Finding Your Own Voice

Fran is now the CEO and founder of Litmus Comms and is often featured in the press talking about how to get ahead and make a positive first impression in a way that feels like you. Her Careers session was very timely for students who are currently preparing for their university entrance interviews.

Her top tips for public speaking revealed how to speak with more impact, substance and energy at interviews, presentations and talks. Fran says: “I help individuals and teams unpick what’s holding them back, training them in techniques and frameworks that help them deliver their point in a way that makes people respect it and remember it.

“Developed over 20 years in PR and media training, my approach means you can leave that meeting, pitch, or conversation knowing you’ve said what you wanted to say, in a way that gets the results you want.”

She played a fascinating video of a voice coach analysing the way Margaret Thatcher’s voice changed during her years in politics as she was trained to mimic the tone and pitch of a male voice in order to make her seem more authoritative and powerful. “Imagine how exhausting it must be to have had to keep that up all the time,” said Fran. “I want you to have the unwavering confidence to be your own self.

“You need to uncover your own style, find out what you love talking about, what gives you energy, and then think about what in your life has shaped your passions and why that thing resonates with you.”

Fran talked about the importance of preparation, of having a bank of answers and specific examples that you can draw on. She also revealed the best way to deal with brain freeze during an interview and how to pivot to a point or a topic you want to highlight.

She ended by telling them; “Bring your personality through as much as possible, be dynamic, be real and bring a lightness of touch. It’s all about having the confidence to be yourself.”