Episode #116: Be Fearless. Become A Considered Self Promoter To Grow Your Business

Why does asking the first question matter so much at business events?

In Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo), most executives and professionals sit quietly during Q&A, even when they have something valuable to say. The MC asks, “Any questions?” — and a silence-filled vacuum appears.

If you consistently raise your hand first, you do three powerful things at once:

• You become visible in a room full of potential clients and decision-makers.

• You subtly market your company and personal brand, without a sales pitch.

• You position yourself as a confident, thinking professional, not just a passive attendee.

The author discovered that waiting politely often meant never getting to ask a question at all — the organizer would suddenly close Q&A. By deciding to be first, he massively increased his chances of being heard and remembered.

Summary: Asking the first question is a low-cost, high-impact way to stand out at business events in Tokyo and start building real personal brand equity.

At most events for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign/multinational companies) in Tokyo, questioners are asked to state their name and affiliation before speaking. Almost everyone mumbles this part so quickly that nobody catches it — and the chance for brand recognition disappears.

Used strategically, this brief self-introduction becomes free advertising:

• Say your full name slowly, clearly, and confidently.

• Say your company name slowly and distinctly — especially if it is not yet well-known.

• Repeat this at multiple events over time so people start to recognize and remember you.

The author chose to deliberately promote the names “Greg Story” and “Dale Carnegie Training Japan” through clear, repeated introductions during Q&A. Over many events, this subtly positioned his company as “top of mind” among businesspeople in the room, similar to how we aim to be top of mind through SEO, websites, advertising, or content marketing.

Summary: Treat every Q&A self-introduction as a micro-commercial for your name and your company — it’s free, repeatable, and highly targeted to the right audience.

Most Q&A introductions sound like this:
“hiimjohnfromxyzcorpmyquestionis…”

No one catches the name. No one catches the company. The only thing people hear is noise.

To reverse this, especially in high-level environments like leadership training (リーダーシップ研修 / leadership training), sales training (営業研修 / sales training), or presentation training (プレゼンテーション研修 / presentation training) events, you can:

1. Pause before speaking. Take one calm breath.

2. Deliver your name clearly:

   • “My name is [Full Name].”

3. Deliver your company clearly:

   • “I’m from [Company Name].”

4. Then ask your question.

Over time, this clarity does three things:

• Builds familiarity (“Oh, it’s that person again — they always ask good questions”).

• Associates your name with high-quality thinking and courage.

• Positions your company as active and engaged in the business community in Japan.

Summary: Clear, deliberate self-introductions turn an easily wasted moment into a consistent memory anchor for your personal and corporate brand.

A weak, vague question will not help your brand, even if you’re first. A sharp, well-researched question, however, can make everyone in the room take notice.

The author treats every question as part of his personal brand. During the presentation, he silently refines what he wants to ask:

• He listens carefully to the speaker’s content.

• He looks for a tension, contradiction, or deeper angle.

• He mentally drafts and edits the question so it sounds fluent, focused, and smart.

He also researches the speaker in advance, especially when the speaker is a senior leader in a 日本企業 (Japanese company) or global corporation:

• One example: when the new President of All Nippon Airways (ANA) spoke at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the author asked about how ANA handles mistakes and innovation.

• He linked this to a specific episode from the president’s own career — a failed first-class meal service initiative that had to be stopped, yet did not derail his promotion.

• The question highlighted ANA’s culture around mistakes, risk-taking, and innovation, giving the president a platform to talk proudly about the company.

The room went silent. People later approached the author, impressed by the depth and relevance of his question. The information he used was public — anyone could have found it — but only he did the homework.

Summary: Strong questions are rarely accidental; they are prepared, researched, and crafted to highlight both the speaker’s expertise and your own professional intelligence.

For executives and managers attending events in Tokyo, especially those connected to leadership development, 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), or DEI研修 (DEI training / diversity, equity & inclusion training), preparation is a strategic advantage.

Before the event:

• Research the speaker:

  • Look for their past roles, major initiatives, successes, and failures.

  • Scan news, interviews, or LinkedIn profiles.

• Think like a client:

  • What would your senior leadership team care about?

  • What would your board find interesting or provocative?

• Draft question angles in advance:

  • Culture and innovation

  • Leadership behavior during crises

  • Customer experience and brand reputation

  • Digital transformation or globalization challenges for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in Japan

During the event:

• Fine-tune one standout question while you listen.

• Align it with the speaker’s content so it feels natural, not forced.

Summary: A few minutes of preparation before an event can transform you from a passive attendee into a visible, thoughtful leader in the eyes of everyone in the room.

Standing out always attracts reactions — positive and negative. Some people will praise your questions. Others may quietly resent that you are always visible.

The author noticed a pattern:

• Those who complain the loudest often have little to no personal brand power themselves.

• Some people even express disappointment when he doesn’t ask a question:

  • “What happened? You didn’t ask any questions today. I always like your questions.”

Key mindset shifts:

• Accept that jealousy is a cost of visibility.

• Remember: anyone in the room could raise their hand. It is a free country; nothing stops them from going first.

• Focus on the value you create — thought-provoking questions, deeper discussion, and professional visibility for your company.

Summary: Criticism is an inevitable side effect of visibility; focus on the smart people who understand the value you bring, not the jealous ones who choose to remain invisible.

Do I always have to be the first questioner?

No. Being first is a strategy, not a rule.

The author often goes first because he wants “Dale Carnegie Training Japan” to be top of mind relative to competitors in the leadership and communication training space. But you don’t have to be first every time to benefit.

What matters is:

• You do ask questions.

• Your question is clear, intelligent, and relevant.

• Your name and company are stated slowly and clearly.

Ironically, once you build a reputation for good questions, people expect you to ask. If you skip an event, they may notice and miss your contribution.

Summary: Whether you go first or later, consistently asking thoughtful questions is what builds your recognizable professional identity over time.

1. Always introduce yourself clearly.

   • State your name and company name slowly, clearly, and confidently before your question.

2. Ask intelligent, brand-enhancing questions.

   • Make sure the question reflects well on your expertise and your organization.

3. Research the speaker before the event.

   • Spend a few minutes reviewing publicly available information about their background and track record.

4. Ignore unhelpful critics.

   • Focus on the smart people who appreciate substance; don’t let jealous or passive observers dictate your behavior.

5. Never apologize for promoting your business ethically.

   • You are responsible for building your personal and corporate brand; no one else will do it for you.

6. Don’t expect a brilliant answer every time.

   • Even an excellent question may receive a mediocre answer — but your brand still benefits from asking it.

Summary: With clear introductions, thoughtful preparation, and the courage to speak up, you can systematically use Q&A sessions as a powerful, recurring personal branding channel.

• Q&A time is free, targeted marketing for your personal and corporate brand — especially in the Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo) business community.

• Clarity beats speed: slowly stating your name and company ensures people actually remember who you are.

• Preparation turns questions into strategic assets: research the speaker and refine your question during the event.

• Visibility requires courage: ignore jealous critics and stay focused on building long-term brand equity with every public interaction.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.