Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes

In this NEW episode of First Time Facilitator, I chat with Dr Liz O'Riordan about her leap from the operating theatre to the workshop room. After being diagnosed with cancer and leaving surgery, Liz turned to speaking, writing, and now — facilitation. With only days to prepare, she discovered my book The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint, raided her kitchen cupboards for props, and built a session that participants called “brilliant — don’t change a thing.”We unpack how she:Transformed complex cancer science into playful, prop-based learning (think Jenga and cupcakes 🍰).Used a simple structure to design a two-hour workshop in 72 hours.Sent pre-session videos that warmed up the room before she arrived.Managed nerves, energy, and the “silent moments” during activities.Built her social media presence to reach thousands with her message.🎯 If you’re new to facilitation, or you’ve ever thought, “Where do I even start?”, Liz’s story will inspire you to pick a date, lower the bar, and just run the workshop.🔗 Connect with Dr Liz O'Riordan on Instagram and LinkedIn 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.

So here’s the question I’m now wrestling with: Am I about to break up with Kindle?On today’s walk (weighted vest and all), I stumbled into an audio summit via Hello Audio and ended up learning something completely unexpected from Vanessa Poin. She shared how she uses Substack for discoverability (hello, generative engine optimization) and then dropped a perspective that stopped me in my tracks: PDFs are way more valuable than Kindle books when it comes to embedding knowledge into your business.Why? Because with a PDF you can upload it straight into ChatGPT (or Claude, or Perplexity), and suddenly that book isn’t just something you read once and forget—it becomes an AI-powered tool you can apply directly to your context.In this episode, I unpack what that means for how we learn, why I’m re-thinking how I buy non-fiction, and whether Kindle has just been out-hacked.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 one is less about “what I learned” and more about the process of an experience I just had in Melbourne — a Wizardly Walk designed by Dr. Jason Fox and Michael Bungay Stanier.Across pubs, cafés, buses, bushland, trains, and communal dinners, the whole thing unfolded like a story. What stood out to me wasn’t just the 20km walk (that got cut short thanks to wild winds and falling branches!) but the way the experience was curated to spark reflection.Jason and Michael opened with five powerful questions, including:What crossroads are you at?What advice would a close friend give you right now?What lesson do you need to keep learning?What are you holding onto?And my favourite… what would it take to earn your name?That last one has really stayed with me. It’s about defining your own metrics instead of chasing external ones.In this episode, I share the flow of the experience, why it mattered that no one introduced themselves by their job title, and why sometimes the best gatherings are the ones where curiosity, conversation, and nature lead the way.And, as you’ll hear at the end, I share the poem Lost by David Wagner, which was read to us in the forest and hit completely differently in that setting.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.

Picture this: I’m in Melbourne, it’s been a day of hiking, gathering, and birthday celebrating, and I somehow manage to rope Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS) into a conversation about… netball.Now, Michael’s got the height but zero experience, so naturally I recruit him into my imaginary corporate games team as goal shooter. What follows is a hilarious and surprisingly profound chat about netball, positioning, resilience, and how it all maps beautifully onto life, branding, and leadership.We cover everything from standing tall and making yourself a target (in the best way possible), to what to do when you miss your shot, to how to reset for the next play. It’s practical, it’s playful, and it’s packed with metaphors that might just change how you show up this week.Thanks MBS for playing along — and for anyone listening who thought they didn’t care about netball, this episode might just convert you.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 comes to you from my hotel room in Melbourne — in my hiking gear, ready to head out on a 20km walk with friends. But before the walk, I had dinner last night with a small group (13 or 14 of us) and Michael Bungay Stanier kicked things off with a killer icebreaker: Share two essential things about yourself.What I shared surprised even me. The first thing? I’m left-handed. After 250+ podcast episodes I’ve never mentioned it, but honestly, it shapes how I see and navigate the world. From flipcharts and coffee cups to netball courts and even a silly handshake with Justin Langer — being a leftie has taught me adaptability, resilience, and even connection.In this episode, I riff on:Why left-handed people instantly bond with each otherThe little daily frictions of living in a right-handed worldSome surprising research on the advantages of being left-handedWhy I once bought the domain Left Hand LeadersThe second “essential thing” I shared at dinner (hint: it’s very Queensland of me)If you’re left-handed, I think you’ll get this one instantly. If you’re right-handed, well, now you know our secret.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 turned 42 today—and yes, I was that person who posted about it from an airport lounge. Usually, birthdays spark me into dreaming up wild projects, but this year, my big reflection is simple: nothing dramatic has changed in my world, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.In this episode, I share a birthday riff on aging, incremental growth, why stability feels like such a win, and how reunions often show us that people don’t radically change—they just become more themselves. I talk about Prosecco before noon, air fryers, my dad still beating me at parkrun, and why we’re all just one phone call away from life flipping upside down.I’d love to know—what’s shifted for you in the past year?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.

It’s my birthday! 🥳 To celebrate, I’m replaying the episode I recorded on my 40th—my 12 rules for life. These aren’t the glossy “melody” lines; they’re the bassline I keep returning to when life gets loud: from memento mori (yep, we’re all going to die—and that can be fuel), to finding a new pond when you feel like a fish out of water, meeting your heroes (sweaty palms and all), and remembering that true wealth is discretionary time. I share how I think, work, and decide—plus the one rule I won’t negotiate on.I also riff on pattern interrupts, permission slips, and why your clicks reveal your calling. Expect tuba talk, Tom Cruise stunts (metaphorically), a little constructive delusion, and practical ways to capture “double-click” moments so you can make better moves, faster. Listen, borrow what serves you, and—most importantly—write your own rules.Highlights you’ll hear:Memento mori as motivation (and how I plan decades vs. days)“Fish out of water? Find a new pond” (environment > willpower)Horizontal relationships: talk to everyone like a peerThere is no glass ceiling (and reframing impostor syndrome)Your clicks reveal your calling (follow your curiosity trail)Pattern interrupters that change your state in minutesPermission: how I get it (and give it) to move fasterFree time as the ultimate wealth—and how I design for itIf one rule lands, tell me which one—and what you’re going to do with it today.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 on Talk the Walk, I grabbed my coffee (Alan Weiss had his martini 🍸) and we dived into two big C-words: clients and community. It was a global hangout—Brisbane spring for me, early fall for Alan—plus friends dialing in from Portugal, Seattle, Sydney, Italy, Montreal and Silicon Valley.We unpacked how to create a community of buyers (not just followers), the difference between tribes vs communities, and why evergreen clients are built on breadth (multiple buyers inside one org), generosity, and staying visible in the right public squares.My favourite bits:Evergreen clients = many doors. Don’t get stuck with a single buyer—build relationships with their direct reports and (crucially) their assistants. When people move, opportunities move with them.Communities are inclusive and porous. People come and go—that’s healthy. What matters is a strong nucleus and clear norms (short posts, debate the idea not the person, beach-flag rules 🟢🟡🔴).Evangelism beats ads. Bring your best clients together with your next-best clients and let the “chain reaction of attraction” do its thing.AI is a tool, not your identity. Tie AI to your lane. For me: “the do’s/don’ts of using AI to build influence and long-term relationships inside organisations.”Loneliness is a market. Soloists (and now remote workers) are “collegially lonely.” Offer connection in multiple formats—audio, video, text, live, remote—so people can choose their own adventure.Be respected over being liked. Set the tone, enforce the norms, and don’t fear unsubscribes. Communities thrive on clarity, not appeasement.Timestamps00:00 — Coffee vs martinis, Brisbane spring & top-down weather03:10 — Evergreen clients: why one buyer isn’t enough07:45 — Assistants, internal moves, and following the buyer train11:20 — Cracking global orgs: referrals + local-to-parent leap15:05 — When to be generous (and when to invoice)18:40 — Community ≠ tribe; inclusion, porosity, and norms24:00 — The teaching-hospital model & beach-flag moderation28:15 — Evangelism and the “chain reaction of attraction”32:10 — “I’m burned out on communities” (and why formats matter)36:00 — Platforms: live, remote, newsletters, “A Minute with Alan”40:05 — Frequency without burnout: be the nucleus, set rules44:20 — Self-esteem, permission, and resisting conformity48:50 — Tech teams, responsiveness, and scaling content53:30 — Final takeaways + next session teaserPull quotes“Don’t just interact with your buyer—know their direct reports and their assistant.”“Communities are inclusionary and porous. Tribes are not.”“I care less about being liked, and more about being respected.”“AI isn’t your brand. It’s a tool in your process.”Try this this weekMap one client to 3+ internal relationships (buyer, two directs, assistant).Send a value-only note (no pitch) to a client you haven’t served in 90 days.Add one more format to your community (e.g., short audio, monthly live, or a light-hearted thread like “what to watch”). Variety increases stickiness.Shout-outs & mentionsLisbon/Portugal crew, Seattle, Sydney, Montreal, Silicon Valley—love the global energy. Tools mentioned: newsletters, private podcasts, Zoom workshops, forums.CTAIf this sparked ideas, hit reply and tell me: What’s one move you’ll make to widen your buyer map this month? And if you’re building an evergreen client base, I’m brewing something special—jump on my list to get first dibs.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 I’m diving into an underrated communication skill that barely ever gets taught in programs—but once you notice it, you’ll see it everywhere: the art of segueing.And no, I’m not talking about the two-wheeled scooter (though I’ve definitely fallen off one of those before). I mean segues: smooth transitions that connect one topic to the next without that clunky, awkward energy shift.I share:Why segueing is such a superpower for facilitators, leaders, and podcastersThe difference between obvious vs. seamless transitions (and why both have a place)A hilarious Chaser example of newsreaders linking drink driving to fruit juiceSimple tricks to practice—like using connecting words, spotting similarities, and even trying “forced connections”What Michael Bungay Stanier told me about why transitions matter more than you thinkHow to use segues to keep meetings on track and workshops moving without derailing the energyThis is one of those advanced-but-fun skills you can practice anywhere—in conversations with friends, team meetings, or even just while talking to yourself. Once you start, you’ll be surprised at how creative you can get.Give this one a listen and try a segue or two in your next chat—you’ll see how much smoother everything flows.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.

On today’s walk (eight kilos in the vest, hello shoulders 👋), I riff on quick, practical communication moves that create instant cut-through at work. I share a client story where we kickstarted a 90-day sprint with a one-take video (record → Descript → captions → Loom link) and the responses rolled in. Then I unpack BLUF—Bottom Line Up Front—so your reader gets the “why” and “what now?” in the first sentence. Finally, I share my favourite P.S. trick that consistently wins the most clicks in my emails.Key TakeawaysWeighted-vest wisdom: training with extra load makes “normal” feel effortless. Same with communication—add structure now so future you moves faster.Video as a pattern-interrupt: a one-minute invite beats a long kickoff email. Record once, ship everywhere.BLUF > burying the lede: lead with the decision, action, or ask; add context below.Write for the reader, edit for clarity: you can think on the page—just rearrange before you hit send.The underrated P.S.: people scan. A clean, single CTA in the P.S. often wins the click war.Subject line signals help everyone: start with [ACTION], [REVIEW], or [APPROVAL] to set expectations.Work Fame move: being clear and easy to work with is a brand.Mini Templates You Can StealSubject line starters[ACTION] Approve vendor shortlist by Fri 20 Sep[REVIEW] Draft scope v2 – comments by Wed 5pm[INFO] Kickoff video: 90-day sprint overview (2:03)BLUF email skeleton (copy/paste) Bottom line: <one sentence ask/decision>. What I need from you: <action + due date>. My recommendation: <if relevant>. Context: <2–4 lines max>. Links: <doc/video>. P.S. If you only do one thing, do <single CTA>. Video kickoff run-of-show (what I did with my client)One take on phone: why this matters → who’s involved → clear CTAAirdrop to laptop → edit in Descript → add captionsUpload to Loom → share linkEmail using BLUF + put the Loom link again in the P.S.P.S. line examplesP.S. 90 seconds explains everything—watch here.P.S. Visual person? Here’s the Loom.Try This This Week (10-minute challenge)Send one BLUF-style email today.Add a single, scannable P.S. with your core link.Record a 60–90s one-take Loom to replace your next status novella.Tools I MentionedDescript, Loom, weighted vest (for the training nerds 👀).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.