ON CUE WITH KAFUI DEY: If you can survive live TV, you can survive any board meeting: Lessons from the studio floor

If you have never hosted live television, let me paint the picture for you. Imagine standing in front of millions of viewers, lights blazing, cameras rolling, and the director shouting instructions in your ear—while your microphone battery is dying, the interview guest has suddenly disappeared, and breaking news is unfolding faster than your brain can process it.

Welcome to my world.

After years of hosting live TV and moderating major national events, I’ve come to one conclusion: any leader who masters the skills needed for live broadcasting will dominate the boardroom. Why? Because the studio and the boardroom run on the same rules—pressure, unpredictability, and the ability to communicate clearly even when your internal monologue is saying, “Ei, what is happening here?”

Let me share a few memorable on-air moments and the leadership lessons hidden in them.

1. When technology betrays you: the microphone meltdown

One morning on live TV, my lapel mic died—right in the middle of a crucial interview. The sound engineer froze. The guest froze. Even the camera seemed to hold its breath. But the show had to go on.

So I leaned forward, projected my voice, and continued the conversation as if nothing was wrong. Minutes later, the mic was swapped quietly, and we carried on.

Leadership lesson
Technology will fail you at the worst possible moment—right when the board is waiting for your strategy presentation or when you’re pitching to investors. Calm leaders adjust, adapt, and move forward without broadcasting their panic. Your confidence is more important than your tools.

2. When the unexpected walks in—literally

Another time, a guest arrived with an uninvited companion: their huge family dog. While the cameras rolled, the dog strolled around the set, fascinated by the lights. I loved it; the crew was mortified.

I simply smiled, allowed the dog into the shot to curl by its master’s feet, and guided the interview back on track.

Leadership lesson
Unexpected variables will barge into your meetings—latecomers, emotional staff, new data, shifting priorities. Leaders who stay composed amid disruptions build trust. Agility is not accidental; it’s trained.

3. When breaking news throws your script away

Live TV has no respect for your well-prepared script. I recall a morning bulletin where breaking news hit seconds before we went live. Everything we rehearsed became irrelevant. Producers scrambled. Scripts changed mid-sentence. I had to pull from context, memory, and instinct.

Leadership lesson
The ability to pivot confidently is a critical executive skill. Markets shift, competitors move, crises erupt. Leaders who can think, speak, and decide under pressure are the ones people follow. Preparation builds the foundation—but flexibility builds credibility.

4. When you don’t know the answer (but must look like you do)

Yes, even seasoned presenters are thrown difficult questions on air. The trick isn’t to know everything; it’s to stay calm, clarify, and redirect with intelligence.

Leadership lesson
In board meetings, pretending to know everything is silent career suicide. Smart leaders manage pressure by seeking clarity, staying composed, and responding thoughtfully—not reactively.

The big takeaway: communication under pressure is a trainable skill

Here’s the truth: I wasn’t born with “TV nerves of steel.” I learned them. Through repetition, coaching, feedback, and many humbling moments involving microphones, dogs, and breaking news.

Executives and entrepreneurs face similar pressures daily—stakeholder demands, high-stakes presentations, impatient directors, unpredictable markets. Communication becomes the battlefield where reputations rise or fall.

The good news? You can train for it.

The skills that kept me steady on live television—agility, clarity, composure, and intention—are the exact skills that help leaders succeed in boardrooms across Ghana and beyond.

Final thought

If you can survive the chaos of live TV, you can survive any leadership challenge. And with the right training, you can communicate with the same calm confidence—no matter who’s watching.

After all, in leadership as in broadcasting, the message is important…but the messenger matters even more.

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

The post ON CUE WITH KAFUI DEY: If you can survive live TV, you can survive any board meeting: Lessons from the studio floor appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

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