Episode #18: Toxic Sales

Why do so many sales careers in Japan start in a toxic environment?

Many professionals in Japan and worldwide do not choose sales as a deliberate career path. They “fall into it” after university or internal transfers. There are no mainstream university majors in sales, and most 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) still offer minimal structured 営業研修 (sales training).

Instead, new salespeople are often told to “learn on the job” and are judged purely by short-term numbers. The message is clear: we won’t invest in you, but we will fire you if you miss your target. This churn-and-burn mindset creates insecurity, fear, and an acceptance that pressure and stress are “just how sales is”.

Mini-summary: Most toxic sales cultures start with a lack of professional training, unclear career design, and a numbers-only mindset that treats people as disposable.

In a toxic sales environment, people experience:

• Bullying, public humiliation, and blame

• Unrealistic targets detached from market reality

• Pressure to sell low-quality or mismatched products

• Stress, shame, and constant fear of missing quota

Salespeople are often treated as “sharks” who must keep swimming just to survive. They are sent into large territories to “hit and run” markets where the value does not match the price. The client becomes “the mark” — someone to be stripped of budget and then abandoned.

This is dangerous not only for individuals’ mental health but also for long-term business:

• Reputation is damaged in every market that is “hit and run”

• Trust evaporates, increasing the cost of future sales

• High turnover destroys continuity and customer relationships

• Managers who survive in this system replicate the same behaviour

Mini-summary: Toxic sales cultures create short-term revenue at the cost of brand damage, employee burnout, and long-term profit.

Individual salespeople often blame themselves for not feeling comfortable about how they are selling. But in reality, the root cause is usually the organisation and its leadership.

Executives decide:

• How targets are set

• What products are sold and how they are positioned

• Whether there is meaningful 営業研修 (sales training) or not

• How much base salary vs. commission people receive

• Whether ethics and compliance are rewarded or ignored

Many salespeople only discover the gap between “marketing story” and “product reality” after they have left their previous job and are financially committed. They may be just one or two paychecks away from serious debt, afraid to leave even if the culture is clearly unhealthy.

Bad companies are usually led by bad sales leaders. As the old saying goes: “the fish rots from the head”. When leaders are rewarded for short-term numbers at any cost, they design systems that force people into unethical choices.

Mini-summary: Most unethical sales behaviour originates from company strategy and leadership, not from inherently “bad” salespeople.

In Dale Carnegie Training Japan, we often refer to kokorogamae (true intention or mindset). It is the internal compass behind every action — especially in sales.

A healthy kokorogamae is:

“My primary role is to serve the client’s best interests. Their success becomes the catalyst for our success.”

For 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) operating in 東京 (Tokyo) and across Japan, this mindset changes everything:

• Sales conversations focus on long-term value, not pressure tactics

• Solutions are matched carefully to the client’s real situation

• Trust and “share of wallet” grow over time

• Lifetime value of each customer becomes a core strategic indicator

This approach naturally lengthens the sales cycle but dramatically strengthens relationships. It also aligns perfectly with high-context Japanese business culture, where trust, continuity, and reputation are critical.

Mini-summary: Kokorogamae (true intention) shifts sales from “extracting budget” to “creating joint success”, which is vital for sustainable growth in Japan.

Executives who want to break the cycle of toxic sales need to redesign both culture and capability. This is where structured リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 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), and DEI研修 (DEI training) become strategic tools, not “nice-to-have” extras.

Key steps for leadership:

1. Redefine success
   Move beyond pure revenue and quota to include customer satisfaction, retention, and ethical behaviour in performance reviews.

2. Invest in professional development
   Provide consistent sales, communication, and leadership training — not just product knowledge. Global providers like Dale Carnegie, with 100+ years of experience and over 60 years in Tokyo, bring proven methodologies adapted to 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies).

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3. Model ethical behaviour at the top
   Senior leaders must show, in daily behaviour, that integrity comes before numbers. “How” revenue is achieved should matter as much as “how much”.

4. Create psychological safety
   Encourage salespeople to speak honestly about product issues, client feedback, and cultural problems without fear of punishment.

5. Align incentives with long-term relationships
   Balance base salary and commission so salespeople are not forced into desperation tactics just to survive.

Mini-summary: Executives can transform sales culture by redefining success, investing in structured training, and aligning incentives with long-term client value.

Not everyone can change company culture — and not everyone can leave immediately. If you are a “good” person in a “bad” sales culture, you still have choices.

1. Decide that your time there must end
You may not know the exact date yet, but mentally commit that this is temporary. You are not a lifelong “pirate” salesperson.

2. Protect your health and mental well-being
Recognise the emotional cost of constant stress, bullying, and shame. These are not “normal” or “necessary” parts of professional sales.

3. Educate yourself deliberately
Use books, free videos, and podcasts to upgrade your skills — especially in client-centric selling, communication, and relationship building. If your budget allows, invest personally in high-quality 営業研修 (sales training) or プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) to increase your market value.

4. Strengthen your kokorogamae (true intention or mindset)
Clarify your own non-negotiables: you will act in the client’s best interest, even in a difficult environment. This internal standard makes it easier to identify the right future employer.

5. Plan your escape strategically
Quietly prepare your CV, network, and skills so that when an ethical company appears — one that values long-term client relationships — you are ready to move.

Mini-summary: Even if you cannot fix a toxic company, you can protect yourself, upgrade your skills, and position your career for a better future.

Dale Carnegie Training has been helping organisations transform culture, leadership, and sales performance for more than a century. In 東京 (Tokyo), our team works with both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) to:

• Shift sales mindset from “pressure and extraction” to “partnership and value”

• Build leaders who can inspire, not intimidate, their sales teams

• Equip professionals with world-class skills in communication, negotiation, and presentations

• Support executives through エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) to align strategy, culture, and behaviour

Our programmes in リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), and DEI研修 (DEI training) are designed to create engaged, self-motivated, inspired employees — the foundation of sustainable growth.

Mini-summary: By combining global best practices with deep local experience in Japan, Dale Carnegie Training Japan helps organisations move from toxic, fear-based sales to ethical, trust-based growth.

• Toxic sales cultures are usually created by leadership systems and incentives, not “weak” salespeople.

• Sustainable sales growth in Japan depends on kokorogamae (true intention), long-term relationships, and ethical behaviour.

• Professional training in leadership, sales, presentations, executive coaching, and DEI is a strategic investment — not a cost.

• Salespeople in unhealthy environments should protect their well-being, upskill consistently, and plan a strategic move to healthier organisations.

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.