Presence Under Pressure: Anxiety, Performance & Leadership with Gina Rattan

What do Broadway actors, Fortune 500 executives, and high-achieving creatives all wrestle with? Pressure and anxiety when it matters most.

In this episode, Allison talks with executive coach and former theater director Gina Rattan about performance anxiety, executive presence, and why “perfect” is often the most dangerous goal in the room. Drawing from years in theater and high-stakes leadership coaching, Gina shares practical, realistic tools for regulating the nervous system, managing fear of judgment, and showing up with clarity when the spotlight is on.

This conversation is for artists, leaders, and anyone who has ever thought, What if I blow it?

What We Talk About

• How Gina went from directing Broadway shows to coaching executives
• Why leadership is an authentic performance (and why that’s not a bad thing)
• The three most common types of performance anxiety
• How perfectionism quietly sabotages confidence
• Why “fear of consistency” hits high achievers hardest
• Simple nervous system tools you can use before a high-stakes moment
• How to stop treating anxiety like a personal failure
• Mantras that help artists and leaders stay grounded in uncertain times

About the Guest

Gina Rattan is a former theater director turned executive coach who works with performers under pressure, from Broadway and Oscar-winning actors to Fortune 500 executives. Her work focuses on communication, reputation, and helping people show up with clarity and authority when the stakes are high.

Find Gina Online

• Website: green-room.io/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ginarattan/
• Instagram: @green.room.io
• Substack: Executive Functioning

Find Allison

• Instagram: @anxietyandtheartist
• Website: allisonsheff.com
• Media & Production: grastamedia.com