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

The Japan Business Mastery Show

The Japan Business Mastery Show

著者: Dr. Greg Story
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For busy people, we have focused on just the key things you need to know. To be successful 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・リーダーシップ リーダーシップ 経済学
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  • 267 The Secret Power of Sales Bridges in Japan
    2025/09/11
    Introduction Sales conversations in Japan follow a rhythm: build rapport, ask questions, present solutions, handle objections, and close. But what makes this rhythm flow smoothly is often overlooked—sales progression bridges. These subtle transitions connect each stage of the meeting. Without them, the dialogue feels disjointed, like spaghetti instead of a roadmap. In Japan, where subtlety and cultural awareness matter as much as logic, mastering these bridges is the difference between a stalled pitch and a successful close. What are sales bridges, and why do they matter in Japan? A sales bridge is a smooth transition between phases of the sales process. Western sales training often assumes you can jump directly from rapport to needs analysis, or from presenting to closing. In Japan, that doesn’t work. Buyers expect subtle, respectful transitions that guide them without pressure. Bridges are the “glue” that holds the meeting together. Without them, the buyer feels rushed or confused, and the relationship suffers. Japanese clients, in particular, are sensitive to abrupt shifts. They value harmony, and salespeople who miss these bridges risk coming across as pushy or tone-deaf. Mini-summary: Sales bridges are the hidden connectors that make Japanese sales conversations flow naturally and respectfully. How does the meishi exchange create the first bridge? In Japan, the sales conversation starts even before the first question—at the meishi (business card) exchange. While many Western firms have abandoned business cards, they remain central here. A meishi is not just contact information; it’s a cultural key. By flipping the card to check the Japanese side, noticing a rare kanji, and asking if it relates to a regional origin, salespeople display cultural literacy. That small act signals respect, builds rapport, and warms up the room. It’s a bridge that transforms a cold introduction into a human connection. Mini-summary: The meishi exchange, handled with curiosity and respect, is the first and most powerful bridge in Japan. Why do Japanese salespeople avoid asking questions, and how can bridges help? In Japan, many salespeople hesitate to ask questions. The buyer is often treated as a “god” who should not be challenged. But without questions, you’re pitching blindly. With hundreds of solutions available—like Dale Carnegie Tokyo’s 270 training modules—how can a salesperson know which to recommend? The bridge here is gaining permission. For example: “We helped ABC Company achieve XYZ. To see if we can do the same for you, may I ask a few questions?” This respectful phrasing reassures the buyer while opening the door to real dialogue. Mini-summary: A permission bridge allows Japanese salespeople to ask questions without disrespecting the buyer’s authority. How do bridges help when presenting solutions? Once needs are clarified, many salespeople make the mistake of overwhelming the client with too many options. In Japan’s consensus-driven decision-making culture, this can paralyse the buyer. A reassurance bridge helps frame the presentation. Phrases like, “Having listened carefully, I’ve narrowed our wide range to the best fit for your situation,” show the client that the solution is tailored. It prevents information overload and strengthens trust by demonstrating that the salesperson has filtered complexity into clarity. Mini-summary: The solution bridge reassures clients that options are tailored, not dumped, preventing decision paralysis. How do sales bridges transform objections? Objections are inevitable. In Japan, how you handle them determines whether trust grows or dies. Instead of reacting defensively when a buyer says, “Your price is too high,” the effective bridge is calm inquiry. Respond with: “Thank you for raising that. May I ask, why do you say that?” Then stay silent. This respectful pause forces the client to explain. Often, the issue is not price at all but timing, budgeting cycles, or internal politics. By holding silence, you uncover the real barrier and transform the objection into an opportunity. Mini-summary: An objection bridge turns confrontation into dialogue by asking respectfully and listening in silence. How should salespeople bridge into the close in Japan? Closing in Japan is delicate. High-pressure tactics that work in New York often backfire in Tokyo. A bridge into the close needs to feel natural and respectful. After confirming that all concerns are addressed, a soft transition works: “In that case, shall we go ahead?” This style feels like an invitation, not a trap. It protects harmony, preserves the relationship, and still moves the sale forward. In Japan, where saving face is critical, such subtle bridges make the difference between securing agreement and losing trust. Mini-summary: The closing bridge in Japan is respectful, natural, and face-saving—not pushy or aggressive. Conclusion Sales ...
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    8 分
  • 266 More Frequent Performance Reviews Won’t Help If The Boss Is Still Clueless
    2025/09/04
    Introduction In today’s workplace, annual performance reviews are being scrapped in favour of more frequent check-ins. Firms like Accenture, Deloitte, Adobe, GE, and Microsoft have all abandoned traditional annual reviews in the last decade, shifting instead to monthly or even continuous feedback systems. On paper, it sounds modern and progressive. In practice, however, little has changed. Without properly trained managers who know how to lead effective performance conversations, more reviews just mean more frustration. The real issue is not the calendar—it’s the capability of the boss. Why aren’t frequent performance reviews working? Frequent reviews look good in corporate press releases, but research and employee surveys show they don’t actually improve engagement. Companies like Adobe and Deloitte found annual reviews ineffective, so they moved to monthly or project-based systems. Microsoft and GE adopted continuous feedback apps to track performance in real time. Yet the same managers who struggled with annual reviews are now expected to deliver high-quality conversations every month or quarter. Instead of better feedback, staff just get more awkward, unclear, and demotivating exchanges. Mini-summary: Even when firms like Adobe or Deloitte adopt frequent reviews, untrained bosses still deliver poor conversations. What is the real cause of failed performance reviews? The heart of the problem is communication, not scheduling. Leaders are being asked to provide feedback more often without ever learning how to do it well. This is true in multinationals like Accenture or Microsoft, just as it is in Japanese SMEs. HR tech platforms now enable instant feedback, but if bosses don’t know how to give it effectively, conversations remain pointless. Until we fix the skills deficit, reviews—whether weekly, monthly, or annual—will fail to deliver clarity, motivation, or alignment. Mini-summary: The root issue is a communication skills gap, not the review cycle—high-profile firms prove this too. Why do bosses struggle to have meaningful conversations? Many leaders are overwhelmed and chronically time poor. A big part of the problem is delegation—or rather, the lack of it. Too many bosses hoard work instead of empowering their teams. Combined with endless emails, back-to-back meetings, and excessive reporting, poor delegation creates frantic, burned-out managers. In Japan especially, “player-managers” take on too much individual work and neglect leadership responsibilities. The result is a schedule so overloaded that there is no bandwidth left for deep, meaningful discussions with direct reports. Even firms like GE and Microsoft, who adopted continuous feedback models, have struggled with this managerial bottleneck. Mini-summary: Without proper delegation skills, bosses stay frantic and time poor—killing the chance for meaningful conversations. Can AI fix the performance review problem? AI-powered HR systems promise efficiency, and companies like Deloitte and Accenture are experimenting with digital platforms to support feedback. But technology cannot replace human empathy or leadership. Unless managers themselves are trained to listen, coach, and motivate, AI just speeds up a broken process. It may streamline reporting, but it cannot substitute for trust and communication between boss and team. Mini-summary: AI can help administer reviews, but even the biggest firms show that without skilled leaders, reviews stay ineffective. What training actually makes reviews effective? The solution is not a quick two-hour workshop—it’s sustained behavioural training. Programs like Dale Carnegie’s Leadership Training for Results focus on real skill-building in communication, time management, and delegation. Leaders must confront fear, practise feedback, and embed habits until they become second nature. This type of training, already adopted by firms in Japan and across Asia-Pacific, creates lasting change that technology alone cannot provide. Mini-summary: Long-term training in communication, time management, and delegation is essential for effective reviews. What should executives and HR leaders do now? Executives need to treat people development as a strategic priority, not a side project. The lesson from firms like Adobe, Deloitte, GE, Microsoft, and Accenture is clear: changing the system doesn’t work without changing the skills of the leaders inside it. Performance reviews will only drive growth and retention if leaders are trained to deliver them with clarity and empathy. That requires teaching bosses to manage time, delegate effectively, and hold meaningful conversations. Without this shift, the “frequent review” fad will go the way of many failed HR experiments. Mini-summary: Companies must invest in upskilling leaders—especially in delegation—or frequent reviews will remain empty corporate theatre. Conclusion Performance reviews are not ...
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    8 分
  • 265 Listening To Speeches Shouldn’t Feel Like Suffering
    2025/08/28

    We’ve all been there. The speaker comes with a rockstar résumé, the room is full, the topic is compelling… and then their voice kicks in. Flat. Unchanging. Monotonous. A verbal drone that sounds like your refrigerator humming in the background. That’s the awesome power of the monotone—and not in a good way. It is the fastest way to suck the life out of a talk and guarantee that people leave remembering absolutely nothing.

    In Japan, a monotone speaking style is common, shaped by the language’s natural cadence. That’s culturally understandable. But for foreign speakers? There is no excuse. When we deliver in a flat tone, we’re not neutral—we’re forgettable. Monotone speakers commit three deadly sins: no variation, no pauses, and no emphasis. This is what creates that soul-destroying experience we’ve all suffered through.

    Let’s talk about variety. Audiences need vocal shifts to stay engaged. Faster, slower, louder, softer—modulation keeps us listening. Without it, the brain zones out. Then there’s the pause. The pause is your friend. It gives the audience time to catch up, process, digest and stay with you. Speakers who never stop talking bury every point under a growing mountain of incoming noise. Lastly, emphasis. Every word shouldn’t be equal. Key words must be highlighted with vocal punch so we guide the audience to what matters.

    We’re not asking for Broadway-level theatrics here. But we are demanding that speakers become more self-aware. Record yourself. Listen back. Are you droning? Are you modulating? Are you interesting? If not, grab a mic and start fixing it.

    This is not optional. In today’s attention-starved world, poor delivery kills your credibility—even when your content is absolute glittering gold. We don’t want to be bored. We want energy, rhythm, dynamics.

    So let’s fix the delivery. Let’s use tone, pause, and vocal emphasis to keep people awake, engaged, and interested in what we have to say. Let’s make sure no one ever feels like they need a pillow the next time we’re behind a podium.

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    8 分
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