Talent

I wouldn't say I'm wildly gifted, but I do have a bit of a knack for picking up tunes by ear. If I hear a song a couple of times, I can usually work out how to play it on the piano without any sheet music, which people always seem impressed by. I suppose it's more of a quirky party trick than a proper talent, but it's something that comes naturally to me.

Definitely public speaking. I tend to get a bit tongue-tied the moment I'm in front of a crowd, and my mind goes completely blank. I'd love to become more confident and articulate, because being able to hold a room is such a valuable asset, whether you're pitching an idea at work or just giving a toast at a wedding.

Yeah, I reckon I get my musical ear from my dad. He's played the guitar for as long as I can remember, and he can also pick things up just by listening. It's funny, because neither of us ever had proper lessons, so it seems to be something that just runs in the family rather than anything we were formally taught.

Not directly, to be honest, since what I do is fairly analytical and has nothing to do with music. That said, I think it's helped me indirectly, because playing an instrument trains you to be patient and to spot patterns, and those skills carry over into pretty much anything. So while it's not something I'd ever put on my CV, it's quietly useful in the background.