Leadership in the Heat of the Moment: Body Before Brain

I was calling a show when a performer missed their cue. Not late…missed. The stage stayed still, the music moved on, and I felt my chest tighten. My breath caught before I could speak. The board op turned to me, waiting. My voice came out too calm, almost detached: “Hold Please! Ladies and Gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties and we are holding the show. Please stay seated and we will be restarting shortly. Thank you.” on the VOG mic.

The lights froze, the house held its breath, and inside, so did I.

We talk about being the calm in the storm. But what happens when your body becomes the storm?

Your Body Is Already Responding

Leadership under pressure doesn’t start with a thought. It starts with a surge.

• The fight-or-flight system isn’t philosophical. It’s biological. When you’re under stress, your amygdala doesn’t care about your years of experience. It floods you with cortisol, increases your heart rate, and preps your body to react fast, and often without consent.
• Freeze and fawn are just as real. These lesser-discussed responses can show up as going silent, dissociating, or appeasing someone in power just to de-escalate. Not because you’re weak because your body is trying to protect you.
• Performance environments heighten the stakes. Whether you’re dealing with a medical emergency onstage or just tension backstage, your body perceives it as real danger. And sometimes, it is.

The Myth of the Unshakeable Leader

There’s a story we tell ourselves: that real leaders don’t get rattled. That composure is a character trait.

• Composure is a practice, not a personality. No one is born unshakable. What looks like grace under pressure is often regulation, muscle memory, and internal tools quietly at work.
• Neutrality isn’t the same as numbness. Trying to override your body completely can lead to burnout, disconnection, or misreading the room. Your feelings are data, not distractions.
• Pretending to be fine isn’t leadership. It’s performance. And it leaves no room for growth for you or for your team.

Tools That Bring You Back to Yourself

You don’t have to master every emotional storm. But you can build your own safety net.

• Name it, so you can tame it. When you feel your body going into overdrive, giving it language (out loud or internally) helps your brain regain its grip. “I’m feeling tight in my chest” is a starting place.
• Script your calm. Pre-written phrases for common high-stress moments like “We’re going to pause and assess” or “I’m not sure yet, give me 10 seconds” can act like anchors when your thinking brain is offline.
• Use the body to calm the body. Breathing exercises, grounding techniques (feet on the floor, hands on a table), or even humming can downshift your nervous system in real time. You don’t need 30 minutes. You need 30 seconds.

Reframing the Response

Your body’s reaction isn’t a betrayal. It’s an invitation to get curious.

• Physiological stress doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you care. You’re tuned in. You’re awake to the stakes of the moment.
• Awareness expands your range. The more you recognize your own signals, the better you can choose your response instead of being hijacked by it.
• Leadership is what happens after the adrenaline. It’s the reset, the repair, the reflection. It’s what you do next that defines you, not what your nervous system did first.

The Leadership We Feel Before We Speak

I used to think leadership was about staying cool. Now I think it’s about staying connected to the room, to the moment, to myself. The truth is, our bodies often speak before we do. They carry the urgency, the care, the alertness we’ve built through years of practice.

But leadership isn’t about shutting those signals down. It’s about listening to them wisely.

When your heart races, when your stomach drops, when your palms sweat, it doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. It means you’re present. It means you’re paying attention.

And that’s what your team needs most. Not perfection. Not detachment. Just someone steady enough to lead through the storm, not around it.

Key Takeaways

• Stress responses like fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are normal, even for seasoned leaders.
• Composure isn’t innate, it’s practiced—and supported by tools like scripting and breathwork.
• Ignoring your body’s cues can create disconnection. Listening to them builds trust and resilience.
• Your physiological reaction doesn’t disqualify you from leadership. It reminds you you’re human.
• Presence under pressure is less about stillness, more about staying engaged—honestly, actively, and with care.

Bryan Runion

Production Stage Manager -UNITED STATES

Bryan Runion is a professional Production Stage Manager whose credits include: Drawn to Life (Cirque du Soleil and Disney), Netflix’s Stranger Things: The Experience, Duel Reality (7 Fingers), La Perle (Dragone), The Voice of Tolerance (The Ministry of Education, UAE); Mastercard Experiences (Mastercard); Everybody Black (World Premiere), Queens (La Jolla Playhouse), Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy (The Old Globe), TEDx (Chula Vista), Mark Morris Dance Company, Joey Alexander Trio, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (La Jolla Music Society), The Bridges of Madison County (Arkansas Rep). Bryan earn his M.F.A. at The University of California, San Diego and his B.A. at The University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and The Stage Managers’ Association.

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