Your topic is called ‘Build the Harmony: Why Good Ideas Don’t Always Land’ can you describe this in more detail and share a bit about what you will be covering in your talk?

Think about the last time you explained something important and it fell flat. Maybe it was a presentation at work or a conversation with your kids. The words were right, so why didn’t they stick? I’ve spent most of my working life trying to make ideas land, first in music rooms and later in training rooms. In this talk I borrow a lesson from music that changed how I think about every conversation, and hopefully I’ll show you why the answer is rarely found in the words themselves.

What has made you so passionate about this topic? How does it relate to you or your background?

I’ve been on both sides of this. I’ve sat in meetings nodding along to things I didn’t understand because I didn’t want to be the one who asked a “silly” question. I’ve also stood at the front of a room wondering why nobody was asking any. I assumed for a long time that the fix was always on my side, with better slides or better explanations. The funny thing is, music had been showing me the answer for years. I just hadn’t been listening. Once I noticed it, I saw it everywhere. From meetings at work to conversations with family at the kitchen table. It’s much bigger than just a work problem, and that’s what keeps me hooked.

What do you think people will gain from listening to your talk?

I’m not handing out a new method or framework. I’ve taught enough of them to know most end up shoved in a drawer. What I’d like people to take away is a different approach the next time they aren’t being heard. You don’t need any specific training and you can try it as soon as you get home. Also, if a few people leave humming a tune they didn’t expect to, that will be a bonus.

How has your TEDxAberdeen journey been so far? Is there anything you’ve learned that you didn’t expect, or any highlights?

It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve been given so much support and expert training, and I’ve learned loads about communication that I’ll take forward with me after the big day. The part I didn’t expect was how much I’d get out of the other speakers’ talks. Until I started the group training sessions, I’d been so focused on my own that I hadn’t given the others too much thought. Then I sat in a room listening to what everyone else was working on, and I was amazed. I’m going to come out of this knowing about all sorts of things I’d never have gone looking for.

What are you most looking forward to most on this journey? What are you hoping to get out of this?

I suspect everyone says this, but standing on the red dot. There have been months of drafts and rehearsals, and a lot of people have given their time to help me get it right. The moment I step onto the stage all that effort comes together, and I want to do it justice. I’d like to walk off knowing I did my very best. And if it starts a few conversations afterwards, even better.

What does being part of TEDxAberdeen 2026 mean to you?

Aberdeen is home, so it means a lot to do this here. The last time I was on this stage, I was in the pit band for a musical, playing along quietly in the dark. Coming back twenty years later with something of my own to say feels pretty special. More than anything, I’m proud to be part of this year’s line-up. I’ve heard what everyone else is bringing, and Aberdeen is in for a treat!