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  • Persuasion Power Eats Everything For Breakfast

    Persuasion Power Eats Everything For Breakfast
    2026/01/19
    Most business careers don't stall because people lack IQ or work ethic — they stall because people can't move other humans. If you can command a room, energise a team, excite customers, and secure decisions, you compound your influence fast — especially in the post-pandemic world of hybrid meetings, Zoom pitches, and global audiences. Does persuasion power matter more than technical skill for promotion? Yes — technical skill gets you into the conversation, but persuasion power wins you the job. In most organisations, the higher you climb, the more the work becomes "people deciding" rather than "people doing". This is why brilliant engineers, finance stars, and operational legends can still hit a ceiling. They're exceptional in the engine room, but when it's time to sell a strategy to a board, rally a division, or win internal funding, they can't land the message. In Japan's consensus-heavy corporate culture, you often need influence across multiple stakeholders; in the US, you may need crisp executive presence in faster decision cycles; in Europe, you might need stronger narrative and risk framing. Same game: decisions move when people feel clarity and confidence. Do now: Identify one upcoming meeting where you must persuade (not "update") — and design it like a pitch. Why are so many senior executives surprisingly bad at speaking? Because nobody trains them for "stage time" — they get responsibility, not rehearsal. Many leaders are promoted for performance, not persuasion. You see it everywhere: high-status, high-stakes people who can't string together a five-minute case for themselves or their ideas. They've been rewarded for competence, reliability, and execution — then suddenly they're expected to represent the brand, defend strategy, and inspire others. That's a different profession. Startups often over-index on charisma early; multinationals over-index on process and tenure — both can produce leaders who are undercooked when they're in front of customers, boards, or a chamber of commerce AGM audience. Do now: Treat speaking as a core leadership skill, not a "nice-to-have" — schedule training and practice like you schedule finance reviews. How do you self-promote without sounding cringe or arrogant? You self-promote best by making your value useful to others. The trick isn't "talk about me"; it's "here's what I learned, here's what it changed, here's how it helps". Personal brand isn't your logo — it's your reputation at decision time. The strongest self-promotion is evidence-based: outcomes, lessons, frameworks, and how you'd repeat the win. Use story, but anchor it in business reality: customers, revenue, safety, quality, speed, retention. In B2B, credibility often comes from clarity and risk management; in consumer, it's momentum and narrative. Either way, you're building trust. You can also borrow structure from Aristotle's ethos/pathos/logos: establish credibility, connect emotionally, then land logic. Do now: Create a 60-second "value story" with: problem → action → result → lesson → next step. What changes when you present to a global audience like TED or online? The upside is massive — but the downside lasts forever. A local talk fades; a recorded talk can follow you for years. Online audiences behave differently: they're less forgiving, more distracted, and they can replay your weak moments. But if you deliver professionally, your credibility scales globally — especially if you're known for communication, training, sales, or leadership. Post-2020, many leaders now "present" via webinars, town halls, podcasts, and investor updates more than they do in ballrooms. That means your persuasion power is constantly on display. TED's own guidance to speakers is blunt: rehearse repeatedly and treat preparation as part of performance. [1] TED ted.com Do now: Assume every important talk will be shared — build it to survive replay. What's the fastest escape hatch from speaking disasters? Rehearsal — not talent — is the catastrophe escape hatch. You don't get confidence by "hoping"; you get it by seeing yourself succeed in practice. Most business talks are delivered once: one-and-done. That's like launching a product without QA. Effective rehearsal isn't memorising every line; it's building a structure you can drive under pressure. Harvard Business Review makes the same point: rehearse a lot, but don't trap yourself in robotic scripting — aim for confident flow and strong openings/closings. [2] Harvard Business Review Harvard Business Review Do now: Rehearse the first 60 seconds and last 60 seconds until they're unshakeable — that's where trust is won or lost. How do you rehearse and get feedback without getting crushed? Ask for feedback that builds you up and sharpens you — never invite a vague judgement. "How was it?" is a confidence grenade. Use a two-part prompt: "What did I do well?" and "What's one thing I can improve?" ...
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    14 分
  • Designing The Close

    Designing The Close
    2026/01/13
    When you present—whether it's a Toyota leadership offsite in Japan, a Canva all-hands in Australia, or a Series A pitch in San Francisco—you don't just need a close. You need two. One to wrap your talk, and one to reclaim the room after Q&A, when the conversation can veer off into the weeds. Why do I need two closes in a presentation? Because Q&A can hijack your final impression, and your final impression is what people remember. You finish your talk, you open the floor, and suddenly you've lost control of the narrative—especially in post-pandemic hybrid sessions (2021–2025) where someone remote drops a left-field question in the chat and the room latches onto it. This is true across contexts: in Japan, a senior person's question can redirect the entire mood; in the US, an assertive audience member can turn Q&A into a debate; in Europe, a compliance or risk angle can dominate the last five minutes. The danger is the final question becomes the "headline" in everyone's mind, not your key message. Do now: Design Close #1 to end the talk, and Close #2 to overwrite the Q&A ending with your intended message. How do I stop Q&A from wrecking my message? You don't "control" Q&A—you plan to recover from it. Treat Q&A like a high-variance segment: it might be brilliant, it might be irrelevant, and it might turn into a no-rules street fight. That's not pessimism; it's professionalism. In a multinational (think Rakuten-scale), Q&A can drift into politics, budgets, or someone's pet project. In a startup, Q&A can spiral into tactical rabbit holes ("What about feature X?"). In B2B sales, the last question can be a procurement curveball. If you end on that, you've accidentally handed the microphone to chaos. Your second close is your reset button. After the final question, you say: "Let me wrap this up with the core message," and you land your point—cleanly and deliberately. Do now: Write a 20–30 second "reclaim" close you can deliver after any final question. What does a "crescendo" close actually sound like? It sounds like certainty—clear structure, stronger energy, and a finish that doesn't trail off. A common speaker failure is the slow fade: voice drops, pace slows, shoulders relax, and the ending lands like a wet towel. That's fatal because audiences weight the last moments heavily—especially in boardrooms, town halls, and conference keynotes. A crescendo close is not yelling. It's controlled escalation: you shorten sentences, sharpen verbs, and make the final line punchy. Think TED-style cadence, but with your own voice. In Japan, you may keep it respectful and precise; in Australia, you can be more direct and practical; in the US, you can go bigger and more emotive—same spine, different suit. Most importantly, the close is rehearsed. The last 15 seconds are designed, not improvised. Do now: Mark your final sentence, practise it aloud, and finish on a full stop—no apologising, no fading. How do I close to convince or impress an audience? Pick one major benefit, repeat it, and make it the thing they can't un-hear. When people are flooded with information—especially in 2024–2026 attention-fragmented workplaces—more points don't equal more persuasion. They equal dilution. So you choose the strongest takeaway and repeat it in fresh language. This works in executive settings (McKinsey-style clarity), sales pitches (value anchored), and internal change comms (one idea that sticks). Then, when it fits, borrow credibility with a quote—an established expert, a known framework, or a memorable line people already recognise. It shifts the reference point from "me saying a thing" to "a bigger truth we all respect". Use this approach whether you're speaking to SMEs, conglomerates, or cross-cultural teams. Do now: Identify your #1 benefit and write two versions of it: one plain, one more powerful. How do I close an "inform" talk without confusing people? Repeat the single most important point, then recap the structure that made the talk easy to follow. Inform talks often drown in detail: steps, data points, timelines, edge cases. Your audience shouldn't have to analyse what matters—you do that work for them. A clean method is numbered packaging: "the four drivers," "the nine steps," "the three risks." It's the same principle used in training programs, MBA classrooms, and operational playbooks: structure reduces cognitive load. At the close, you restate the headline insight and then briefly re-walk the map: "We covered A, B, C—here's the one thing to remember." In Japan, this supports precision; in the US, it supports speed; in Australia, it supports practicality. Same job: reduce confusion, increase retention. Do now: Decide your one key point and your numbered structure—and repeat both in 20 seconds. How do I close to persuade people to take action? Make the action obvious and connect it to the benefit people actually care about. Persuasion fails when the ...
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    12 分
  • The Use Of Evidence In Your Presentations

    The Use Of Evidence In Your Presentations
    2025/12/29
    We flagged this last episode—now let's get practical about evidence. Modern presenters face two problems at the same time: we're in an Age of Distraction (people will escape to the internet, even while "listening"), and an Era of Cynicism(audiences are more sensitive than ever to whether information is valid). Why is evidence more important now than ever? Because opinion won't hold attention—and it won't survive cynicism. If your talk is mostly "editorial" (your views), people either disengage or multitask. If you don't provide concrete insights backed by proof, hands reach for phones fast. Do now: Audit your draft. Highlight anything that is "opinion" and ask: "Where's the proof?" What makes evidence credible in the "Era of Cynicism"? Credibility comes from quality and transparency: use highly credible sources, use multiple sources, and explain how findings were assembled. Your own research can help, but it may be greeted with doubt if you can't explain your method. The point is to make listeners feel: "This is checkable." Do now: If you cite your own research, add one line on how it was done (sample, method, timeframe). What are the best types of evidence to use in presentations? Use the DEFEATS framework to choose evidence that convinces busy, skeptical audiences. DEFEATS is a checklist of evidence types you can use to prove what you're saying is true: Demonstration, Example, Facts, Exhibits, Analogies, Testimonials, Statistics. Do now: For each key point in your talk, pick at least one DEFEATS proof type (two if the audience is skeptical). What does each DEFEATS evidence type mean (and how do you use it)? Each type does a different job—so match the type to the point you're making. D — Demonstration: show something physically or on-screen (software/audio/video) that reinforces your point. It must be congruent with the message. E — Example: choose examples that are relevant to the audience—same industry, similar organisation size—so people can relate. F — Facts: facts must be provable and independently verifiable. A claim is not a fact. If you use graphs, display the data source clearly (people like knowing they could verify it). E — Exhibits: show a physical object (or image). Make it easy to see: hold it around shoulder height, keep it still. A — Analogies: simplify complexity by comparing two unrelated things (e.g., flight takeoff/landing vs speech opening/closing). T — Testimonials: social proof adds credibility—especially when it comes from recognised experts. It's not the primary proof, but it strengthens belief. S — Statistics: third-party stats are strongest; your own stats are fine, but less convincing without independent numbers too. Do now: Add sources to your slides (small but visible). Make "checkable" part of your credibility. What's the biggest evidence mistake presenters make? Using examples the audience can't relate to—or presenting "facts" without checkable sourcing. A senior executive using examples from a major organisation can miss the room if the audience is SMEs. And if you show graphs without citing where the data came from, you quietly trigger doubt. Do now: Ask, "Is my example their world?" If not, swap it for one that matches audience size/industry. Conclusion In today's distracted and cynical environment, evidence is what keeps people with you to the end. Design your key points, then deliberately "match" each one with credible proof—preferably multiple sources—using DEFEATS as your checklist. Do that, and you'll hold attention and trust at the same time. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業) and Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business
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    13 分
  • Designing The Main Body Of Our Talk

    Designing The Main Body Of Our Talk
    2025/12/22
    In the last episodes we looked at how to open the presentation. Now it's time for the part that does the heavy lifting: the main body. Most people design talks the wrong way around. This process is counterintuitive but far more effective: start with the close, then build the main body, and only then design the opening. The close defines the key message, the opening breaks through the competition for attention, and the body provides the proof. What's the best way to design the main body of a presentation? Build the main body as chapters that prove your key message, using only your strongest supporting arguments. In a 30–40 minute talk, you can usually land three to five key points that support your main contention—so the body needs to be planned like a case, not a stream of thoughts. This is why the design order matters: the close defines what you're trying to prove, and the body becomes the structured evidence trail that makes the close feel inevitable. Do now: Write your close in one sentence, then choose 3–5 chapter headings that directly support it. Why should you start with the ending before building the body? Because the close defines the key message you want to impart—and the body exists to earn that close. If you don't lock the ending first, your "evidence" becomes random material you like rather than proof that persuades. Once the close is fixed, you can design the body as a sequence of chapters that make your conclusion feel logical, not forced. Do now: Finalise the last 20 seconds first. Then your body becomes selection and sequencing—not guesswork. How much evidence should the main body include? A lot—but only the strongest evidence. You'll always have many possible supporting points, but time is limited, so choose the best content and give it "pride of place" so the listener gets it immediately. A useful warning from the field: when advising teams preparing business plans (like JMEC teams), you often see "diamonds" in the body that get trampled into the mud because the structure hides them. Your job is to surface the gems early, so the audience doesn't have to work hard to understand you—especially now, with decreasing concentration levels. Do now: Rank your evidence. Put the best "gem" first in each chapter, not last. How do you make chapters flow so the audience can follow your reasoning? Make chapters logically connect and use clear navigation—like a good novel. Your audience must be able to follow your line of reasoning without strain, and that means the transitions between chapters matter. The navigation is the invisible structure the audience feels: "we're here, next we go there, and here's why." Without it, even good content feels messy. Do now: Write one transition sentence between every chapter that explains why the next point follows. Why are stories essential in the main body (not just statistics)? Because people won't remember dry statistics—but they will remember a gripping story. Facts and numbers alone won't stick. Stories create mental pictures and emotional hooks that make your evidence memorable. To make stories work, include concrete scene elements: people, places, seasons—ideally familiar to the audience—so they can "see" it in their minds. Do now: Convert one data point into a short story with a person, a place, and a consequence. How do you keep the main body from dragging (and stop people reaching for their phones)? Use variation in pace plus "hooks" inside each chapter to keep curiosity alive. You can't run at the same tempo the whole time—raise energy, lower tension, change rhythm—but keep movement. Then add hooks that make people want the next sentence. A power hook example from the script: "Losing ten million dollars was the best education I ever received in business." Everyone immediately wants to know what happened, why, and what changed. That's the point: hooks don't happen by chance—you design them. Do now: Plant 3–5 hooks across the body (one every few minutes). If you remove the hooks, you'll feel where attention dies. What's the biggest main-body mistake professionals still make? They dump information instead of engineering engagement. Even official speeches can be a warning sign: the script recalls reading an Australian Ambassador's speech in Japanese that was packed with trade statistics and no stories—engaging content was sitting there, but couldn't be reshaped because it had to be delivered word-perfect. The lesson: don't waste good material by presenting it in a dead format. Do now: If your chapter is "all facts," force yourself to add one story that makes the facts matter. Conclusion The main body occupies most of your talk and does the heavy lifting to make your case—so craft it as chapters plus evidence, delivered through stories, with pace changes and hooks scattered throughout. You already earned attention with the opening—don't blow it. Keep the hooks coming,...
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    13 分
  • How To Be That Charismatic Presenter

    How To Be That Charismatic Presenter
    2025/12/15
    Some speakers have "it". Even from the back of the room you can sense their inner energy, confidence, and certainty — that compelling attractiveness we call charisma. This isn't about being an extrovert or a show pony. It's about building presence and appeal in ways that work in boardrooms, conferences, online presentations (Zoom/Teams), and hybrid rooms where attention is fragile and cynicism is high. What is "presenter charisma" in practical terms? Presenter charisma is the audience feeling your energy, certainty, and credibility — fast. You can be sitting "down the back" and still sense the speaker's confidence and surety, because their delivery is controlled, purposeful, and consistent. In business—whether you're speaking to a Japanese audience in Tokyo, a sales kickoff in Singapore, or a leadership offsite in Australia—charisma shows up as: decisiveness in your opening, calm control of the room, and a message that feels structured rather than improvised. The point is not to act bigger. The point is to remove uncertainty so the audience can relax and follow you. Do now: Charisma is engineered. Decide what you want the audience to feel in the first 10 seconds — and design for that. Why do charismatic presenters never "rehearse on the audience"? Charismatic presenters don't practice live on people — they rehearse until the talk is already proven. Too many speakers deliver the talk once and call it preparation, but that's just using the audience as your rehearsal space. Professionals do the opposite: they rehearse "many, many times" to lock in timing, high points, cadence, humour, and the small details that make a talk succeed. They also seek useful feedback: not "what do you think?", but "what was good?" and "how could I make it better?". Then they use audio/video review to improve, even using a hotel window as a mirror while travelling. This is how "effortless" happens: it's not talent, it's refinement. Do now: Record one rehearsal and review it like a coach. Fix one thing per run — pacing, pauses, gestures, clarity. What do charismatic presenters do differently at the venue? They arrive early and eliminate uncertainty before it can infect their confidence. The speaker is already there about an hour ahead, getting a sense of the room and checking how they look from the "cheap seats" — not just from the front row. They ensure the slide deck is loaded and working, they know the slide advancer, and they've sorted microphone sound levels — without the amateur routine of bashing the mic and asking "can you hear me down the back". They also manage the environment: lights stay up (so the audience can stay engaged), and the MC reads their introduction exactly as crafted to project credibility. Do now: Do a "cockpit check" 60 minutes early—room, tech, lights, intro, sightlines. Confidence comes from control. How do charismatic presenters build connection before they start speaking? They work the room first, so the audience feels like allies, not strangers. They stand near the door as people arrive, introduce themselves, and ask what attracted them to the topic. Then they listen with total focus—no interrupting, no finishing sentences, no "clever comments"—and they remember names and key details. This matters even more in relationship-driven cultures like Japan, and in senior-room settings where rank and scepticism can create invisible barriers. By the time the speaker steps on stage, they've already demolished that barrier and banked goodwill across the room. It also gives you a powerful tool: you can reference audience members naturally later and make the session feel shared, not performed. Do now: Meet five people at the door. Learn two names you can reference in the opening. What do charismatic presenters do in the first two seconds on stage? They start immediately — because the first two seconds decide the first impression. When the MC calls them up, they don't waste time switching computers, loading files, or fiddling with logistics — that was handled in advance by support. They know we live in the "Age of Distraction" and the "Era of Cynicism," so they protect that tiny two-second window and make the opening a real grabber that cuts through competition for mind space. One simple method is referencing people they spoke with earlier ("Mary made a good point…"), which instantly signals: we're one unit today. That move collapses distance between stage and seats and makes attention easier to earn. Do now: Script your first two sentences so you can deliver them cold — no admin, no warm-up, no drift. How do charismatic presenters keep attention — and control the final impression? They project energy with structure, then they take back the close after Q&A. In delivery they project their ki(energy) to the back of the room, while keeping the content clear, concise, well-structured, and supported by Zen-like slides. ...
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    13 分
  • How An Expert Prepares For A TED Talk

    How An Expert Prepares For A TED Talk
    2025/12/08
    TED and TEDx look effortless on stage, but the behind-the-scenes prep is anything but casual. In this talk, I pulled back the velvet curtain on how I prepared for a TEDx talk—especially the parts most people skip: designing the ending first, engineering a punchy opening, and rehearsing like a maniac so tech issues don't derail you. Is TED/TEDx preparation really different from a normal business presentation? Yes—TED/TEDx forces ruthless compression, because you've got a hard time cap and a global audience. In my case, I had up to thirteen minutes, with restrictions on topic and format, and the whole "ideas worth spreading" expectation sitting on your shoulders. That changes everything compared with a 45-minute internal briefing at a conglomerate or a client pitch at a fast-moving startup. Every word is gold, so you can't "talk your way into clarity" the way you might in a boardroom. You need a single thesis, clean structure, and a delivery plan that works under lights, cameras, and nerves. Do now: Treat TED like a product launch—tight spec, tight runtime, tight message. If it doesn't serve the thesis, cut it. How do experts choose a TED talk topic and central message? Start with a topic that fits the format and can travel across cultures, industries, and countries. I chose "Transform Our Relationships" because TED talks are broadcast globally, and the theme has universal relevance—whether you're leading a team in Tokyo, selling in Sydney, or managing stakeholders in Europe. Then you lock the central message until it's unmistakable. In my case, the title basically was the thesis: "transform your relationships for the better." That clarity prevents the classic mistake of drifting into clever side quests that feel interesting but dilute the point. Do now: Write your thesis as one sentence you'd be happy to see quoted out of context. If it can't stand alone, it's not ready. Why should you design the ending before the opening? Because your close is your compass—if you don't know the ending, the middle becomes a junk drawer. I started by deciding how I wanted to finish, then designed everything to land there cleanly. I also linked the close back to remarks from the start, so the talk could "tie a neat bow" and feel complete. TED format usually means no questions, so you're not designing multiple landing zones—just one strong finish that nails the central message. Do now: Draft your final 20 seconds first. Then reverse-engineer the talk so every section earns the right to exist. How do you build the middle of a short talk without rambling? Use chapters, not vibes: pick a small set of principles and make each one a complete unit. I used Dale Carnegie's human relations principles, but there are thirty—way too many—so I selected seven (and later had to drop one when rehearsal exposed the time blowout). Each principle became a chapter, which made construction easier and cutting less emotional. I then added "flesh on the bones" with story vignettes—some invented to illustrate, some real. To bridge into the principles, I used recognisable anchors like Gandhi ("be the change…") and Newton's action–reaction idea to make the "change your angle of approach" concept instantly graspable. Do now: Build 5–7 chapters max. Make each chapter removable without breaking the whole talk. How do you craft a TED opening that grabs attention (without clickbait)? Your opening has one job: make the audience lean in and think, "Wait—where is this going?" I researched what others said about transforming relationships and found a report ("Relationships in the 21st Century") with conclusions I felt were obvious—perfect for a debunking-style opening. A slightly controversial start can be an attention grabber, but I left the final design of the opening until the end—because once the ending and structure were solid, I could engineer an opener that set up anticipation without gimmicks. If the report had contained something genuinely profound, I would've used it as authority reinforcement instead. Do now: Write three openings: (1) contrarian debunk, (2) authority-backed insight, (3) personal story. Choose the one that best tees up your thesis. What rehearsal system stops you bombing on the day (especially with tech problems)? Rehearsal isn't "practice"—it's risk management under a stopwatch. I rehearsed until timing and flow were locked: I recorded the full script and replayed it about ten times to absorb the structure, then did live rehearsals, editing to stay under the thirteen-minute limit. Right before delivery, I did five full-power rehearsals the day before, then ten full-power rehearsals on the day at home—checking time every run. That repetition gave confidence when there were technical issues with the stage screen, and later a last-second delay (four seconds before going on) that could've wrecked concentration. I used breathing control, avoided green-room ...
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    19 分
  • Opening Our Presentation (Part Two)

    Opening Our Presentation (Part Two)
    2025/12/01
    If your opening drifts, your audience drifts. In a post-pandemic, hybrid-work world (Zoom, Teams, in-person, and everything in between), attention is brutally expensive and "micro concentration spans" feel even shorter than they used to. So in Part Two, we'll add two more high-impact openings you can apply straight away: storytelling and compliments—done in a way that feels human, not salesy, and definitely not like propaganda. How do you open a presentation so people actually listen (especially in 2025)? You earn attention in the first 30–60 seconds by giving people a reason to stay—emotionally and intellectually.Think of your opening like a "decision point": your audience is silently choosing between you and their inbox. In Japan, the US, and Europe, the same truth holds across startups and multinationals—whether you're at Toyota, Rakuten, Google, or a five-person SME: the opening must feel relevant now. Post-2020, people are conditioned to click away fast, so your opener needs a clear hook (what's in it for them), credibility (why you), and momentum (where this is going). Storytelling and compliments do that beautifully when they're specific, short, and anchored to the audience's world. Answer card: Attention is a trade—value first, then detail. Do now: Design your first minute like a landing page: hook, proof, direction. Why does storytelling work so well as an opening in business presentations? Storytelling works because people are neurologically trained to follow stories more than opinions. We've grown up with novels, movies, dramas, news—so a story switches the brain from "judge mode" into "follow mode." In business, story is how you create ethos + pathos + logos (Aristotle's persuasion trio) without sounding like you're trying too hard. A story gives context, stakes, and a human being to care about—something a slide can't do. That's why TED talks, executive keynotes, and great sales presentations nearly always open with a moment, not a mission statement. In Japan especially, where trust and context matter, a well-chosen story can quietly establish credibility before you ask for agreement. Answer card: Stories lower resistance and raise attention. Do now: Open with a real incident, not a generic claim. What kind of story should you tell: personal experience or third-party? Personal experience is usually the strongest opening because it's real—and real beats "corporate perfect" every time. People learn fastest from successes, but they lean in for failure-and-recovery stories because they feel true. Here's the contrast: "Let me tell you how I made my first ten million dollars" versus "Let me tell you how I lost my first ten million dollars." Most audiences want the second one—more drama, more learning, more honesty. Over-sharing wins no points, but a clean "war story" with a lesson builds trust fast, whether you're pitching in Sydney, selling in Singapore, or presenting in Tokyo. When personal stories are thin or politically risky, use third-party stories: a customer case, a biography, a documentary moment—borrow credibility without pretending. Answer card: Personal = high trust; third-party = flexible credibility. Do now: Pick one story that teaches a lesson, not one that proves you're perfect. How do you tell a short story when everyone's distracted (Zoom, phones, and micro attention spans)? Keep business stories tight: one scene, one problem, one turning point, one takeaway. Long stories are gone—today's environment punishes rambling. A practical structure leaders and sales teams use is: Setting → Tension → Choice → Result → Lesson. Keep it under 60–90 seconds. Drop details that don't change the meaning. Use "mind's eye" cues—time, place, person, consequence—so the audience can picture it quickly. This is even more important online, where silence feels longer and distraction is one click away. Whether you're inside a conglomerate, a nonprofit, or a SaaS startup, the aim is the same: create a vivid moment that earns the next five minutes of listening. Answer card: Short stories win; long stories leak attention. Do now: Script your opener story to 90 seconds and cut 30% more. How do compliments work as an opening without sounding fake or creepy? A compliment works when it's specific, credible, and linked to the topic—not just flattery. People like compliments, but they hate manipulation. You can compliment (1) the audience's shared experience, (2) the organisation, or (3) an individual—each creates a different kind of connection. Example: connect to a universal fear like public speaking ("Most people fear it because they haven't had training—speaking is learnt"), and suddenly everyone feels included. Or compliment the organisation: "Your reputation for excellence is phenomenal—let me tell you why." That causes curiosity and invokes pride. Individual compliments (e.g., "Tanaka-san said something insightful before we started...
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    13 分
  • Opening Our Presentation (Part One)

    Opening Our Presentation (Part One)
    2025/11/17
    In the first seconds of any presentation, your audience decides whether to lean in or tune out. This guide shows you how to design those opening moments—before you speak and through your first sentence—so you command attention, create immediate relevance, and set up the rest of your message to land. What makes a powerful presentation opening in 2025? Your opening starts before you speak—and the audience decides in seconds. In a smartphone-first era, those first seven seconds determine whether people lean in or drift off. The "silent opening" (walk, posture, eye contact) forms a first impression before a single slide appears. Conferences, town halls, and startup pitches now feel like a live feed—attention is earned fast or lost. Do now: Plan the pre-speech moment (walk, stance, pause) as deliberately as your first words. Decide what you want people to think before you speak, then choreograph for that outcome. How do I control first impressions before I even speak? Pre-stage signals set expectations—own your bio, the MC intro, and foyer chats. Event pages, LinkedIn blurbs, and the MC's script shape the audience's mental model. Brief the MC with a single, crisp positioning line ("Built Asia-Pacific revenue from ¥0 to ¥10B") and avoid laundry-list CVs. In B2B, hallway conversations are part of the show; in government or academic settings, your written session abstract becomes the first "slide" attendees see. Do now: Write a 20-word positioning line for the MC; update the event blurb; greet attendees with energy to "seed" a positive narrative. What should I physically do in the first 10 seconds? Walk briskly, take centre stage, pause, then project your first line. Movement signals confidence across cultures; a slight, purposeful pause lifts anticipation and quiets side-chatter. A strong first sentence delivered at higher vocal energy breaks through device distraction. Australian audiences prefer relaxed authority; Japanese audiences value elegant poise and clear structure; US audiences reward pace and punch. In all markets, eyes up—don't bury your face in the laptop while fumbling with HDMI. Do now: Rehearse a "no-tech" start: walk → plant → 1-beat pause → first line with 10–15% more volume than normal. How can I hook executives with a captivating statement? Open with an analogy, a bold fact, or good news—then explain the relevance. Analogy makes complex issues tangible ("Launching this strategic initiative is like learning to drive—lots looks simple until you're in traffic.")Bold fact creates a pattern interrupt (e.g., demographic shifts, cost-of-delay, risk concentration).Good news reframes the room: cite an industry uptick, an R&D milestone, or a customer win to signal value early. Startups often lead with traction; corporates often lead with risk or opportunity size—choose the frame that matches your audience. Do now: Draft three openers (analogy, fact, good news). Pick one that best answers your audience's "why this, why now?" Should I start with a question—and which ones actually work? Use questions to gather info, drive participation, or create agreement—sparingly. Hands-up questions give you a real-time snapshot and wake the room.Physical prompts ("Stand if you've led a cross-border project since 2023") add energy in offsites and leadership programs.Rhetorical questions align minds without calling for a reply ("What costs us more—slow decisions or rework?"). In high-context cultures, rhetorical alignment often outperforms cold-calling; in US sales kick-offs, rapid polling can boost momentum. Do now: Script one of each: (1) hands-up, (2) physical prompt, (3) rhetorical alignment. Choose the lightest touch that fits the room. How do I keep phones down and attention up from the first sentence? Design an attention moat: short sentences, elevated volume, and immediate relevance. Open with the outcome your audience cares about ("By the end, you'll have a 3-step opening you can deliver tomorrow"). Use names, dates, and entities to anchor time and credibility. Contrast markets (Japan vs. US) or sectors (consumer vs. B2B) to create novelty. Then promise—and deliver—one fast, valuable tactic before your first slide. Do now: First line = outcome; second line = entity/time anchor; third line = quick win. Keep each under 12 words. The simple checklist to design your opening this week Follow this 7-point "First 30 Seconds" checklist—then rehearse twice. Bio/MC line set.Walk-plant-pause mapped.First sentence bold.Choose one hook (analogy/fact/good news).One question type ready.Relevance statement tied to current priorities (growth, hiring, AI, cross-border).Fallback if tech fails. Pro tip: keep a printed one-page run-of-show; use it when slides go rogue. Conclusion Openings are a system, not a sentence. When you control pre-stage signals, choreograph the first 10 seconds, and deploy a deliberate hook, you earn permission to lead—whether in Tokyo, Sydney, ...
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