Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes

In this episode, I’m reflecting on a phrase that popped into my head while driving here: How do you become a One Take Wonder?You know, the kind of person who can just hit record and go — no second takes, no overthinking, just clarity, energy, and good-enough delivery.Here’s what I unpack:Why being a little messy on video is actually your advantage in an AI-perfect worldWhat a Hong Kong participant told me that changed the way I think about "stuff-ups"Why scripting your videos is a trap (and what to do instead)Tools I use (like Descript) to keep my flow while still cleaning up the final productHow to build your one-take muscle without needing hours of practiceAnd the secret trick: Holding your phone up until your arm starts hurting 💪This one’s for anyone who wants to be more visible without the drama of “doing it right.”Thanks for listening and I’ll catch you tomorrow — one take at a time!—Leanne🎧 P.S. If you want to build your own Work Fame, the One Take Wonder muscle is a good place to start.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Last week I ran two virtual workshops for a global client—one at a beautiful 1:00 PM time slot (bless), and the second... at 5:00 AM. Yep. Coffee was very involved.In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes of how I prepped and delivered these sessions—specifically when you're working across time zones, with translators, in hybrid tech ecosystems (read: Zoom vs Teams drama), and with super smart internal collaborators.Some key things we dive into:Why I insisted we run it on Zoom (and the meme that went viral because of it)How I briefed translators and slowed my pace for clarity (yes, I needed a post-it to remind me to slow down)The exact run sheet I shared, and why it was 70% fixed / 30% “go with the flow”How I collaborated with an internal legend (shoutout to Liz!) through voice notes to redesign the experience completelyWhy I believe the best facilitators are editors firstThe magic of having a Zoom producer who’s been in your corner for yearsHow I used an AI tool (Sora) to create character-based case studies for the workshopI also threw participants in the deep end with a live challenge: What if your CEO emailed you to say they’re attending your workshop next week? Would you redesign it? (Spoiler: You probably would.)If you’re designing any kind of learning experience—especially for a global audience—I hope this gives you some useful ideas to bring more clarity, connection, and creativity to your sessions.Catch you tomorrow!Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

I usually steer clear of politics on the pod, but after the Australian federal election over the weekend… I had to say something. Because honestly? It was a total non-event. No vision. No leadership. No spark. Just some tit-for-tat promises and reheated policies that felt like they were scraped from the bottom of the idea barrel.In this solo riff, I talk about:Why I felt uninspired (and maybe a bit embarrassed) by the whole campaignWhat I would do if I was Prime Minister for a day (hint: I’ve got 4 housing + energy reforms ready to go)Why I think we need a national identity reset—and fastAnd a zinger email from Alan Weiss that shook me into bigger-picture thinkingThis episode is part policy, part rant, part vision—served with a side of “What even is Australia doing right now?”Let’s reimagine what this country could become.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

In this episode, I chat with the absolutely brilliant Maria McDonald, a Learning + Development Manager at Geocaching HQ. Maria’s story is one of those that starts in social work, pivots into office management, and then—thanks to the power of facilitation—lands in a dream career in L&D. 💥We explore how facilitation is way more than running a workshop—it’s a mindset and a life skill. Maria shares how she built her internal reputation, pitched herself into opportunities, and created magic using tools like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Oh—and we geek out on nervous system regulation, group energy, AND secret handshakes. You’ll walk away inspired to use your facilitator skills in ways you didn’t even realise.About today’s guest: Maria McDonaldAs a Learning & Development Consultant, Maria is dedicated to helping leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs intentionally shape effective, impactful, and empowered company cultures.Through customized consulting practices, Maria’s innovative and energizing techniques support you in achieving your business goals while proactively developing your people. Her vision is to shift each business into effective paradigms that inspire people at every level of your organization.Maria is also the Learning and Development Manager for Geocaching, where she formulates learning and development strategy based on organizational needs, and creates a culture in which continuous learning and improvement are encouraged, and where employees are equipped with the tools for self-help and empowered to teach and learn from each other.ResourcesVisit Maria McDonald’s websiteConnect with Maria on LinkedIn and send her a message, letting her know your favourite takeaway! • Geocaching: Join the world’s largest treasure huntSign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Hey, thanks for tuning into the Weekend Rewind – although technically we’re only rewinding one day to my latest Talk the Walk episode with the Rock Star of Consulting himself, Alan Weiss.This one’s a bit spicy. Alan threw me a challenge live, and truthfully? I missed the shot. No hiding from it. I was coming off a 5:00 AM webinar and should’ve been firing on all cylinders... but I froze. You’ll hear the moment – and hopefully laugh with me, not at me.That said, this conversation is gold for anyone in business wondering why they’re not closing the deals they should be. We get brutally honest about:Why most consultants fish for clients in the wrong pondHow to actually land conversations with decision-makersWhy speed matters more than polishWhat Alan would say to a pharma CEO (and why I wouldn't have thought of it in a million years)We also talk about influence, mountain climbing analogies (of course), how to give value without fear, and Alan’s take on why most people simply aren’t bold enough to make the leap to that next S-curve.💥 Real talk. Real learning. Real-time humility.🎧 Enjoy the episode, and I’ll chat with you again tomorrow.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

This episode’s straight from the frustration files — and one I think we all need to hear.I just published a new piece on my Substack called “The Dark Arts of Interrupting Someone” and honestly, I had way too much fun writing it. So in true 'Work Fame' spirit, I wanted to read it out loud to you.Here’s the backstory: I was on a group coaching call recently, and someone hijacked 20 minutes of airtime. Monologue city. And the host? Lovely, but way too passive. That moment sparked this post — and this rant — on the power of interrupting well.Because if you’re leading, hosting, coaching, or facilitating, this isn’t optional. It’s a responsibility.In this ep, I share:Why interrupting is not rude — and actually respectfulThe 3 big reasons we don’t interrupt (spoiler: people-pleasing is one of them)Phrases and tone tips to land a smooth redirection without killing the vibeHow interrupting protects the group, the speaker and your reputationWhy running a tight room is the secret to building Work FameIf you want to run rooms that people rave about, not ghost, this episode’s for you.And hey, if you’d prefer to read this — the article is live now over on Work Fame on Substack. It’s free, spicy, and designed to make you a better leader of time and space.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

In today's episode, I'm sharing one of my most frustrating habits: overcommitting. I tell a recent story involving a great opportunity, a good friend, and the hard realisation that sometimes saying no is actually the smart, strategic thing to do — even when everything looks perfectly aligned.You'll hear:Why I keep falling into this trap (spoiler: it's not poor planning)What makes some "yeses" harder than othersA few practical tools I'm using to course-correctWhy busyness ≠ success (even if the world keeps telling us otherwise)Got a toxic trait of your own? I’d love to hear it. Send me a voice note.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

I'm recording this one on the move — literally walking through a park in Dandenong, Victoria. You might even hear a few native birds in the background.This morning, I woke up super early (like, 3:50 AM early), and even though it was freezing cold (13 degrees, which is basically Antarctic conditions for a Queenslander like me), I dragged myself out for a 30-minute walk. Not because I felt like it. Because it was on the plan.I'm training for my Everest Base Camp and Lobuche Peak trek later this year, and my coach Kyle Mooney (part of the Experience Not Felt Possible team) has mapped out my program. No excuses.Today’s quick reminder? You don’t always feel like doing the thing that moves you forward. Most of the time, actually, you won’t. The mind will whisper things like: "Stay cosy. Make an instant coffee. Skip it, no one will know."But I know. And you know.Sometimes it’s not about motivation. It’s about momentum. Doing the thing anyway. Especially when it’s inconvenient.That small choice to get out of bed, layer up, and move? It made me feel 50% better, more awake, more alive — and it'll carry over into the energy I bring to my session today.Anyway, just a short one today to plant this seed: If it’s just comfort whispering, do the thing anyway.Thanks for listening — I’ll catch you tomorrow!Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Today’s episode is a short one, recorded live from Dandenong, Victoria. I share a chat I had with my Uber driver, Logan, on the way to the airport — and it spiralled into a massive truth bomb: All problems are communication problems. We talked about why confronting others (and even confronting ourselves) is so hard, and why most issues we face aren’t external... they're internal. I also share a brilliant quote from David Whyte about being in a "long-distance relationship" with yourself — and why self-confrontation is the conversation most people are avoiding. Short, sharp, and hopefully a spark for your own reflections.Mentions:The Courage to Be Disliked (book)David Whyte (poet and thinker)Thanks for tuning in — more stories and thoughts dropping daily!Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

I sat down with former national TaeKwonDo athlete and amateur boxer Jessica Borg. We recorded this one at my house.Jess shared the wild story of going from being on track for the Tokyo Olympics, to being medically retired by 26. She opens up about what it really feels like to walk away from the thing that shaped your identity for two decades—and what it’s like to start over when the cheering stops.We talk:What happens when COVID kills your Olympic dreamWhy she pivoted from TaeKwonDo to boxing (and won her first fight in chaos-mode)How she handled being “the scary opponent” no one wanted to fightThe hidden toll of combat sports (and why hearing loss was her red flag)Life after sport: grief, identity, reinvention—and building something that helps others make that same leapNow? Jess works in defence at Boeing, has a law degree, and is building a platform to help athletes transition out of sport and into careers with purpose.Find Jess on Instagram. Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.