In today’s episode, we’re exploring a courtroom tool that’s easy to overlook—but once you get it, you’ll never go back: forward-balanced energy. This subtle shift in how you carry your body changes your stamina, presence, vocal ease, and ability to connect. We’ll talk about what forward-balanced posture is (and isn’t), how it helps you stay mentally present, and a simple practice you can try today to activate your natural speaking position—whether you’re at trial, in depo, or gearing up for a tough mediation.

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In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What forward-balanced energy really means (hint: it’s not a pose)

2. How your physical stance impacts your vocal stamina and clarity

3. The difference between performing at people and being present with them

4. A guided posture shift to feel the immediate change in your voice

5. Why generosity—not pressure—is the key to powerful courtroom presence

Key Takeaway:

When your body is physically and energetically forward, you stop performing and start connecting. You show up with stamina, clarity, and generosity—and your jurors feel it, even if they don’t know why.

Favorite moment:

“Forward energy isn’t about pressure. It’s about generosity.”

Links & Resources:

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara - https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/

The 6 Ingredients of a Perfect Vocal Warm-up (FREE GUIDE) - https://www.fostervoicestudio.com/warmup

Get weekly vocal tips delivered to your inbox: https://www.fostervoicestudio.com/contact

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And if this episode helped you, send it to a colleague who could use a body-language reset before trial.

TRANSCRIPT:

Hellooooo! Hello Foster Fam! It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood today. I hope it is where you are too.

Hey! I would love to hear from you. Tell me where you're listening, what takeaways you've gotten (hopefully you have some), and share some ideas of what you'd like me to podcast about. What are some of your communication struggles? You don't have to be an attorney to participate. haha! While I focus my attention on civil plaintiff attorneys, good communication is good communication and the concepts can be applied across a broad range of industries. So, let me hear from you. Email me at [email protected]

Okay, now before we get into the topic du jour, I always like to share something I've come across that has sparked some curiosity or contemplation, or just "things that make you go 'hmm'," or musings and madness from my own brain. ha!

Today, it's the former. I want to clue you into a book I've been working through that has just really sparked my thinking around something i feel every attorney needs to practice more of.

If you've listened to my podcast from the start, you will know that I believe in hospitality. It is not only a core value of mine, but it's also one of my 5 fundamental truths about voice and how to be successful as a communicator. Go back and listen to Episode 7, called "Lead Like a Host, Not Like a Lawyer" for some of my thoughts around why practicing hospitality in the courtroom is a lost art and why it's critical to your success.

And so, knowing that hospitality is such a big deal to me, such a core value, it will not surprise you that I was immediately drawn to a book called Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect. by Will Guidara.

Will Guidara is in the restaurant industry. He runs Eleven Madison Park in NYC, one of the top restaurants in the world. But his book, I feel, has application into any industry, any human connection, and direct application for you as an attorney.

Now, full disclosure, I'm not done with it yet. I'm about half-way through, but even in the opening chapters there is SO MUCH to draw from that I wanted to be able to share and get you exploring on your own so we could discuss it together.

In the first chapter, he sets the premise for the whole thing: The human desire to be taken care of never goes away.

When we have to take care of ourselves — physically, mentally, emotionally, socially — we are less apt to connect with others. A primal need to preserve and protect takes over and it's near impossible, physiologically and psychologically, to care for our neighbors.

But it's not the state we WANT to live in. We want to belong. And that means being able to trust someone enough to relax and know that we'll be cared for responsibly, ethically, and with genuine care.

Think back to your childhood when you were home sick from school. Mom would bring you soup and crackers, tuck you into the couch with a family quilt so you could watch The Price is Right. Haha! Okay, that's what happened when I stayed home sick. Think of just how relaxed and receptive you were when you had, not just basic needs met, but extraordinary needs attended to. When your comfort and your wellness were top priority.

We want to be taken care of. Not coddled. But literally, we want people to take care when around us. Be care-ful. we want to feel cared for. And that requires that the host goes above and beyond the basics.

That is where a spirit of hospitality comes in.

Guidara talks about that if "Service is Black & White; Hospitality is Color."

Work ethic, experience, talent, a team, intellect, standing in associations can take you so far. You can even win some cases along the way. But you have an opportunity to affect change and impact lives in the long term.

You have the capacity to really care for the people that you say are the most important, that you're so grateful for, that you couldn't do your job without...the jury.

Outlining your case facts and reporting information is a black & white, transactional exchange. You can create The Technicolor Courtroom by bringing hospitality to the forefront.

Don't get me wrong. You need the black & white in place. This is the detail work, the attention to excellence in preparation. But, Guidara warns about what happens when you live ONLY in the black & white.

He says, "too many companies have left the human behind. They've been so focused on products [and I'm adding in too focused on verdicts and outcomes and winning] that they've forgotten about people.

And PEOPLE are who you are serving. You client, yes, but the greater community, People with a capital P. You are in this whole lawsuit in order to hold bad actors accountable and to right the wrongs they've inflicted, but you can't do it alone. You can't afford to forget about the PEOPLE that you're bringing along on the journey, asking to link arms with, inviting to belong.

Will Guidara's writing is fun and easy. Simple in concept, but profound in it's implications and impact. Pick it up and let me know how you see opportunities to apply Unreasonable Hospitality to your trial process.

Today, I want to talk about something that’s easy to overlook… but once you start paying attention to it, it changes everything about how you carry yourself in trial, but really, into every meeting.

We’re talking about your body’s energy posture—specifically, that forward-balanced presence that keeps you in the moment, with your jurors, and able to sustain your voice and focus over long days.

This is not about gestures or tricks or perfect choreography. It’s about how you live in your body while you speak. And how that physical awareness gives you stamina, presence, and connection.

So, let's start with "What Is Forward-Balanced Energy?"

Forward-balanced energy isn’t a pose. It’s not a move. It’s a readiness.

Think of it like this:

You’re standing in front of a jury. You’re not rocked back into your heels, and you’re not leaning in like a cartoon villain. You’re just… centered. Grounded. Eyes up. Shoulders relaxed. Slight energy moving forward, like you’re ready to step into whatever comes next.

It’s the same energy you see in a good athlete before a play starts. Like a tennis player. Knees just slightly bent, weight distributed, eyes alert—not hyped or tense, just ready to respond.

That’s what forward-balanced energy looks like in the courtroom. It’s subtle, but it changes everything—your breath, your stamina, your vocal tone, and the way others feel your presence.

Here’s the key difference:

When you’re forward in your body, you’re not trying to get something from whoever you're speaking to—you’re giving something to them.

That shift matters.

You’re not pushing for control. You’re not trying to “drive home” a point. You’re offering them your full attention, your full voice, your full presence. And in whatever stage of the lawsuit you're in, people can feel when you’re with them instead of performing at them.

Let me say that again for the folks in the back—

Forward energy isn’t about pressure. It’s about generosity.

Let’s talk stamina.

Trial days are long. You’re on your feet for hours, kind of having to toggle between high-stakes thinking and high-stakes speaking. If your body’s hanging back or collapsing inward, you will start to feel it—in your back, in your throat, in your breath.

But when you’re physically balanced—with your weight slightly forward, grounded through your feet, head floating on your spine—you set yourself up for vocal support and mental clarity.

You breathe better. You speak with more ease. You can pivot quickly if something shifts. And maybe most important—you’re less likely to feel that end-of-day drain where your voice is fried and your brain is toast.

Your forward balance gives your body somewhere to work from, instead of forcing your voice to do all the heavy lifting.

 Let’s get real for a second.

When you’re anchored and forward in your body, you’re also more mentally present. You can read the situation. You can hear when your tone needs to soften. You notice when the energy in the room tightens up. You can sense when you need to adjust something for better message reception.

That forward stance actually keeps your senses online.

It’s like you’re just gently telling your nervous system, “Hey—we’re engaged, we’re safe, we’re listening.”

you can adjust in real time, instead of feeling like you're in reaction mode, or, opposite, just zoning out,

This is courtroom leadership. Not performance. Presence.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Okay, Kristi, this all sounds nice, but how do I actually build that kind of awareness?”—Great question, let me help you.

Here’s a simple practice you can use today:

First, let's find the UNhelpful physical energy.

1. If you're able stand up, but...actually, this works sitting down as well. So, I'll do it seated, you try it standing if that's available to you.

2. Now, if you're standing, put your feet shoulder width apart, but keep them on the same plane. Really square up.

3. Rock your weight back into your heels. Seated, rock back into your hips. Let yourself feel really heavy.

4. Roll your shoulders forward.

5. Reach your neck forwards.

Okay, just be honest for a second. This actually feels really familiar. This is likely how you're NORMALLY sitting at your desk. Standing, how does that feel?

Now, just start talking. It doesn't matter what you say. Just talk. And now try getting louder. You kind of have to push don't you? It feels like you're vocally doing a heavy lift.

Okay, now let's get to a better place.

1. If you're standing, get your feet shoulder width apart, but just move one foot slightly in front of the other.

2. Soften your knees just a little bit. Be a little bouncy.

3. Roll your shoulders back.

4. Shift your weight slightly forward—not onto your toes, but just until you feel the ball of your foot pick up some of the load. If you're seated, roll forward on your sit-bones, get your back off of the chair, and activate your abs.

5. Now, feel the crown of your head lifting up—like there’s a string gently pulling it toward the ceiling.

6. Start talking again. Get louder.

Notice the difference? Does your voice feel more stable? And like it takes less effort? It's no longer pushing up and out, but able to float up and be bright.

THIS is your natural speaking position.

This is where your voice is free. It’s where your breath moves. It’s where your focus stays sharp without effort.

Keep returning to this throughout trial, and, like I said, throughout the entire lawsuit. Every time you feel yourself getting tired, or disconnected, or like you’re pushing too hard, adjust your stance or seated posture to create a more forward-balanced presence.

So here’s what I want you to takeaway today:

When you stay slightly forward in your body—not just physically, but energetically—you’re better able to show up with stamina, clarity, and generosity.

You’re not performing.

You’re not posturing.

You’re not manipulating anyone.

You’re simply offering your full attention to the people in that room.

And the beauty of it is, they can feel it—even if they don’t know what’s different.

So as you prep for your next trial, depo, mediation, or hearing, I want you to think about your whole-body presence, not just your outline or your delivery.

Come forward. Stay present. Be generous with your energy.

That will give you the voice that carries—and the voice that connects.

If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to share it with a colleague who’s prepping for trial right now—and could use a little body-language reset.

And hey—if you want a PDF warm-up to help you ground your voice and presence before court, I've got a guide called "The 6 Ingredients of a Perfect Vocal Warm-up" that I can send your way. I'll put the link in the show notes.

Until next time—stay steady, stay connected, speak on purpose, and keep fostering your voice.