Leanne Hughes' Private Roster newsletter: July 2023
đ¸ I wrote a book! Here's what writing a #1 Amazon bestseller can teach you about leading change
đ Youâll hear from me every month, sharing new insights or value, to help release the power of your people. While my newsletter was previously exclusively for past and current clients, I'm thrilled to now extend it to others who share a passion for unlocking the potential of their teams. This list and your name will never be made available to anyone else, not even to others on the list.
Hi there and welcome!
In this issue:
My first (business) book is out: The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint
What writing a #1 Amazon bestseller can teach you about leading change
Back by popular demand: Your 1 day Red Carpet Experience: Work on your business, not in it.
My first (business) book is out: The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.
Well! One of my goals was to become a published author before I turned 40 and I did that with a few months to spare!
Introducing: The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: Design Fast. Deliver Strong. Without Stress.
The book takes you from zero to hero on how to design and run short workshops, particularly if you're not necessarily a facilitator or a learning person.
There's lots of examples in there including questions to prep, different types of activities you can include, and different approaches to workshops that are not just, "Here are some slides and I'm going to talk to you for a couple of hours."
While the book focuses on workshop design, there are some key themes that underpin all of it:
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Making a decision and moving; resisting the urge to overthink
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Responsiveness: Creating stuff thatâs relevant to your market
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Getting yourself "in state" before you go live, managing your emotions, and switching focus on the group
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Creating engagement, building connections, and instant trust from the start: Building that space, so that your group feels encouraged to respond, and act.
If you're keen to deep dive more into these topics, and would like an energetic keynote or workshop for your upcoming event, send me a message.
Given it's 10 days since launch, I'm offering some great bulk book + speech/workshop offers!
What writing a #1 Amazon bestseller can teach you about leading change
I noticed some very close parallels with launching this book, and driving change in an organisation.
Here are the things I did to get to #1 bestseller and how they apply to rallying the troops and creating momentum:
Like everything in life, preparation helps.
Hereâs what worked in my favour:
Work in Public: When I started by writing journey, I recruited a group who I called my Workshop Wingmates. They provided feedback on Version 1, and as I wrote the book, Iâd share special behind the scenes updates with them via voice note and messages on Whatsapp. The second the book went live, I messaged the group and told them to go go go! Similarly, leading change in an organisation involves building a team of stakeholders who can contribute their insights and support the change initiative. By involving them early on and sharing updates, you foster a sense of ownership and engagement, which can drive the success of the change effort.
Building my own hype: I often talk to founders and leaders about believing in/the importance of holding conviction in their message. This isnât easy! We tend to want to downplay our achievements but launch week was not the time to do that. In saying that, I feel more comfortable sharing third-party endorsements of the book, and reviews on Amazon. Same for you, you must believe in the importance of your vision and communicate it with enthusiasm.
Being Visible: I was a guest speaker for the US-based Talent Development Think Tank community and delivered a 60 min webinar at 7am on launch day. Following that session, book sales spiked in the US, securing #1 for a moment in time. Delight! I was also a guest on various podcast that were pre-recorded, and I asked the hosts to save release of our conversation. Similarly, Similarly, if youâre spearheading change you need to be visible, and actively engage with employees, stakeholders, and other influential individuals or groups.
Community: Since 2019, Iâve been creating a community dedicated to helping people deliver exciting, non-boring work experiences. Over 2000 people are in my group, and itâs been amazing to see them share the love, post on social media. By fostering a sense of belonging, encouraging open communication, and recognising and celebrating milestones, you can also rally your employees community around the change initiative.
Understanding the important metric: Amazon updates their bestseller list quite frequently, and the goal is to create a spike in sales at a moment in time. You also need to be deliberate in the categories you focus on. I used a tool and spent quite a bit of time determining the Amazon that had low competition but high search results, and landed on three key categories that might make it a little easier to hit #1. What new product or service can you launch, that has similar criteria (people want it, demand is low)?
Finally (and most importantly) Validate the idea and create something that people actually want: I validated this idea by hosting a masterclass on the 2-hour concept last year which had a hugely positive response. My favourite feedback to date was in California in February, when someone ran up to me and said, âLeanne! I actually have to run a 2-hour workshop in two weeksâ- perfect. You can validate ideas through pilot projects, listening tours, surveys, or other means of gathering input from key stakeholders.
đď¸ Back by popular demand: Your 1 day Red Carpet Experience: Work on your business, not in it.
What would it look like to have a day spent working on your business, and having a blast while doing it?
One of my favourite new offers this year is offering a Red Carpet Experience for clients. This is a day where we pull the sleeves up and create/GSD (Get Stuff Done), stopping for a long lunch/glass of bubbles to help kick that ideation mode into the next gear :)
This personalised experience can take place virtually or in-person in Brisbane (or, if youâre willing to fund travel, I'm there!).
During the Red Carpet Experience, we will sprint together to complete a project, that may include:
Helping you create effortless content to be the face of your business (we could even shoot some LinkedIn videos/internal comms videos)
Launching a new product or service offering
Building and refining your personal and professional brand to connect with your company, or establish yourself as an industry thought leader
Developing a strategy for successful stakeholder engagement
Whatever you want to work on!
You will receive 30 days of additional support to ensure the successful implementation of your action plan.
Hereâs a testimonial from Jo, who flew over from New Zealand to spend a day together on the red carpet in Brisbane.
Interested?
Write me for details.
Thanks for being here!
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Best,
Leanne
P.s. Plus, whenever youâre ready, here are 4 more ways I can support you:
Achieve a well-executed onboarding process that leads to improved retention, increased productivity, enhanced engagement, and improved business results with Leanne Hughesâ New Hire Accelerator Audit.Â
Create a strategy with the Sentient Strategy formulation process. Itâs a strategy that moves with your business (and doesnât sit on a shelf)Â
Letâs get into some meaty work to transform your culture and how your people show up to work every day.
Book me as a speaker or MC for your next conference.