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FYV #17 - Learning to Fail Forward

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Release Date: 05/05/2025

FYV #21 - Speak So They Can Hear You show art FYV #21 - Speak So They Can Hear You

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

In this episode of Foster Your Voice, we're tackling one of the most common and costly habits smart attorneys fall into: speaking from expertise instead of to understanding. When you forget where your jurors are starting from, you risk losing them before your best material even lands. This episode breaks down how to translate legalese into language that sticks—so your words reach real people, not just legal minds. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “knowing too much” is a communication trap How to speak to jurors using their own words—not yours The difference between showcasing...

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Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Ever lost your voice right before a big moment? Whether you're in the courtroom or on stage, vocal health is not something you can just “fix” when it breaks—it’s something you build before the crisis hits. In this episode, we’re breaking down the do’s, don’ts, myths, and remedies around vocal fatigue, scratchy throats, and how to actually care for your voice. From salt & vinegar chips to nebulizers to the real role of rest, you’ll walk away with practical tools—and maybe a little tough love—to keep your voice courtroom-ready.   In this episode, you'll learn: Why...

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When most people think of self-care, they imagine candles, baths, or maybe a vacation. But sometimes the most powerful version of self-care is the quiet, resolute no — especially when that no means honoring who you’ve become, not who you were. In this episode, Kristi shares a personal story that reshaped her view of self-care, and explores how trial attorneys (and high-achievers in general) can redefine care not as indulgence, but as essential fuel for growth and performance.   💡 Key Takeaway: Self-care isn’t always soft — sometimes it’s about saying no, letting go, and...

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Trial attorneys, ever catch yourself spiraling right before opening? Feeling off but blaming it on lack of preparation—even though you know your case inside and out? In this episode, Kristi reveals a powerful truth that could shift everything: you don’t have to believe every thought you think. 🤯   Learn how your brain’s job of survival—not accuracy—can derail courtroom performance, and discover how the CLEAR Framework helps you pause, reframe, and show up as the advocate and leader your jury needs.   Plus: a real-world example of what makes someone feel heard—and how...

info_outline FYV #17 - Learning to Fail Forward show art FYV #17 - Learning to Fail Forward

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Let’s be honest—failure sucks. But avoiding it altogether? That might be even worse.   In this episode, I reflect on my newfound fascination with sports—yes, sports!—and the surprising thing I’m learning from athletes that has nothing to do with winning... and everything to do with how they handle losing.   🧠 Inside this episode: How my non-athlete, choir-kid roots made me risk-averse for years What sports like cycling, March Madness, and the NFL Combine taught me about mindset Why athletes seem shockingly good at failing—and how they bounce back mid-game A...

info_outline FYV #16 - The 5 Building Blocks: Tone show art FYV #16 - The 5 Building Blocks: Tone

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

It’s not what you said. It’s how you said it. Your tone delivers emotion before your jurors even process the words. And if you’re not intentional with your tone, you may be sending the wrong emotional cues—and shutting jurors down without even realizing it. In today’s episode, we wrap up our 5 Building Blocks of Voice series by focusing on TONE—the often-overlooked element that carries the emotional weight of your message.   🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn: How tone can create momentum, authority, compassion, or conflict What happens when...

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Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Ever feel like you're either too loud or not loud enough in court? This episode is all about finding your volume sweet spot—and learning how to intentionally use volume to move, engage, and persuade a jury.   Learn how to adjust your vocal volume based on room size, proximity, and emotional content—without straining your voice or triggering vocal fatigue.   🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to adjust volume based on your environment and proximity to the jury Why keeping your volume “steady” might be unintentionally sending the wrong message How dynamic volume...

info_outline FYV #14 - The 5 Building Blocks: Pace & Melody show art FYV #14 - The 5 Building Blocks: Pace & Melody

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

In this episode of the Foster Your Voice Podcast, we continue our series on the 5 Building Blocks of Voice with a double feature: Pace and Melody. These two tools are vital for keeping jurors engaged and emotionally connected to your case. You'll learn why your natural cadence must be paired with purposeful pausing—not just for drama, but because cognitive overload is real. And when it comes to melody, we’re not talking about singing—we’re talking about the shape of your vocal phrases and how they direct jurors' attention, signal energy shifts, and shape meaning. If you’ve ever...

info_outline FYV #13 - The 5 Building Blocks: Pitch show art FYV #13 - The 5 Building Blocks: Pitch

Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Your voice is a critical part of your nonverbal communication—but are you using it to its full potential? In this episode, we kick off the 5 Building Blocks of Voice series with Pitch, exploring how shifting between chest voice, middle voice, and head voice can help you hold jurors' attention and guide their decision-making. If your voice stays stuck in one zone, you risk losing engagement. But when you use pitch strategically, you create vocal contrast that keeps jurors actively listening and processing your message.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why staying in one pitch...

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Foster Your Voice Podcast with Kristi Foster

Jurors come from all walks of life, and their ability to process and engage with courtroom information varies widely. In this episode, we explore the importance of recognizing neurodiversity in the jury pool and discuss practical ways trial attorneys can create a more inclusive, engaging courtroom experience. From avoiding legal jargon to adjusting your pacing and body language, these small but powerful shifts can make a major difference in how jurors absorb and retain crucial case information.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why my role as a “practice juror” in coaching trial...

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Let’s be honest—failure sucks. But avoiding it altogether? That might be even worse.

 

In this episode, I reflect on my newfound fascination with sports—yes, sports!—and the surprising thing I’m learning from athletes that has nothing to do with winning... and everything to do with how they handle losing.

 

🧠 Inside this episode:

  1. How my non-athlete, choir-kid roots made me risk-averse for years
  2. What sports like cycling, March Madness, and the NFL Combine taught me about mindset
  3. Why athletes seem shockingly good at failing—and how they bounce back mid-game
  4. A college voice lesson that cracked open my perfectionism (and sent me storming out...)
  5. The Duke University course that literally gave me chills: Learning to Fail
  6. A quote from Giannis Antetokounmpo that redefined “failure” forever

 

💡 Key idea:

Athletes fail all the time—on their way to winning.

What if failure isn’t something to avoid, but something to integrate?

 

🎧 Favorite moment:

“They just move on. Like…they miss, they mess up, and they just go to the next play. I’m watching that more than I’m watching the score.”

 

📣 Let’s talk about trial.

Trials are hard. You win some, you lose some.

Statistically? Civil plaintiff cases are around 50/50. Med mal and federal court? Even tougher odds.

So what’s your approach to failure?

  • Are you like my college self—only attempting things you’re sure you’ll get right?
  • Or are you starting to flex a more athletic mindset—staying present, regrouping, and growing?

 

📬 I want to hear from you.

If you’ve ever used a failure as a launchpad for learning or growth, I want to know.

➡️ Email me at [email protected]

Let’s swap stories—and normalize failure as part of mastery.

  1. IG: www.instagram.com/fostervoicestudio
  2. FB: www.facebook.com/fostervoicestudio
  3. LI: www.linkedin/in/fosterthought
  4. Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fostervoicestudio/

 

🔗 Resources & Inspiration:

  1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj4icUkwP2A
  2. Mel Robbins: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FrrKCN4M2/
  3. Learning to Fail class at Duke University: Iss.duke.edu/courses/learning-fail
  4. Book a free vocal snapshot:  https://calendly.com/fostervoicestudio/30-minute-assessment-clone

 

🏀 Final thought:

What if failing wasn’t a dead end, but a step forward?

Let’s train ourselves like athletes do—fail faster, recover better, and keep our eyes on the long game.

Until next time,

Keep fostering your voice. 🎤