Do you dare to be powerful and confident? Matthew Hill, leadership trainer, conflict mediator, and intercultural facilitator has spent years guiding executives into their inner strength – but his approach might just surprise you.

He invites us to reconsider power not as the most dominant voice in the room, but rather a calm, curious presence, and confidence not as something we muster up once, but a daily practice of small, intentional acts.

From meeting difference with meaningful dialogue, and digging a little deeper beneath the surface of our interactions, to reclaiming our voice – episode 346 is for anyone ready to remove the obstacles standing in the way of their self-belief.

Find out about:

• The cultural nuances of facilitation and learning
• How to build confidence through daily micromoments, such as ‘adding one sentence’
• How to approach opposing views with curiosity, genuine dialogue, and a desire to learn
• How facilitators can use language to foster inclusivity, rather than widen divides

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Reverend Deb Hansen received a metaphorical message in a bottle, urging her to go to the US-Mexico border – a life calling that she followed all the way to El Paso.

As a facilitator-chaplain and quilter of the human experience, Deb has been there for people at the most painful and tender times of their lives – helping to understand their stories, and stitch back together the fragments of a broken, polarised world.

She brings beautiful stories about migration, spirituality, identity, and historical trauma with life-affirming reverence, she reads us a passage from her book Borderlands, and shows us all how to navigate vulnerability with grace.

A rich and important conversation about what it means to be human.

Find out about:

• Deb’s soul work with communities in a divisive, disconnected world
• Navigating vulnerable conversations with an open heart, and learning to sit with discomfort to honour growth
• Why authenticity is a lived practice that we manifest through words, body, and intention
• How to hold space for belonging, collective trauma, and grief in painful times

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Book

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Does an empty cup have nothing in it? Possibilitarian Mike Parker, believes not in its nothingness, but in its potential. Because when we pour our thoughts, feelings, assumptions and beliefs out of the cup, setting everything free, we create a container of emptiness – to make space for what we need.

Mike returns to the show with his signature calming presence to share his brilliant, beautiful thoughts on nervous system regulation in our age of overwhelm – and why guided relaxation could be the balm we are all missing.

From hypnotic anaesthetics, to neural networks, REM sleep, and the wondrous world of metaphor, episode 344 is for slowing down, tuning in, and returning to yourself. And at 59:36, Mike leads us all through a special, guided relaxation to do exactly that!

Find out about:

• How to facilitate space for creative calm, so that thoughts and feelings can emerge
• The crucial role of the facilitator’s nervous system in regulating others’
• How guided relaxation can help the subconscious mind to process stress, forge creativity, and find insight
• Why corporate mindfulness can shift toxic responsibility onto the individual

And if you enjoy today’s guided relaxation, Mike hosts monthly group sessions over at Liminal Lounge, where you can experience more of his wonderful work – as well as short guided relaxations on his website.

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If a facilitator goes unseen, are they any less present?

This is the beautiful paradox of facilitation: as we grow more adept in our craft, our presence in the room becomes less noticeable – less needed – because we’ve subtly set the magic of facilitation into motion.

Master of his craft Vinay Kumar knows this only too well. When you relinquish control, place your trust in the group, and set the stage for emergence to unfold, the space begins to hold itself – sometimes in unexpected ways. Join us as we go meta on facilitation and Vinay shares the stories and life lessons he’s learnt with generous warmth and wisdom.

Find out about:

• How to become the invisible facilitator that lets go of control and trusts the group
• The polarity of facilitation: why you have to do facilitation to become facilitation
• What makes a professional facilitator, when everyone can call themselves one?
• The impact of sustained, collaborative facilitation that lasts beyond the first workshop

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Can an AI bot really become a co-facilitator? Returning to the show with a new book co-authored by artificial intelligence and an AI sidekick named Nyx, is Holgar Nauheimer.

After 30 years building a facilitation legacy, Holgar shares a glimpse into his latest phase of life: his companionship with his sparring sidekick Nyx. Shaped by hundreds of questions, facilitation musings, and workshop challenges, she’s become his creative consultant and trusted confidante – freeing him to become a better facilitator. Present, attentive, and fully connected to the people!

If you think AI is making us lazy, this conversation might just change your mind.

Find out about:

• The impact of AI on facilitation, the risks, the opportunities and the benefits
• How Holger has trained his AI co-collaborator Nyx to support his ways of working
• How AI has the ability to learn and reflect our values as facilitators
• How to outsource routine tasks to AI to conserve your energy for where it counts

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As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. And master of change Jeff Wetherhold is no stranger to this.

He helps teams and leaders to create long-lasting, sustainable change not by plans, great intentions, or illusions of control, but through the beautiful simplicity of conversation!

He joins me in the podcast chair to share his 20 years of motivational interviewing wisdom: from having the courage of your conviction, to asking open-ended questions, listening deeply, and understanding the signals that people are ready to change.

If you’re feeling fatigued from plans that keep falling flat, an hour with Jeff is everything you need to feel inspired and start leading intentional change that lasts!

Find out about:

• Why 88% of change initiatives fail in organisations – and what to do about it
• The ambivalence of change, and why facilitators can use it to their advantage
• How to plan for conversations about change
• The ingredients of motivational interviews: open questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries, and sharing information with consent

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Are we all just cosplaying as leaders? Donning a mask or a costume that helps us better play the role we think we should be playing?

Helping leaders to show up with truth in a world that never stays still, is leadership psychologist and executive coach Sarah Budd. This week, she invites us to reflect upon who we are as leaders, as we examine the tensions between our authentic selves and the façades we use to cloak our wounds, to belong, and to feel safe.

From illusions of control, to leadership imitation, and why Beyoncé is an iconic example of cosplay, this is a fascinating conversation for every leader in search of deeper self-alignment.

Find out about:

• The cosplaying, archetypal leader vs the new, adaptable leader
• Why inauthentic leadership can be damaging to both the self and the team
• How to lead authentically in a world that’s complex and constantly changing
• The role of AI and professionalism in both facilitation and leadership

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Fuzzy goals, misaligned cultural values, and the allure of shiny object syndrome holds even the best entrepreneurs back. So what’s the secret to success?

David Greer’s strategic one-page plans! Coach and facilitator of strategic planning, David coaches high-performing business owners to get unstuck, rekindle the joy of their business, and get crystal-clear on their goals. Backward-engineered from the future, the plans become a comforting quarterly rhythm that keeps business owners fully focused on their dreams.

We explore his one-page plans, how to set better goals, and why David’s 16 years of sobriety is his single biggest achievement in life. A daily commitment to show up in presence and honesty, and a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when we stick to the plan!

Find out about:

• What one-page strategic plans are and why every business owner needs one
• How to set crystal-clear goals that are tangible and measurable
• The power of aligning and attracting a team on shared cultural values
• Why niching down in your facilitation field amplifies impact and attracts the right clients

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