Listening is Leading: Podcast Hosting Intensive with Daniele Forni

Today’s workshop session focused on the main tips and tricks on becoming a speaker in different professional situations, including podcast sessions, interviews, or even public speaking. Our host is Mr Daniele Forni, a Hong Kong based executive coach, tech founder, and author specialising in empowering neurodivergent leaders within different industries. As an accredited public speaker, Mr Forni presented us with valuable insights on interacting with people. From vocal sessions and meditation practices aimed at relieving anxiety to practical tips on enunciation, our host equipped the members on how to improve conversation.

Throughout the workshop, Mr Forni carried out a few demonstrations on how incremental changes to the strategies of approaching an interviewee can create a more conversational and down-to-reach interaction. For example, he highlighted the importance of active listening techniques such as mirroring or questions encouraging elaboration. Ultimately, we took an enlightened view on how to naturally prompt speakers to expand and elaborate through fostering trust and attentiveness.

Most importantly, our host taught us the importance of confidence when engaging with the interviewee and audience, as well as effective ways to boost it. He resonated with our perspective as young entrepreneurs and encouraged us to assimilate the opportunity of networking to foster self-assurance. Additionally, he emphasised the concept of how “when you speak to one, you speak to everyone." We were inspired to adapt our conversations with future hosts with a balance of structure and spontaneity to incur true communication and connection.