And that’s a wrap, folks! After 355 brilliant, beautiful, mind-opening conversations about facilitation, life, and everything in between, I can now confidently say that I have found the magic ingredients that make workshops work.

Join me, myself, and I for a final farewell episode of Workshops Work, before I retire this guise of the podcast from the airwaves. I reflect on the beautiful journey of almost 7 years, where my curiosity has led me, and why it’s now time for the start of something new.

Next week, Workshop Works shapeshifts into a new chapter, a new direction, a new podcast! Unprofessionalism is set to air on the 7th January, as I begin to explore the real stories, shadows, and inspirations that can help us to celebrate our most human, unguarded selves.

But for now, a wholehearted thank you for being a part of this journey with me.

Find out about:

• The evolution of the Workshops Works podcast
• Why my curiosity has shifted from that of the facilitator, to that of the participant
• The new Unprofessionalism podcast – what it’s about, and what you can expect
• The podcast club that I am hosting, to deepen our facilitation learnings together

Connect with me:

LinkedIn

• Join the Podcast Club on Substack by subscribing to the workshops work Substack: https://substack.com/@myriamhadnes/posts

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

Send us a text

High-stakes diplomatic missions, peacekeeping, and intergovernmental meetings are inherently protocolised spaces. So what happens when facilitation is invited to show up in all its newness, threatening the sensitivities, the power structures, and the familiar dynamics?

After a longstanding frustration with the way meetings were run, Tigist Hailu found her way to facilitation. As a regional diplomacy, peace and security, and strategic communications expert serving at the African Union, United Nations, and now IGAD, she discovered that it is possible for creativity to be invited into the room of diplomacy: softly, quietly, tweak by tweak.

She joins me for the final ever interview of the Workshops Works podcast, as we explore the conditions that allow people to get vulnerable, build trust, share their ideas freely, and return to their humanity.

Find out about:

• The role of facilitation in diplomatic spaces and intergovernmental meetings
• How to shift outcomes thoughtfully, despite the limitations of hierarchy and protocol
• How to bring humanity into these spaces through the use of questions, openings, tone, and pacing
• The importance of intuiting group dynamics to shift the room towards openness

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Tigist Hailu:

LinkedIn

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Brave work is messy work. It’s an invitation into the dōjō – to be humbled, to get vulnerable, and leave behind what you thought you knew.

Life-long learner, executive coach, culture consultant and facilitator, Dr. Dauv Evans joins me this week to journey beyond safety into the brave space arena. Together, we explore what it takes to build these spaces: the intentionality, the rules of engagement, and the assumptions we must leave at the door to have courageous conversations.

From power imbalances, to conversations on race, Dauv shares his work in helping people to grow together and exist outside of their comfort zone, with generosity and passion. A rich, practical conversation about how leaders can show up with humility when it’s needed most.

Find out about:

• What braves spaces are – and why people must be invited into them
• How constructive discomfort can facilitate deeper connection, meaningful learning, and cultural change within organisations
• Why leaders must navigate people’s varying levels of risk tolerance with care
• How to use power positively to facilitate a brave conversation for the better

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Dauv Evans:

Brave Space Leadership Cohort Interest Form

Website

LinkedIn

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Take a moment to tune into your body. Do your muscles feel tense, is your heartbeat slow and steady, is your jaw clamped tight?

Embodiment coach and one-week-old facilitator, my fiancée Mirjam Leunissen joins me this week for a podcast first! As a scientist in a past life, Mirjam spent her days distilling data points – and she continues to do so under a new guise, now recognising patterns in the body, in emotions, and how people show up.

We explore how embodiment can be a gateway to changing perspective and mastering our own comfort, as Mirjam shares practical tips for making sense of our bodies. A beautiful invitation to think a little less, sense a lot more, and come back to being a whole human being!

Find out about:

• How embodiment can shape how we think and feel, helping us to regulate our nervous system, and respond with greater clarity
• Why emotional awareness begins in the body first, when we tune into our physical sensations
• Why facilitating with lightness, play, and curiosity can foster psychological safety
• The importance of using tangible, factual terms about our physiology to bridge understanding
• Why shifting our posture can positively transform the way that we think

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Connect to Mirjam Leunissen:

LinkedIn

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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From a childhood imaginary classroom, to the moments before a traffic light turns green, Shireen Naqvi has been viewing the world as a beautiful facilitation opportunity her whole life.

Guided by the divine belief that humans are the best creatures in the universe, Shireen has made it her mission to help others realise the power that lies within them. She joins me this week to share stories from her life in Pakistan, her strategies for enabling self-empowerment in others, and why anger is the perfect ammunition for change.

A wise and inspiring conversation rich with Shireen’s passion, as we explore professionalism, injustice, the female experience, cultural nuances, and everything in between!

Find out about:

• Why we should pay attention to our angers in order to understand our personal values
• Women’s rights in Pakistan, and Shireen’s experience as a female trainer and entrepreneur
• How Shireen uses play and authenticity to break the barrier of professionalism in the boardroom
• How the concept of professionalism differs across cultures and countries

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Shireen Naqvi:

LinkedIn

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Not all clowns hide sadness behind a painted smile. Some wear their emotions on their sleeve, with earnest, overt authenticity, and deep self-awareness!

After taking a sign language course, Suzanne Dietz discovered how freeing it was to express herself through non-verbal communication – and it soon changed the course of her life. Hanging up her traditional facilitation hat and swapping it for a red nose, she now brings joy to the lives of asylum seekers and the elderly as a talented care clown.

Together, we unravel the wondrous world of non-verbal facilitation: from improvisation and silent connection, to letting go of performance, and developing a sharpened sense for the unspoken.

Find out about:

• The unexpected similarities between facilitators and clowns
• The non-verbal craft of clowning, the cues, and the communication form
• How Suzanne expresses and plays with emotions with authenticity
• How clowning can sharpen our intuition, and reveal emotional clarity in both ourselves and others

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Connect to Suzanne Dietz:

LinkedIn

Website

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Silence is a virtue, and nowhere is this more deeply understood than in Japan. A pause rich with meaning, where thoughts are carefully explored, emotions are quiet, and things are said, without any words at all.

So, how do facilitators hold space amidst the subtlety? Facilitator, workshop designer, and coach, Yuko Gendo invites us into the beautifully unique world of Japanese facilitation this week, as a practice shaped by deep respect, harmony, and quiet reflection.

She shares how non-verbal cues can soften emotional expression, how consensus forms through alignment, not debate, and together we compare our cultural experiences as two facilitators from opposite sides of the world. Join us!

Find out about:

• The cultural values of silence, hierarchy and emotional restraint, and their role in Japanese facilitation
• How Yuko navigates the tension between group harmony and individual expression
• The use of indirect expressions through cards, visuals and metaphor, in place of direct speach
• What Western facilitators can learn from their Japanese counterparts

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Yuko Gendo:

Website

LinkedIn

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Carrying the wisdom of five generations before her, Katerina Kupenga inherited a special legacy from her ancestral namesake: the gift of Māori facilitation.

And as a proud wahine Māori from Ngāti Porou, Katerina joins me to share this rich wisdom with us all. She guides us through the sacred welcoming rituals of the Pōwhiri, the complexities of tribal relations, the spiritual intimacy of exchanging breath, and the energy work that takes place as people, ancestors, emotions, and tension are invited into being.

This is a truly special conversation about what it means to be Māori, and the unique indigenous methods that acknowledge the Māori people of the land.

Find out about:

• The traditional Māori rituals, chants, and the guidance of the gods that take place during workshops
• Katerina’s journey to relearning the wisdom and culture of her people
• The importance of honouring Māori practices and language – free of Western agendas, structures and timeframes
• Facilitating conversations and tensions around intergenerational, ancestral traumas
• The unconscious biases that exist in the facilitation sector, and the alternative perspectives we need

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Katerina Kupenga:

LinkedIn

Website

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

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Gathering hundreds of people is most facilitators’ worst nightmare – but for Perle Laouenan-Catchpole, it’s her dream.

With her signature feminine energy and warmth, Perle connects large online groups as one, cohesive team, creating a sense of belonging that sends ripples of impact throughout the group. Her secret? Comfort must always come before safety, simplicity will always triumph over complexity, and facilitating true connection begins with understanding yourself first.

This is a beautiful, passionate conversation for anyone that wants to step into their superpower, and learn the art of online, human connection.

Find out about:

• How to design workshops that connect hundreds of people as part of one team
• Why you should tell people what you do, rather than what you are
• How to foster a sense of belonging amongst hundreds of participants
• The power of speaking out your needs, to invite others to do the same
• The value of multilingual breakouts, allowing participants to engage in their mother tongue

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Perle Laouenan-Catchpole:

LinkedIn

Website

Support the show

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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/