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152. How to Stop Freezing in Presentations: Brain Hacks for Confidence with Lilach Mendelovich
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You walked into the boardroom feeling completely prepared. You knew the data. You had done the work. Then, the moment it mattered most, your mind went blank. This is not a sign that you are unprepared or lacking confidence: it is a biological reaction.
In this Women's History Month episode, Kele Belton interviews Lilach Mendelovich, a world-class audition coach and screenwriter. She reveals why brilliant leaders are actually more susceptible to the freeze response and provides the neuroscience tools to reclaim your authority when the stakes are highest.
WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT
Lilach Mendelovich has spent over a decade behind the scenes at top Los Angeles casting offices. She discovered that the skills actors use to command a room during high-pressure auditions translate directly to the boardroom.
In this episode, we unpack why the brain shuts down creative problem-solving when it deems a situation threatening. We explore how to interrupt the Super Multitasker Trap and move into the identity of a Meaning Maker, even when your nervous system is in survival mode.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- The Identity Threat. Why high achievers freeze because their sense of self is tied to their success.
- The Self-Compassion Circuit. Why being hard on yourself signals a physical attack to your brain, making the freeze worse.
- The Toddler Analogy. How to treat your nervous system like a tantruming child that needs physical safety before logical input.
- Managing Up vs. Managing Down. How the freeze response shifts depending on who is in the room and how to refocus on service over perception.
- Reframing Failure. Why success is measured by how you handle the "bad days" rather than the absence of them.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Lilach Mendelovich - Audition coach and author of the Panic to Presence Guide. GET THE GUIDE.
- Dr. Kristin Neff - Pioneering researcher on the science of self-compassion.
- Ignite Your Leadership Power Accelerator - Kele's 12-week program for women moving from execution to strategy.
- Communicate to Lead - Now officially ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally.
CONNECT WITH LILACH
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilach-mendelovich/
- Website: https://lilachcoaching.com/
ABOUT YOUR HOST
Kele Belton is the CEO of The Tailored Approach and a leadership communication coach. Through her podcast Communicate to Lead, which is ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally, she helps high-achieving women move from execution to strategic leadership during major career transitions.
CONNECT WITH KELE:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/
- Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com
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By Kele Belton
5
77 ratings
Send us Fan Mail
You walked into the boardroom feeling completely prepared. You knew the data. You had done the work. Then, the moment it mattered most, your mind went blank. This is not a sign that you are unprepared or lacking confidence: it is a biological reaction.
In this Women's History Month episode, Kele Belton interviews Lilach Mendelovich, a world-class audition coach and screenwriter. She reveals why brilliant leaders are actually more susceptible to the freeze response and provides the neuroscience tools to reclaim your authority when the stakes are highest.
WHAT THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT
Lilach Mendelovich has spent over a decade behind the scenes at top Los Angeles casting offices. She discovered that the skills actors use to command a room during high-pressure auditions translate directly to the boardroom.
In this episode, we unpack why the brain shuts down creative problem-solving when it deems a situation threatening. We explore how to interrupt the Super Multitasker Trap and move into the identity of a Meaning Maker, even when your nervous system is in survival mode.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- The Identity Threat. Why high achievers freeze because their sense of self is tied to their success.
- The Self-Compassion Circuit. Why being hard on yourself signals a physical attack to your brain, making the freeze worse.
- The Toddler Analogy. How to treat your nervous system like a tantruming child that needs physical safety before logical input.
- Managing Up vs. Managing Down. How the freeze response shifts depending on who is in the room and how to refocus on service over perception.
- Reframing Failure. Why success is measured by how you handle the "bad days" rather than the absence of them.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Lilach Mendelovich - Audition coach and author of the Panic to Presence Guide. GET THE GUIDE.
- Dr. Kristin Neff - Pioneering researcher on the science of self-compassion.
- Ignite Your Leadership Power Accelerator - Kele's 12-week program for women moving from execution to strategy.
- Communicate to Lead - Now officially ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally.
CONNECT WITH LILACH
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilach-mendelovich/
- Website: https://lilachcoaching.com/
ABOUT YOUR HOST
Kele Belton is the CEO of The Tailored Approach and a leadership communication coach. Through her podcast Communicate to Lead, which is ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally, she helps high-achieving women move from execution to strategic leadership during major career transitions.
CONNECT WITH KELE:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/
- Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com