Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes 🌴327. A Journalist’s Guide to Running Better Panels feat. Sophie Scott (Weekend Rewind)
This conversation with Sophie Scott felt like a masterclass wrapped in a reality check. She’s one of the few people who can talk about burnout, anxiety, performance and communication without drifting into clichés or soft advice. Her story about hitting the podium, feeling the room spin and realising her nervous system had finally had enough… that lands. It’s the kind of story facilitators rarely admit to, even though half the room has been there in some way.
Sophie broke down exactly how she rebuilt herself, why five minutes of meditation every morning matters more than the big “reset” moments, and the way she flips nerves by shifting the focus onto the audience. Her breakdown of panel facilitation was ridiculously useful: pre-interviews, open questions, managing airtime, ditching jargon and remembering that your job is never to be the star… it’s to be the glue.
If you ever get jitters before a workshop, want to run cleaner panels, or keep finding yourself skating on the edge of burnout because you “push through”, this episode gives you the truth and the tools.
Key quotes
• “Your body will tell you before your mind will admit it.”
• “If you want a great panel, do the pre-interviews. People forget their best stories on stage.”
Resources
• Sophie's website: sophiescott.com.au
• Insight Timer (meditation app)
• Balance app
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