The most effective way to overcome stage fright is not to suppress anxiety but to redirect it. Research shows that reframing nervous energy as excitement improves how speakers are perceived. Combined with deliberate, realistic practice, this is the method I use with executives in Dubai.
Senior leaders often tell me they are expected to be fearless. They are not, and they do not need to be. They need a method.
Why do experienced leaders still feel stage fright?
Because the stakes rise with seniority. A mistake in front of your board, your regulator or the press carries real consequences. The physical response, a faster heartbeat, tight breathing and a dry mouth, is the body preparing for performance. The problem is the story we attach to it.
Does telling yourself to calm down work?
Often it does not. In a series of experiments, participants who said “I am excited” before a public speaking task delivered speeches that were rated as more persuasive, confident and competent than those of participants who said “I am calm” (Brooks, 2014). Anxiety and excitement are both high-arousal states. It is far easier to move from one to the other than to force arousal down.
What does deliberate practice add?
Reframing is the first step. Mastery requires structured practice with feedback. The research on expert performance shows that improvement comes from focused, repeated practice of specific skills with immediate correction, not from simply accumulating hours (Ericsson, Krampe and Tesch-Romer, 1993). For an executive, this means rehearsing the opening ninety seconds, the transition into the hardest section and the response to the hardest question.
Why private coaching suits senior leaders
A public leader cannot afford to rehearse their weakest moments in front of colleagues. One-to-one coaching gives you a confidential space to fail, adjust and succeed before it counts. In our sessions, we work on breathing, vocal grounding, physical stillness and the first thirty seconds, then simulate your real audience.
Frequently asked questions
Is stage fright a sign that I am not suited to leadership? No. It is a normal response to high stakes, and it is trainable.
Can stage fright be reduced quickly? Many leaders notice a shift once they have a reliable routine for the first minute of a speech. Lasting change comes from repeated, realistic practice.
If public speaking anxiety, speech preparation, or communication coaching for executives is something you are exploring for yourself or your team, I would love to hear where you are starting from.
saana@mena-speakers.com | +971 58 971 2626
Sources: Brooks (2014), Get Excited: Reappraising Pre-Performance Anxiety as Excitement; Ericsson, Krampe and Tesch-Romer (1993), The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance.