Performance Psychology: Why executives should lead like entertainers

In his latest Headliner column, pro audio executive Mike Dias profiles Jason Batuyong, the elite monitor engineer trusted by America’s Got Talent and over 400 of the world’s most influential keynote speakers at Apple, IBM, Microsoft, and beyond. From mixing monitors for television’s highest-pressure live moments to managing the sound – and energy – of billion-dollar corporate summits, Batuyong brings more than audio mastery. He brings composure. Presence. Precision.

He doesn’t just work backstage. He stabilises the stage itself. Here, he explains how two simple words – “You’re good” – can transform fear into focus, and why today’s leaders need to learn how to say it like they mean it.

Batuyong is the calm behind the chaos – an elite monitor engineer for America's Got Talent and many memorable live TV moments. But his real genius isn’t technical, it’s emotional. He knows how to de-escalate fear, restore confidence, and transmit clarity. And it all starts with two words: “You’re good.” Not a question. Not a negotiation. A declaration.

That one line does more than calm talent – it transmits confidence. Because when Batuyong says it, he’s not hoping it’s true. He’s already run the signal flow, watched the gain structure, and built the fallback plan.

He’s rehearsed failure so many times that he’s ready for success. So they can be too. “I learned that from one of my techs,” Batuyong says. “You don’t ask. You tell. You’ve got to mean it.”

Preparation Is a Mental Health Strategy

Batuyong has worked on enough sets to know that things will go wrong, and still need to go right. So how does he stay calm? “You accept it’s going to fail somewhere. That’s step one. You plan for it. You rehearse it in your head for days. You don’t paint yourself into corners,” he says.

That mental model, the quiet voice that says, ‘I already thought of this’, isn’t just about sound. It’s leadership. It’s what great executives, engineers, and creatives all share: the ability to pre-process chaos before it happens. When your plan assumes turbulence, you don’t flinch at the bump.

Don’t Hang On to the Mistake

“Most people hang on to problems,” Batuyong says. “They take it personally when someone misses something. But why? We’re building a show with humans. There’s always going to be a monkey wrench.” That line isn’t just backstage wisdom. It’s a company culture philosophy. In high-performing organisations, progress stalls when people obsess over the glitch instead of solving it.

Batuyong’s approach is simple:

• Don’t bury yourself in complexity.

• Don’t seek perfection.

• Don’t loop the error.

• Just move.

And if you’ve prepared properly, you can move. Quickly. Quietly. Without drama.

The Power of Calm: Trust Over Tools

The deeper lesson from Batuyong’s approach is this: Confidence is transmitted, not announced. You don’t need a perfect mic check or endless EQ tweaks to make someone feel ready. You need to look them in the eye with total clarity and say, “You’re good.”

“It’s like eating at a celebrity chef’s restaurant,” Batuyong says. “You’re not there to tell them how to cook. That’s the unspoken deal.” In other words: be the chef. Be the system. Set the tone. Let your body language, your prep, and your track record speak.

If something’s broken, they’ll tell you. Until then: don’t invite doubt. Don’t open the floor for fear. Don’t ask questions that get in the way. This isn’t just good sound engineering, it’s operational leadership.

Because in business, just like in the monitor world:

• The better your system, the less you have to do.

• The cleaner your signal, the calmer your voice.

• The more confidence you transmit, the more trust you earn.

And trust is the only thing that holds a show or a company together.

Final Word: Say It Like You Mean It

In boardrooms and backstage, there’s a moment before the cue when someone looks around and asks, silently or aloud: ‘Is this going to work?’ 

What they need in that moment isn’t perfection. They need someone calm enough to carry the signal. Batuyong does that with two words. Not as a question. But as a fact. You’re good. Say it like you’ve planned for the chaos. Say it like you’ve tuned for trust. Say it like you mean it. Because if you do, they will be.

Mike Dias writes and speaks about Why Nobody Likes Networking and What Entertainers Can Teach Executives. He is one of the few global leaders in Trade Show Networking, and he helps companies maximise their trade show spend by ensuring that their teams are prepared, ready, and able to create and close opportunities. This column will be an ongoing monthly feature because Mike loves talking shop and is honoured to give back to the community. If this article was helpful and useful in any way, please reach out anytime at Mike Dias Speaks and let Mike know about what you want to hear more about next time.