Episode #188: When Is High Energy Over The Top

Why do so many online presentations in Tokyo feel flat and lifeless?

Many executives in 東京 (Tokyo) invest heavily in content and slides, yet their online delivery drains energy from the virtual room. Participants quietly drop off the call, turn off their cameras, and start answering emails. The presenter keeps talking, unaware that the audience has mentally checked out.

In a market where 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) compete for attention and trust, dull online presentations are not just inconvenient — they are a business risk. Your leadership message, sales pitch, or project update simply doesn’t land.

Mini-summary: The problem is not only what you say online, but how you deliver it. Energy, presence, and professionalism decide whether your message survives in today’s distracted virtual environment.

Even experienced leaders unknowingly sabotage their online presence:

• Unflattering camera angles – laptop on the desk, camera pointing up the nose or over a relaxed midsection.

• Low-energy voice – monotone, slow delivery that would put even energetic people to sleep.

• Minimal body language – frozen shoulders, no gestures, no facial expression, almost “necrotic” on screen.

• Zero adaptation to the medium – presenting online exactly as if it were a boring in-person meeting.

They may be highly competent in their field, but their online persona does not reflect their expertise. In a world of fast-switching tabs, notifications, and entertainment, your virtual presence now competes with every escape option on your audience’s screen.

Mini-summary: Technical expertise alone is not enough. Without strong online delivery skills, even top professionals look unprofessional, disengaged, and forgettable.

Today’s participants grew up with:

• Computer games and interactive media

• Short-form, edited reality TV

• DJs cutting songs down to the “hooks”

• Handheld devices with endless social media scrolling

In other words, they are trained to be easily distracted. If your online presentation does not grab and hold attention, they disappear — literally. You can watch it in real time as participant numbers quietly drop in your webinar list.

Covid-19 accelerated this behavior. After years of back-to-back calls, audiences have even less patience for low-energy presenters. In プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation skills training), this is now a core reality: “Good enough” delivery is no longer good enough.

Mini-summary: Your virtual audience is distraction-trained and time-poor. If you don’t show energy and conviction, they will leave — even if your content is excellent.

Many professionals fear that speaking with passion will look “unnatural,” “over the top,” or “not Japanese enough” for formal business settings. In practice, the opposite is true.

When we coach executives in 東京 (Tokyo) through プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation skills training), we often ask them to double their energy. Almost every time, they only increase it by about 10%. Their internal sense of “wild and exaggerated” actually appears perfectly professional to the audience.

We focus on:

• Voice: Starting at a higher-than-normal energy level, especially at key points.

• Body language: Intentional posture, expressive but controlled movement.

• Gestures: Purposeful, aligned with the message, not random or distracting.

• Eye contact with the camera: Making participants feel personally addressed.

When they see themselves on video, most executives are surprised: what they felt was “too much” actually looks confident, credible, and persuasive.

Mini-summary: Your internal sense of “too energetic” is usually just right for a professional online audience. With coaching, leaders can express passion while staying fully authentic and culturally appropriate.

Subjective feeling is unreliable. That’s why high-impact プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) uses video feedback as a core tool.

In Dale Carnegie’s programs, we:

1. Record short segments of your actual online delivery.

2. Replay with coaching, focusing on voice, gestures, facial expression, and camera presence.

3. Adjust energy level, asking you to “double” it until the message sounds convincing and committed.

4. Compare before and after, so you can see your own transformation.

Executives are often relieved: instead of looking like “unhinged, overacting performers,” they simply appear as strong, professional communicators who clearly believe in their own message.

Mini-summary: Video makes improvement undeniable. When you see your own progress, it becomes easier to sustain a more dynamic, credible delivery style online.

How does Dale Carnegie Tokyo connect presentation skills to leadership and business results?

Online presentation is not an isolated skill. It’s directly tied to:

• リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training): Leaders must inspire, align, and mobilize teams — often through virtual town halls, updates, and strategy briefings.

• 営業研修 (sales training): Sales presentations, demos, and proposals now happen on Zoom or Teams, where energy and engagement directly influence deal outcomes.

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching): Senior leaders refine their personal communication style to match global standards while respecting Japanese business culture.

• DEI研修 (DEI training): Inclusive communication online ensures every voice is heard, especially in hybrid, cross-cultural environments.

Dale Carnegie Training, founded in the U.S. in 1912, has over 100 years of global expertise and more than 60 years in Tokyo. Our programs are specifically designed for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational organizations) operating in Japan’s complex business environment.

Mini-summary: When you upgrade your online presentation skills, you’re not just “presenting better” — you’re strengthening leadership impact, sales results, and inclusive communication across your entire organization.

After a focused Dale Carnegie online プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training program), participants typically:

• Present with visible energy and conviction that keeps virtual audiences engaged.

• Use professional camera, voice, and body language that reflects their true expertise.

• Deliver clear, memorable messages that stand out in crowded digital calendars.

• Feel more confident and authentic, even when speaking to demanding senior or global audiences.

In a world where attention is the scarcest resource, professional, energetic online delivery becomes a strategic advantage — not a nice-to-have.

Mini-summary: Upgrading your online presentation skills is a high-leverage investment: it amplifies your message, protects your brand, and accelerates business outcomes.

• Low-energy online presentations cause your message — and your influence — to disappear, no matter how strong your content.

• Modern audiences in Japan are distraction-trained; presenters must deliberately manage energy, voice, and body language to hold attention.

• What feels “too energetic” to you is often exactly right for a professional online audience. Video feedback reveals the truth.

• Dale Carnegie Tokyo integrates presentation skills with leadership, sales, executive coaching, and DEI to support both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in the Japanese market.

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.