Episode 40 – Heading into the Roaring 20s | Leanne Hughes

In this episode I chat to Leanne Hughes, where she shares her insights from the last decade and predictions for the next.

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Transcript

Murray Guest  

So welcome to heading into the roaring 2020s, host of the First Time Facilitator, all around awesome person, Leanne Hughes, how are you?

Leanne Hughes  

I’m feeling great. I’m loving life and great to see you Muz, it’s great to chat with you.

Murray Guest  

Great to see you and great to actually find you in Australia. I mean, really, you’ve been everywhere lately.

Leanne Hughes  

Yeah. My biggest fear leaving corporate was that I wouldn’t get the chance to travel internationally. But it’s completely worked out the opposite way, which I guess is a lesson we’re talking about lessons here. But a lot of the assumptions we have about that self talk and we actually test it you know, we find it something completely different. So it’s been a big year of travel.

Murray Guest  

Big year of travel, and I love how you are embracing your running whilst you’re traveling. To get out, explore the city, explore where you are, because let’s talk about your bio – facilitator, runner, lifelong learner.

Leanne Hughes  

That’s it. Those are probably my favorite things. If you gave me more words, I’m sure I’d add you know, coffee lover, love all those sorts of things. But um, yeah, I think that they combined really well, particularly, when I go running. I listen to podcasts. So I think there’s a bit of we talked about, you know, strengths and maximizing time. Yeah, that’s my favorite sort of double threat is running while learning.

Murray Guest  

So why running? Why running for you as the sport?

Leanne Hughes  

Do you know what, I actually hated running when I was younger, I played netball very competitively. But I played in the shooting end. So goal shooter, which you don’t really run a lot. Goal Attack, I had to have a bit of fitness. But my sort of style of play was I kind of wait, I’d analyze the play. And then I’d make like one or two dodges. I wasn’t running, out running my player ever. And it worked out for me until you know, turned 21 And everyone was better than me. So then, when I moved to Broome in Western Australia, there was nothing to do really. It’s a small community, but it is flat. It’s completely flat. And there’s Cable Beach, which runs for like over 21 kilometers, right? So yeah, well, I could just get out there on a low tide and run. And that’s what I sort of thought, I need a goal here. So to get into half marathons, and then eventually a marathon. And you fall in love with the process.

Murray Guest  

Yeah, beautiful. Now 2019, 10 years ago, 2009. Did you think you’d be doing what you’re doing now?

Leanne Hughes  

No. I mean, like, I didn’t even know what a podcast was. And I was working in the world of marketing, I just come out of working for a very controversial Tourism group called Wicked Campers. And I’ve always loved professional development, human resources and leadership. But I never thought like what I’m doing now, if you told me back in 2009, I would be traveling to places like Mongolia and delivering leadership sessions. I would have been just over the moon. It would have been like hearing I’d won the lottery. Yeah. Yeah.

Murray Guest  

And, and to get from where you were to where you are now. Let’s just take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate a couple of things. Let’s celebrate some of those steps along the way. Because we don’t do enough of that in life.

Leanne Hughes  

We never. It’s always like, alright, goal completed. What’s the next one?

Murray Guest  

Yeah. Let’s look back on that decade. What would you love to share and celebrate?

Leanne Hughes  

Ah, yeah, so I’m 36 now. So between the ages of 26 and 36, a lot has happened. I actually made the crazy move to Broome, Western Australia. And the reason that drove that was I met a guy over there, who was now my husband. So that worked out well. So I think it’s worth celebrating because he, there’s no way I’d ever live in regional WA. But that gave me, moving over there actually gave me a lot of my career because I was working for a government organization. There’s not a lot of resources in terms of humans. So when you run a marketing department there, it’s just you and you have to learn everything. Yeah, there’s actually real value being in a company where you might be thrown into the deep end, but I learned so many skills. And that’s where I got the opportunity then to transition over to workforce development. You know, it’s a lot of, I think regional Australia doesn’t get, people don’t view it as a place to grow your career, but I could certainly be an advocate of that.

Murray Guest  

Yeah. And so much opportunity to experience different aspects of business, different aspects of life, in those regional areas and Broome, just to help people understand, our international listeners. It is right northwest of Australia, isn’t it?

Leanne Hughes  

It is and it’s very isolated. I think the closest capital city is Jakarta. There’s about 15,000 people there, there’s water all around it and there’s one main road out to get out. Yeah, so it takes you four minutes to get to work. No traffic lights, you know, every car on the way, sort of waving at people, took me about a year to get used to that type of living. I was living in Brisbane and I was very much a city person. So always plan things in advance, and events and I went over there and you just like what’s happening this weekend? You don’t know, you just rock up to someone’s house. So community I think, yeah, community, the importance of relationships. I mean, you’re living in Newcastle, which is a lot bigger, but same kind of vibe.

Murray Guest  

Yeah, well, I think Newcastle is a bit like a large country town. It’s not a capital city, but certainly has that community spirit and that connection, which I love in those sorts of areas. Do you think you’ve found your purpose in life in the last 10 years in that shift from marketing and what you were doing to now what you do and what what I think, tell me if I’m wrong, fills you up.

Leanne Hughes  

I think I’m continually trying to refine what my purpose is, I think there’s always common elements that link it together. So definitely, though, I think when I was working in marketing, I was all about creating great experiences for people and influencing them to make some smart decisions, I think. And I brought that into the world of what I do now. Essentially, I’m bringing in marketing to the way that I facilitate, I know a lot of the time and you’ve experienced it yourself, you get into these rooms where people don’t want to be there. So the first thing you got to do is like create that hook, get that magic happening so they are keen to sit and listen and participate over the next few days. So yeah, I think my personal philosophy is that everything that we do in life actually serves a purpose. We just don’t know it until it happens.

Murray Guest  

Oh, I love that. Yeah. And I actually like that mindset, because I think a lot of people are saying, What’s my purpose in life? What am I here for? But if we change that around to saying, actually what you’re doing right now has a purpose.

Leanne Hughes  

Yes. And it can drive you crazy. Yeah, honestly, trying to figure out your purpose. And that’s the thing, people trying to figure out their purpose in their head, but they don’t actually take the action to do, to try things. And to get a bit closer to see if that worked or it didn’t, did it lead me closer to the, I don’t think there is, for me, there’s no sort of one purpose. It’s more like, what’s what am I enjoying now? How can I take this forward?

Murray Guest  

Yeah, great. Now, reflecting on those past 10 years, do you have a couple of lessons that you’re happy to share that you’ve got that you think other people could learn from?

Leanne Hughes  

I think it’s the importance of listening to yourself, and doing things that society or the people closest to you may not agree with. So that one example of actually just taking off. I’d only known Chris for about eight weeks. And here I was dropping everything. I’d actually secured a job with an Asia marketing company. Wotif.com. I was going to move to Bangkok and start a marketing role there. I joined that company, I left after two days. Okay, and everyone thought you’re mad. Yeah. I thought I was mad, too.

Murray Guest  

Was this like a head versus heart thing going on? 

Leanne Hughes  

Yeah, I couldn’t really explain. And I said, it’s not the right decision. I just feel like it was so strong, that you know how the, just like every signal was telling me how I felt, which was a new thing for me, because I usually am a logical type of person, I have these life goals and everything else. Over the last 10 years, I’ve relaxed that a bit more. Yeah. My husband probably says I could maybe relax it a little bit more. I always have an idea of what I want in the next year or two. I think planning for a decade is tough, but it’s always like, Okay, this is the kind of stuff I want to do. I’ve relaxed though and said, Look, just trust that you’ve got this criteria in your mind. And things will happen around that. So yeah, listening to yourself a bit more. Also questioning the self talk. Yeah. And the labels that you’ve brought up with, and that’s something that I’m continually doing every day. I have these thoughts in my mind, like, oh, this, like, hang on again. Take it a step higher. Look down. Is that really true? What if it wasn’t true? What if it was the opposite?

Murray Guest  

So Vishen Lakhiani, the founder of Mindvalley talks about brules. I’m not too sure if you’ve heard that term?

Leanne Hughes  

No, love it. Love these terms.

Murray Guest  

So a brule is a bullshit rule. And it’s a rule that we’ve just taken on in our life because we think it’s the way, life is the way things are. But really, it’s just that’s there to be broken. It’s there to be challenged.

Leanne Hughes  

It’s brilliant. And actually you’re right. So what that reminds me of is a man named Wayne Dyer. His book, Excuses Be Gone. But in that company I worked with, that controversial marketing company, the CEO of that business, he’s the one that led me back into personal development and gave me Wayne Dyer CDs, gave me the Tony Robbins CDs. This is like, yeah, 10 years ago. And like, 

Murray Guest  

What CDs?

Leanne Hughes  

So that’s all about challenging yourself. And I think the biggest competition we have in our lives is ourselves and into the business world as well.

Murray Guest  

So how many episodes have you had of the First Time Facilitator podcast?

Leanne Hughes  

Well as of the recording, we’ve got 95 and releasing episode 100 In the beginning of January.

Murray Guest  

2020. Now, this may be hard but what are a couple of key standout insights or lessons you’ve got from all those amazing conversations you’ve had.

Leanne Hughes  

I think what’s really surprised me is I didn’t think we could get even to 100 episodes of this show. It’s such a niche topic, right?  I just can’t believe that in every conversation. I’m learning something new about facilitation. It’s staggering. Like the fact that there’s people all around the world a that even listen to it. So much going on in my head before I even launched, like who will listen to this, who would even want to be a guest on the show? That you just taking action, you can smash through all of those. But I think it’s really the, the diversity of guests, the fact that some facilitators even counter argue what previous guests have said, they don’t actually say that, but what their point is, is completely different.

Murray Guest  

A different perspective, a different approach. Yeah,

Leanne Hughes  

It’s quite refreshing. And I think a lot of listeners love knowing that just finding out, pulling out what’s best, what they agree with, and using that and giving that a go. So I can’t draw it back to one or two conversations, like every single episode has been just has surprised me.

Murray Guest  

It is a great podcast. I love listening to it. And I love as you said, everyone has got their experiences. And once and I think what stands out to me is there’s very much openness, there’s an abundance to just share. This is what I know helps.

Leanne Hughes  

I know, I know, particularly in the in the Facebook group you think people wouldn’t want to share because I think as a facilitator, you’ve got like your trade secret, like what works every time for you. But the fact that people are willing to share their favorite tools and icebreakers activities, is awesome. Yeah, it’s just, it’s just, it’s just drawn in, like the best people.

Murray Guest  

And again, let’s acknowledge 10 years ago, who would have thought?

Leanne Hughes  

I know, I know, who would have thought that I could, you know, I was reading all these books. And now I get to interview the authors. Yeah. Well, it’s so absurd. Yeah. People, you know, we’re recording this, you know, we’re just in our homes recording this and the fact that people are going to listen and give us their time and attention. Yeah. Unbelievable. So thank you for listening, and watching.

Murray Guest  

And thank you for listening, or watching. And I want to acknowledge, you know, launching my podcast in the last year, and how it’s felt to have all those conversations, to learn from people and then to provide that out to to people is just the ability to do that is just something I love. It’s a gift. It’s a gift. Yeah, it really is. Yeah. Now we’re going to look forward. We’ve talked a bit about the past and right now, so let’s go forward as well. And when you look forward, what does the future hold for Leanne Hughes, and what’s something that you’re maybe hoping to achieve?

Leanne Hughes  

Well, I only look out probably one or two years. I think anything past that is, it’s too far away with the rate of change. So I guess with me personally, I want to probably start diversifying what I do and actually figure out what what my zone of genius is at the moment, I left corporate back in February, I’m doing what I’m used to doing deliver leadership team development staff, but there’s something else drawing me in at the moment. And that’s probably the fight to stamp out presenteeism culture in organizations. Really, like I was at a storytelling event the other night, I was given the choice to tell any story I wanted. And my story ended up being about these chickens that I used to have, and how they started laying eggs outside of their coop, and I related that back to hey, we can deliver outside of our cubicle. I’m surprised so many people are still saying that.

Murray Guest  

Yeah. And you know what it looks like when you walk into offices these days that we are still putting people in these boxes to go to work in day in day out.

Leanne Hughes  

Like battery hens, like what the heck yeah, all all the information is coming out that just is against that.

Murray Guest  

Yeah. And I think that the opportunity is we are saying to people think differently, be more collaborative, be more open to communication, trust each other. Don’t work in silos, all those messages. Now go back and sit at your desk.

Leanne Hughes  

With your department. Yes, sit with your silo and wonder why there’s infighting and yeah, I could go on rants like this, we should probably, it’s really drawing me in, I get Yeah, I’m excited about it. But I also feel like there’s so much space to to even help companies or managers to arm them and start developing that trust. And it’s a bit of a mindset shift.

Murray Guest  

Yeah. Okay. Now, if you could have a crystal ball, and you could start to say, I want to travel to this part of the world and deliver this type of work. Let’s manifest that, that’s put that out there.

Leanne Hughes  

Well, everyone’s talking about Bulgaria at the moment. I had an Uber driver in Sydney earlier a couple of months ago and he was just he was talking first of all how great the internet speed was. Like, oh, that’s that’s a cool feature, but the beaches and everything else. There’s a podcaster I listen to, Ruby Lee. She’s like starting a business over there. So it would be Speaking in Bulgaria, probably just before Simon Sinek hits the stage. Oh, nice, nice getting to hang out and have cocktails with him after.

Murray Guest  

So we put it out there that makes it real. It’s real. That’s true. That’s out there. Okay, great. Now the other question I want to ask, I’m asking everyone through the series. You’ve got the opportunity, I’m giving it to you right now. To sign write on the sky around the world, your message. It’s, you know, from Leanne Hughes, it’s your message sign right around the world. Everyone’s going to see that to help them in the next decade. I don’t know how big we’ve got. But let’s let’s try and see what message would you love to give to everybody?

Leanne Hughes  

Um, I can I have two?

Murray Guest  

Let me let me check with the aviation authority. And yes, yes, two’s okay, two’s okay.

Leanne Hughes  

Well I guess one would be coming from just a personal work perspective, it would be work harder on yourself than you do on your job. Jim Rohn. Like that is my favorite. That changed everything for me when I heard that quote, yeah. And I still tell people now and I assume that they’ve heard it, they haven’t. 

Murray Guest  

Let’s say that one again. 

Leanne Hughes  

Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.

Murray Guest  

What does that mean for you?

Leanne Hughes  

Well, I was I thought I was doing the right thing, right. Like I went to University started working corporate jobs, and I was working longer hours and doing everything I could in the role. At the same time, I was wondering why I wasn’t getting promoted, and why I was being overlooked for opportunities. And I realized it was because I wasn’t working on the things that really matter outside of that. So building your brand, building yourself, building your communication skills, building relationships, all that really matters that I’ve that I’ve, I’ve learned in the last 10 years. 

Murray Guest  

Oh I love it. Love it. Okay, so that’s one, across the screen, across the sky.

Leanne Hughes  

Yeah, the second one would be probably something related to climate change, and actually making it more instead of blaming governments more so looking at the individual behavior. You know, just stop, stop bringing plastic bags, stop using plastic bags. I just remembered, I don’t know, like, oh, let’s get rid of plastic water bottles and stuff like that just drives me crazy. Or if you get a dog, make sure that you spend time with your dog and don’t just leave it at home. Little things? I don’t know. I just there’s a societal one. I think there’s a bit to do there. But also the individual accountability.

Murray Guest  

Yeah. So I think if you think about the dog, you think about your self development, you think about climate change. I’m hearing something about being accountable or being responsible.

Leanne Hughes  

Yeah, I’m really about that. I feel like there’s a lot of blame culture and driven possibly by the media. Yeah, always looking at like, hang on, we can actually take the things that we can do now that if each of us do it, we can make a massive difference.

Murray Guest  

Yeah, yeah. Okay. And anything else? Any final messages or inspiration you’d love people to think about to help them kickstart 2020 in the best way possible?

Leanne Hughes  

I think first of all, is just be kind to yourself. I think there’s a lot of with social media now is a bit of a comparison game and you can see easy to get on there and slip into that mode. I think it’s just find your swim lane and and just stick to that. But that’s, it’s important to ask yourself some questions and think about what is your you know, not passion. But if there’s one thing that you could do more of, even listen back to this interview, and the questions that Murray is asking me, and ask yourselves, ask yourself that question. This has been a good exercise for me, Murray, I gotta say.

Murray Guest  

Oh well, thank you, my friend.

Leanne Hughes  

Yeah, just the process of talking it out getting it out of your head onto paper.

Murray Guest  

Yeah, I love it. I agree. And I also totally agree, let’s not be too hard on ourselves. So I want to acknowledge your openness, your sharing of your journey to Broome to find your heart. And I think more people need to do that, listen to their body, follow their heart and, and leading you to Chris and having that relationship that you’ve got now, starting the first time facilitator podcast you saw the need, you now have nearly 100 episodes out there, which help people day in day out, improve the way that they create a space for people to learn and grow. So that is absolutely awesome. And the work you’re doing now just through connecting with people and that passion around leadership, culture and presenteeism. So thank you.

Leanne Hughes  

Thank you, man, this has been so great to meet you as part of that journey. And a good opportunity. This has been awesome. I really appreciate it.

Murray Guest  

Thank you. Now I need to ask where’s the one best place for people to find you online?

Leanne Hughes  

Oh, sure. So here’s my website, Leannehughes.com. Or if you’re a podcast fan, listen to first time facilitator. It’s released every Monday.

Murray Guest  

I love the way you just take it up a notch every time not one thing in the sky. Let’s go two or three. Not one place online. Let’s go two, and that’s a message for everyone.

Leanne Hughes  

I I hate when people do that in my workshop I’m like what’s one next step or one action and they do two, and I’m like no! I’m my own worst enemy.

Murray Guest  

Oh no we point out in others what we fear in ourselves, that’s true. And we’ll leave it on that. So Leanne thank you so much it’s been awesome connecting.

Leanne Hughes  

Great thanks Muz.