Episode #16: Don't Tell Me, Show Me

Why do smart professionals still deliver weak presentations in Japan?

In Japan, people often grant immediate respect based on job title and company position. But credibility doesn’t survive on rank alone. The moment a presentation fails to prove the speaker’s point clearly, trust drops fast. As the American “show me, don’t tell me” principle reminds us, authority must be backed by evidence and delivery.

Mini-summary: Titles may earn attention in Japan, but only clear, well-designed presentations earn belief.

Sometimes a speaker arrives with an impressive résumé, strong English fluency, and real expertise—yet the message still collapses. Why? Because the slide deck overwhelms the story.

A common failure pattern looks like this:

• Slides packed with too many colors, numbers, and competing ideas

• Dense graphs used as “proof” instead of visual support

• Audience forced to decode data instead of absorbing meaning

Even when the content is valuable, overloading the screen buries the point.

Mini-summary: When slides carry everything, the message carries nothing.

High-impact slides follow a simple rule: one slide, one idea.
To make that idea instantly graspable:

• Reduce text and data to only what supports the point

• Limit color contrast to two key tones

• Keep layouts “zen-like” simple

• Test each slide: Can someone understand the point in two seconds? If not, cut again.

Mini-summary: Clarity wins persuasion; simplicity creates clarity.

How can you use data and graphs without drowning the audience?

Graphs are powerful visuals, but they’re not speeches. Treat them like wallpaper: a background that supports what you say.

Instead of cramming every comparison into one chart:

• Show the full graph briefly as context

• Then isolate the turning point on a clean follow-up slide

• Highlight one key number in large font

• Use “pop-up” emphasis to pull attention to the proof that matters

This approach removes clutter and lets the audience feel the conclusion rather than fight to interpret it.

Mini-summary: Don’t ask graphs to persuade—use them to amplify your persuasion.

What basic delivery logistics separate professionals from amateurs?

Even great slides fail if delivery destroys connection. Simple fixes create major impact:

• Stand audience-left of the screen so they look at you first, then the slide

• Face the audience, not the monitor

• Never read the slides with your back to people

• If lights are lowered, stop and request lights back on

  • You need to see your audience’s faces to gauge buy-in or resistance

  • They need to see your facial expressions and body language to trust your message

Mini-summary: Professional delivery keeps attention on you, not on the screen.

In both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) operating in 東京 (Tokyo), presentations are decision moments. People may respect your role, but they will judge your competence through your clarity, structure, and presence.

Strong presentation skills strengthen leadership, sales, and influence. Weak ones quietly undermine even elite reputations.

Mini-summary: In Japan’s high-trust business culture, presentation quality directly affects credibility.

• Respect may open the door, but effective presentation skills close the deal.

• Use one-idea-per-slide design and reduce visual clutter aggressively.

• Treat charts as supporting visuals, not the argument itself.

• Deliver facing the audience, with lights on, and your message leading—not your deck.

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.