This Is Not a Drill: Why Real Performers Train Before It Falls Apart

There’s a moment that happens just before you step onto the podium. The orchestra is ready, the audience is watching, everything is silent. And yet, the pressure doesn’t come from any of that.

It comes from the knowledge that in the next 2 hours, there is no room to correct, explain, or undo. What you bring onto the stage is what everyone will feel, whether it’s clarity or confusion, inspiration or control. You don’t get to “prepare later.” The performance has already begun.

I’ve spent my life leading in moments like that, on stage as a conductor, a singer and public speaker. In front of orchestras, in front of audiences who don’t know my story and don’t care about my excuses. What I’ve learned from thousands of hours in that space is something that doesn’t get said enough in the business world: by the time you realize you’re not ready, the damage has already been done. That’s why real performers train before it falls apart, not after.

That’s why I sought out coaching long before it was trendy or tied to a corporate role. It wasn’t about ticking a box or fixing a weakness. I was already performing under pressure, on stage, on camera, in front of thousands of people. I didn’t need help performing, I wanted to be unforgettable.

Coaching Didn’t “Save” Me. It Challenged Me In All the Right Ways

There’s a common story told about coaching, that it’s for people who are stuck, overwhelmed, or trying to figure out what’s next. That wasn’t my experience.

When I first sought out coaching, I was already successful by most definitions. I was conducting international orchestras, speaking on major stages, leading complex rehearsals, and navigating intense interpersonal dynamics in multiple languages. I already knew where I was going and I was getting results. What I needed was someone who could work with me to elevate what was already working into something extraordinary.

The demands weren’t getting lighter. The stages were getting bigger and the expectations were getting higher, that comes with the territory. I realized that just being experienced and prepared wasn’t enough, not when the pressure is so high.

What coaching gave me was not comfort or validation. It gave me a mirror. It made me accountable not just for results, but to how I showed up consistantly under stress and uncertainty. Most of all, it reminded me that leadership, like conducting, is learned in practice, not in theory.

Want to understand how your performance holds up under pressure? Take the Executive Communication Assessment to see how you lead when the stakes are high.

The Business World Still Treats Coaching as a Luxury and That’s a Mistake

In music, no one argues that rehearsals are optional. No one thinks feedback is indulgent, and no professional walks on stage assuming instinct will carry them through a 90-minute performance.

Yet in business, especially at senior levels, people still operate with the belief that they should already know what to do. That asking for support is a sign of weakness and that if you were really competent, you wouldn’t need guidance.

That mindset doesn’t lead to excellence, it leads to isolation. Research backs this up - The Institute of Coaching found that over 70% of leaders who receive coaching improve their performance and communication. The ICF Global Coaching Study shows ROI of up to 700%. And a peer-reviewed meta-analysis in the Journal of Positive Psychology confirms that coaching significantly strengthens goal attainment and emotional resilience.

But none of that matters if the people who most need coaching are still waiting for someone else’s approval of it.

You Don’t Need a Crisis to Justify Support

What I’ve seen, time and again, in music and in leadership, is that the people who perform best are the ones who choose to train before something breaks. They don’t wait until communication has fallen apart or teams fail to improve. They don’t wait until they’re promoted into a role they don’t feel ready for or their bosses’ encouragement to start.

They step in early and build the internal habits and awareness that allow them to perform when it counts, without spinning, spiraling, or second-guessing. Because they’ve already practiced navigating uncertainty, they’re able to lead others through it.

I’ve coached executives just before boardroom negotiations, founders preparing to pitch under pressure, and managers facing interpersonal breakdowns they didn’t see coming. What they all had in common wasn’t a lack of intelligence or experience. It was a lack of preparation for how leadership actually feels in the moment, demanding, emotional, high-stakes, and unforgiving.

If you’re leading in high-stakes situations, you shouldn’t be improvising. Book a complementary 20-minute diagnostic call to map where pressure may be costing you clarity.

You don’t seek coaching because you’re behind. You seek it because you’re ahead and plan to stay there.

We’re not talking about life hacks or inspirational pep talks. We’re talking about the ability to walk into a shark tank and influence strategy and vision. Like any serious performer, if you’re not training for it on a daily basis, you won’t be in shape.

So if you’re stepping into a bigger role, navigating a heavier workload, or carrying the emotional weight of leading others, the question isn’t whether you “deserve” coaching. The question is whether you’re willing to take your own performance seriously.

If You Lead Under Pressure, You Shouldn’t Be Figuring It Out Alone

Coaching isn’t a luxury or a rescue plan. It’s a decision to take your role and your impact seriously. It’s a decision made by people who know that clarity, presence, and influence aren’t personality traits, they’re disciplines that need to be sharpened.

I don’t coach leaders because they’re broken. I coach them because they’re responsible for people, outcomes, strategy and vision. If you're carrying that kind of responsibility without any structured support, you're playing a dangerous game.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: this is not a dress rehearsal. The performance has already started, what you do next is entirely up to you.

Curious how your leadership communication lands?

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