I’ve just left Day 1 of the Queensland Association of Special Education Leaders conference (QASEL) at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. I’m speaking on Day 3 (“The Dark Arts of Engagement”), so I snuck in early to get a feel for the room—and wow, the energy is brilliant.My big takeawaysHousekeeping ≠ snoozefest. Use memes/pop-culture to make admin memorable. Simone modelled this perfectly (Coldplay, Taylor Swift, even “no horses in the bathrooms”—gold).Secondary trauma is real—and rampant in education. Adam’s research hit home. I loved this line: “You don’t need to know the story to support me.”Resist the detail spiral. When heavy news hits, fight the urge to collect every detail. Curiosity can compound distress. Ask: “What do you need from me right now?” instead of “What happened?”Try-it-today promptsSwap three housekeeping slides for three memes. Keep it clean, current, and contextual.Set a “detail diet”: limit doom-scrolling on tough stories; focus on presence over particulars.Practice the support script: “I’m here. I don’t need the whole story to stand with you.”People + shoutoutsMC: Simone CooganKeynote: Dr Adam Fraser (author of The Third Space)Designer: Ruby Olive – “Colour Your World”Listener: Tracy Davies (thanks for saying hi!)I’m back on Day 3 with The Dark Arts of Engagement—I’ll report back with what lands (and what I learned).Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: [email protected] you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

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