Last week, I shared that I was heading off to my 25-year high school reunion — so in this episode, I report back on how it went (spoiler: no one really changes!) and share a story that came out of a conversation that night that’s been sitting with me all…
Today I’m sharing a conversation I had on Charles Hsuan's Candid Conversations podcast. We riff on designing rave-worthy workshops, curating content (instead of drowning in it), and how one bold reach-out can completely change your career. You’ll also hear why I plan kids’ birthday parties like an engineer (thanks, Dad),…
In this episode, Leanne Hughes engages in a captivating conversation with Douglas Ferguson, the founder of Voltage Control (https://voltagecontrol.com/?ref=71) facilitation academy. Watch the interview on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO4fUM6PK9s) . They dive into various topics, including the art of facilitation, the concept of Integrated Autonomy, and the potential impact of AI on…
Yesterday, my best friend — my fearless four-legged buddy, Milo — crossed the Rainbow Bridge. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know Milo was always by my side: sitting under my desk while I worked, joining me for countless coffee runs, and barking during livestreams just to remind…
In today’s episode, I share a gem of a quote that came from Fiona Kruger (thanks Fiona!) — one her manager used to repeat almost daily: “The first draft is the hardest.” Simple, powerful, and so true. I unpack how that idea plays out across everything from corporate projects to…
In today’s off-the-cuff travel chat, I’m diving into something I’ve been obsessing over lately: carry-on luggage. After my trusty old suitcase zip finally gave up on my flight home from Melbourne, I went down a deep rabbit hole comparing July, Antler, and a surprising dark horse — Kathmandu. I share:…
This weekend marks a pretty wild milestone — it’s my 25-year high school reunion. Yep, class of 2000. I can’t quite believe it’s been that long. I talk about what’s different this time around (spoiler: it’s being held at the actual school), what I noticed at our 10-year reunion (how…
Hey friends, happy Monday (or Sunday, depending on when you’re tuning in)! I’ve just wrapped up a three-hour hike — the first of three workouts today — part of my prep for Everest Base Camp next month. My performance coach Kyle is ramping things up: morning hike, midday jog, and…
This week I’m diving into team development and team dynamics with Phil Brown from High 5 Adventure. Remember those high-ropes days where the best part was the debrief? Same. Phil is the guy who designs those experiences—and, more importantly, the reflections that turn “fun” into behaviour change. We jam on…
This week on Talk the Walk, Alan and I riff on quitting—firing clients, pausing projects, and stopping things that technically “work” but don’t work for you anymore. We dig into ego, sunk-cost traps, scope creep, and how to communicate a graceful stop without burning bridges. Alan shares a simple pre-flight…
It was a massive weekend of sport in Brisbane – and I couldn’t let it slip by without sharing a few reflections (even if you’re not a footy fan, there are still lessons in here about timing, trust, and big-moment leadership). In this episode, I recap: • 🎟️ Why I…
How do you build deep, trusting relationships in business (and in life)? In today’s episode, I dive deeper into Give to Grow by Mo Bunnell—a book I recommended recently that’s already sparking action from listeners like Julia Van Gra. This isn’t your typical business development book; it’s human, practical, and…
I had my week mapped out perfectly. Color-coded Gantt chart, every project, every sub-task—even down to outfits for upcoming events. I was feeling smug, confident, and in control. Then life happened. At midnight, my sausage dog Quincy needed an emergency trip to the vet. Suddenly my “perfect plan” didn’t matter…
📚 Thanks for coming back for part three of my book prescription series! Over the last couple of episodes, I’ve been sharing the books I recommend constantly—not just because they’re great reads, but because they solve specific problems my clients, friends, and colleagues bring to me. In today’s episode, I…
Last week I shared my first seven Book Prescriptions—titles I recommend constantly because they solve very specific problems. Today I’m back with the next seven. These are the books I turn to (and re-read) whenever someone asks me things like: • “How do I come up with a catchy name…
As facilitators, our clients don’t pay for the 50% version of us—they pay for the fully-charged, present, 100% edition. In this chat with Brisbane-based facilitator, trainer, and speaker Nicholas King, we talk about how to show up at our best, design “winning” workshop moments, and make deliberate choices about what…
Today’s convo is an extract from Virtually Possible 2.0 with the brilliant Marissa Agrasut (Singapore) and Joeri Schilders. Marissa walks us through an online spin on the classic Fishbowl format to sharpen listening, observation, and the craft of facilitation—then we demo it live. What’s inside • Why I left the…
Every week, someone asks me: “Leanne, what book should I read next?” And my response is always: “Well…what problem are you trying to solve?” Because you don’t need another list of “top 10 business books” that just recycle the same titles. You need the right book, at the right time,…
If you’ve ever thought, “This meeting could have been an email”… today’s episode is for you. I’m sharing why agendas aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re the thing that keeps meetings short, sharp, and actually useful. I’ll take you behind the scenes of some 25-minute listening tour calls I’ve been running, and…
I’m back with a short and sweet episode today—and it’s all about a new Apple feature I’ve fallen in love with. If you’ve ever been mid-flow and suddenly interrupted by a random call from a solar panel company (even though you already have solar 🙄), then you’ll get why this…
Today, I’m handing the mic back to Jason Knight. You might remember him from last month’s episode where we jammed on branding and how to think of your positioning like a newspaper headline. This time, Jason’s diving into one of my absolute favourite topics: frameworks. Whether it’s a Venn diagram,…
Today I’m taking you behind the mic into what’s actually on my mind right now: the AFL Grand Final. My Brisbane Lions are chasing back-to-back wins, Snoop Dogg is headlining the pre-game entertainment, and I’m scheming about whether I can somehow score a last-minute ticket. This episode is less “self-development”…
This weekend rewind is with my friend Sally Porteous. Sally is the Managing Director of Red Lanyard (https://redlanyard.com.au/) , an event production company where she produces festivals, conferences and meetings. She also runs the Event Planners Workshop and the Event Managers Network, bridging the gap between theory and the real…
In this NEW episode of First Time Facilitator, I chat with Dr Liz O'Riordan (https://liz.oriordan.co.uk/) 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…