The Sunday BlindSpot | #Issue 14

A Week of Podcasts – and Citizenship

Some weeks line up in ways you couldn’t script. After months of scheduling with different hosts, three podcasts all happened to land in the same week. Add to that becoming an Australian citizen, and it’s been a week with plenty to think about.

Lessons from the Podcast Chair

Three recordings in quick succession gave me a chance to notice a few things about how I come across behind the mic:

• Forget your notes – preparation matters, but the best episodes are the ones that feel like conversations.

• Notes don’t help if you can’t see them – in the first couple I tried to sneak a glance at my notes. With low vision, all that did was lose me my place and force the hosts to clean up the mess in editing. Lesson learned.

• Know when to shut up – when I get on a roll, I can happily talk myself into a corner. I’ve had to teach myself to stop, let the point sit, and wait for the host.

The subjects across all three centred on my decades in the legal industry, what I covered in Beyond the Features, and my focus on accessibility. Two of the shows raised accessibility on their own – proof there’s growing interest in the topic, and that it brings something fresh to the table beyond the constant focus on AI.

Why Podcasts Matter

Podcasts have become one of the most effective ways for organisations to share ideas. Just look at the global pull of shows like Diary of a CEO – people want to hear real stories, challenges, and insights they can use.

One of the off-mic chats this week was with a host who also works for a software vendor in the UK. Her take was blunt: law firms don’t want to be sold to, but they will happily tune in when a vendor shares insights on a podcast – particularly when it’s a panel with different voices from the legal tech world. That stuck with me. It’s not about the pitch; it’s about being useful.

Podcasts create space for nuance and context in a way that no brochure or demo ever could.

A Personal Milestone

Between recordings, I also became an Australian citizen. Twenty years after arriving, and after many years as a permanent resident, it was time to make it official. Now I’ve got two passports and the supposed dilemma of who to support in the Ashes. (For the record, there is no dilemma. England all the way.)

Looking Ahead

This week was a neat reminder that preparation, timing, and opportunity sometimes collide in unexpected ways. Three podcasts recorded, one citizenship ceremony complete, and a few more lessons learned. Weeks like this underline why I do what I do – to share experience, spark conversations, and keep pushing accessibility and legal tech into spaces where people are ready to listen.