『The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show』のカバーアート

The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

著者： Dr. Greg Story
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For succeeding in business in Japan you need to know how to lead, sell and persuade. This is what we cover in the show. No matter what the issue you will get hints, information, experience and insights into securing the necessary solutions required. Everything in the show is based on real world perspectives, with a strong emphasis on offering practical steps you can take to succeed.copyright 2022 マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ 経済学
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  • Freedom Is All In The Mind

    Freedom Is All In The Mind
    2026/05/24
    We cannot stop the mind from travelling backwards into memory or forwards into imagination. That is part of being human. The real issue is not remembering the past or preparing for the future. The real issue is the worry we attach to both. How can we stop worry from taking over our thinking? We do not need to stop remembering the past or thinking about the future; we need to strip out the worry attached to both. Memory and forecasting are survival mechanisms, because they help us learn from yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. The trouble starts when recollection becomes rumination and preparation becomes anxiety. In business, leadership, sales, education, and personal life, this pattern is familiar. We replay a painful meeting, a failed presentation, a lost opportunity, or an unfair comment. Then we imagine tomorrow going even worse. That mental habit drains energy from the one place where we can actually act: today. Mini-summary / Do now: Recall and prepare, but remove the worry flavouring. Treat worry as the optional extra, not the main meal. Why do William James and Victor Frankl matter to mental freedom? William James and Victor Frankl both point to the same powerful truth: we can choose our attitude, even when we cannot choose every circumstance. James reached this through psychology and philosophy; Frankl reached it through suffering and survival. William James, the Harvard academic often called the father of American psychology, argued that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. Victor Frankl, the Holocaust survivor and author of Man's Search For Meaning, found that the last human freedom is the ability to choose one's attitude in any given circumstances. Different men, different eras, different experiences — yet the conclusion overlaps beautifully. We may not control everything that happens, but we can work on how we think about it. Mini-summary / Do now: Stop treating attitude as decoration. It is a core operating system for how we live and lead. Why do painful memories keep replaying in our minds? Painful memories replay because the brain wants to protect us from repeating mistakes, but protection turns into punishment when we keep attaching worry to the memory. That old mental movie can run for years if we keep pressing play. We remember humiliation, insult, degradation, or unfairness because the mind flags those moments as important. It says, "Watch out, this hurt you before." That may help us learn, but it can also trap us. The article's practical advice is not to deny the memory. We observe it, acknowledge that it happened, and tell ourselves we are not going back there. This resembles meditation: notice the breath, notice the thought, but do not attach yourself to it. Mini-summary / Do now: Let the memory appear, but do not let it become your identity. Notice it, learn from it, and move your mind elsewhere. How can we prepare for the future without becoming negative? Future thinking helps when it prepares us, but hurts when it becomes doom and gloom dressed up as planning. The goal is not to ignore the future; the goal is to stop inviting disaster into today. The mind imagines what could go wrong because it wants us to be ready. That is useful in leadership, sales, crisis management, public speaking, and family life. The problem begins when imagination disables optimism. We attack our own confidence before the event has even arrived. The better approach is to ask, "What is the worst that can happen?" Then mentally accept that possibility and immediately ask, "How can I improve on the worst?" That turns fear into preparation and paralysis into action. Mini-summary / Do now: Visualise the possible problem, then plan many ways to defeat it. Make the brain a solution factory, not a fear factory. What does living in "day tight" compartments really mean? Living in "day tight" compartments means protecting today from yesterday's pain and tomorrow's imagined disasters. It is a Dale Carnegie stress management principle that keeps attention on the only day where action is possible. Think of each day as an air-tight container. Yesterday cannot be changed, and tomorrow has not arrived. We still learn from the past and prepare for the future, but we do not let their worry components invade today. This is especially relevant for executives, managers, salespeople, educators, and professionals in high-pressure environments. If today is full of yesterday's resentment and tomorrow's fear, there is no mental room left for clear decisions, useful conversations, or effective action. Mini-summary / Do now: Seal today. Learn from the past, prepare for the future, but do today's work with today's energy. Where is real freedom located? Real freedom sits in our ability to decide how much worry we attach to memory and foreboding. We may not stop every thought from appearing, but we can work on the meaning we give it. The article's action steps are direct. Recall the past, ...
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    13 分
  • Be Chatty When Presenting

    Be Chatty When Presenting
    2026/05/17
    Great presentations are not speeches delivered from a mountain top. They are conversations that make the audience feel included, respected and quietly persuaded. In Japan, where hierarchy, humility and group sensitivity matter deeply, the way we stand, speak, gesture and connect can either build trust or create distance. The best presenters know how to reduce that distance fast. Why should presenters be more conversational? Presenters should be conversational because audiences trust speakers who feel accessible, not distant. A formal stage, lectern, microphone, slide deck and commanding tone can all create a psychological wall between speaker and listener. In Japan, that wall can feel even higher because physical elevation and hierarchy carry cultural meaning. Standing above a seated audience often requires humility at the start. The same lesson applies in boardrooms in Tokyo, sales kick-offs in Singapore, leadership forums in Sydney and investor briefings in New York. People may respect expertise, but they are persuaded by connection. A conversational tone says, "We are in this together," rather than, "I am above you." Do now: Reduce distance early. Speak with the audience, not at them. How does hierarchy affect presentations in Japan? Hierarchy affects presentations in Japan because the speaker's physical and vocal authority can unintentionally imply superiority. That can weaken connection before the message has even begun. Japanese business culture, from keiretsu conglomerates to SMEs and professional services firms, places high value on respect, status awareness and situational humility. A presenter standing above the room, controlling the lights, slides and microphone, may look powerful but also remote. In the US or Australia, confidence may be read as leadership. In Japan, unsoftened authority may feel cold. The answer is not to become weak or timid. The answer is to balance gravitas with warmth. A short apology, a friendly tone and inclusive body language can reset the relationship. Do now: Keep authority, but wrap it in humility and warmth. How can speakers include the audience naturally? Speakers include the audience naturally by referring to real people in the room in a positive, respectful way. Mentioning someone's name can instantly turn a speech into a shared experience. For example, saying, "Suzuki san made an interesting point before we began," or "Tanaka san is a great example of this principle," makes that person feel recognised. It also tells everyone else this is not a canned lecture. This works in Japanese leadership training, B2B sales presentations, client briefings and internal town halls. The key is sincerity. Do not embarrass people, expose private comments or manufacture fake intimacy. Use names to build belonging, not to show off your networking skills. Do now: Before presenting, meet people. Then weave one or two names into the talk respectfully. What tone works best for persuasive presentations? The best persuasive tone is warm, chatty and authoritative at the same time. Think of a smart conversation over the backyard fence, not a grand oration in a five-star hotel ballroom. A conversational style does not mean flat, casual or sloppy. Monotone delivery still puts people to sleep. Strong presenters vary speed, pause before key ideas, emphasise important words and use vocal contrast. Dale Carnegie-style communication, executive coaching and modern presentation training all point to the same practical truth: audiences stay with speakers who sound human. The tone should feel conspiratorial in the best sense, as if the audience is being trusted with useful insight that matters to them. Do now: Replace "performing" with "sharing something valuable with people I respect." What gestures and eye contact make a speaker feel inclusive? Inclusive gestures and balanced eye contact make the audience feel invited rather than targeted. Open palms, calm movement and six-second eye contact create connection without pressure. A useful gesture is the broad, welcoming movement of drawing the audience toward you, as though including everyone in the same conversation. Another is pointing with an open palm rather than a finger. Finger-pointing can feel aggressive, especially in cultures where harmony and face-saving matter. Eye contact should be long enough to be personal, but not so long that it becomes invasive. Around six seconds per person is a practical guideline. Startups, multinationals, universities and sales teams all benefit from this because human attention responds to respectful focus. Do now: Use open hands, inclusive gestures and calm eye contact to lower resistance. Should presenters make fun of themselves? Presenters should use light self-deprecating humour because it reduces status distance and makes expertise easier to accept. The trick is to do it sparingly and naturally. When a powerful leader, professor, executive or technical expert takes themselves too seriously, ...
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    12 分
  • Always Be Selling

    Always Be Selling
    2026/05/10
    In B2B sales, the real money is often not in the first deal. It is in the follow-up, the reorder, the cross-sell, the upsell, and the referral. Too many salespeople rush off hunting for the next buyer after the contract is signed, leaving serious revenue sitting on the table. Why should salespeople follow up after delivery? Salespeople should always meet the buyer after delivery because that is when satisfaction, problems, and future opportunities become visible. The sale is not finished when the agreement is signed; it is only entering the proof stage. In Japan, where reliability, timing, and quality control carry enormous weight, delivery performance can make or break the relationship. A buyer may have internal customers, supply chain deadlines, storage constraints, or senior managers watching the result. If the product or service arrives late, incomplete, or below expectation, the salesperson needs to know immediately and fix it fast. Do now: Get into the buyer's diary after delivery. Treat post-sale follow-up as part of the sales process, not as an optional courtesy. How does follow-up create more sales opportunities? Follow-up creates more sales opportunities because a satisfied buyer is far more open to repeat business, cross-selling, upselling, and referrals. The buyer has just experienced the reality of what was promised. Salespeople often become so busy chasing new accounts that they miss the warmest opportunity in front of them: an existing client who is happy. In B2B markets, especially in Japan, buyers often begin with a small order to test service quality, response speed, and consistency. If the seller passes that first test, the next order may be larger. Over time, trust compounds. Do now: Ask, "Are there other needs you currently have where we may be able to assist?" That simple question can unlock hidden revenue. Why is Japan a high-trust, high-risk-aversion sales market? Japan is a high-trust sales market because buyers are cautious, detail-focused, and highly sensitive to mistakes that disrupt their own customers. Risk aversion is not a weakness; it is a commercial reality. Compared with faster-moving US startup environments or more transactional markets, Japanese companies often prefer gradual confidence-building. A small first order may be a test of whether the seller can deliver consistently. Procurement teams, department heads, and end users may all be watching for reliability. One logistical failure can damage more than a single order; it can damage the buyer's internal credibility. Do now: Move quickly when problems appear. Speed, apology, correction, and prevention matter enormously in Japanese business relationships. What is the account development matrix in sales? An account development matrix helps salespeople see what they already sell, what they could sell, and where future opportunities exist inside each client account. It turns account growth from guesswork into a visible plan. Across the top, list each client. Down the side, list each product or service. Mark "A" for what you currently supply, "B" for high-probability opportunities, and "C" for lower-probability possibilities. This simple framework exposes how often salespeople get pigeonholed by the buyer, or by their own habits, into selling only one narrow solution. Do now: Before meeting a satisfied client, prepare the matrix. Walk into the conversation knowing what else may genuinely help them. How should salespeople ask for referrals? Salespeople should ask for referrals by narrowing the field, not by asking the buyer to think of everyone they know. A broad question creates mental overload. "Do you know anyone who needs this?" sounds harmless, but it forces the buyer to scan their entire universe. A better approach is specific: "Thinking of your golf group, is there someone who would also benefit from the solution you are enjoying?" That question gives the buyer a clear mental category and real faces to consider. The same works for industry associations, suppliers, business partners, alumni groups, or executive networks. Do now: Ask referral questions that point to a defined group. Make it easy for the buyer to help you. What should sales leaders teach their teams about post-sale selling? Sales leaders should teach that selling continues after the first contract because satisfaction is the gateway to account growth. The best sales teams do not separate closing, delivery, service, and expansion. For SMEs, multinationals, and professional services firms, post-sale discipline is a competitive advantage. The salesperson who checks satisfaction, solves issues, maps account potential, and asks for referrals becomes a trusted partner rather than a one-time vendor. In sectors such as manufacturing, training, consulting, technology, logistics, and B2B services, this approach protects revenue and expands lifetime customer value. Do now: Build post-delivery meetings, account matrices, and referral questions into ...
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    13 分
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