🌴126. Lessons from a 5am workshop
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 completely
- Why I believe the best facilitators are editors first
- The magic of having a Zoom producer who’s been in your corner for years
- How I used an AI tool (Sora) to create character-based case studies for the workshop
I 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!
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Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are three ways I can help:
- Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel:Â Let's energise your next event.
- Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.Â
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Visit my website: leannehughes.com
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