On Cue with Kafui DEY: From shaking knees to standing ovation: Beating stage fright with the STAGE method

Let me start with a confession that usually shocks people: even professional speakers feel stage fright. Yes, MCs, TV presenters, keynote speakers, pastors, politicians… all of us. The difference is not the absence of fear, but how we manage it.

Across Africa, I meet brilliant leaders who freeze the moment a microphone is handed to them. CEOs who negotiate multimillion-dollar deals suddenly forget their own names when asked to “say a few words.” If that sounds familiar, relax. Stage fright is not a weakness. It is simply unmanaged energy.

Over the years as a master of ceremonies and public speaking coach, I’ve developed a simple, practical framework I call the STAGE Method. It works whether you’re addressing a boardroom, a town hall, or a conference hall packed with 2,000 people who are wondering if lunch is on time.

Let’s step onto the STAGE.

S – Shift your focus

Stage fright thrives when the spotlight is firmly on you:
How do I look? What if I mess up? What if they judge me?

That pressure is unnecessary and unhelpful.

Instead, shift your focus away from yourself and onto your audience. Who are they? Why are they here? What problem are you solving for them? How much time do they have?

Here’s the science bit: your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. If it’s busy thinking about your audience, it has no space left to panic about you.

Public speaking is not a performance, it’s a service. Once you see it that way, fear loses its grip.

T – Train your brain

When it comes to public speaking, the brain has a bad habit of becoming a disaster movie producer. It imagines forgotten lines, blank slides, mocking audiences, and viral embarrassment.

You must train your brain to expect a positive outcome.

Think about it: nobody goes to the cinema expecting the movie to be terrible. You buy popcorn believing you’ll enjoy yourself. Do the same with your speech. Expect applause. Expect connection. Expect that someone in the audience will say, “That was helpful.”

The mind follows expectation. Train it well.

A – Achieve calm

Calm is not accidental; it is intentional.

Before stepping on stage, slow your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose, exhale slowly through your mouth. Do this a few times and watch your heart rate drop.

Add tongue twisters to warm up your voice. Yes, even serious executives benefit from “red lorry, yellow lorry.” Meditation or quiet reflection helps too.

A calm body sends a powerful message to the brain: We are safe.

G – Get rehearsed right

Rehearsal is the antidote to fear but only if done correctly.

Start early. Don’t wait till the night before. Rehearse often. Rehearse with a small audience and ask them two questions: What do you remember? What did you like? Their answers will surprise you and sharpen your message.

Most importantly, record yourself on your phone. It’s far more effective than rehearsing in front of a mirror. Watch it back. Learn. Adjust. Repeat.

Confidence comes from familiarity.

E – Express yourself

Begin with a strong opening. First impressions matter.

If you make a mistake, and you will, keep going. The audience doesn’t know your script. They only know what you deliver. End strongly. Always.

Record your presentation. Review it. If you don’t like what you see, don’t retreat. Look for another opportunity to speak again. Growth lives on repetition, not perfection.

Stage fright doesn’t disappear when you avoid the stage. It disappears when you master it.

Take the STAGE. Own the moment.
And as always…stay On Cue.

>>> Need coaching? Email [email protected] today.

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