Episode #195: It Is Not Back To Normal As A Presenter - Part Three

In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan), managers and executives are expected to present with impact — even though “professional presenter” is not their job title. The real risk is not having a perfect voice or Hollywood charisma; it is losing influence because your message is unclear, low-energy, or disconnected from the audience. This page explains how to upgrade your delivery, both in person and online, using practical techniques we teach in our プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training).

Most business professionals in Tokyo are “amateur presenters.” Your main job is running a department, leading projects, driving sales, or managing transformation — not speaking on a stage. That is why it is a mistake to compare yourself with radio DJs or movie actors who have trained their voices for years.

You don’t need a perfect baritone voice to be persuasive. You need a business-ready voice: clear, steady, and confident enough to carry your ideas. Even if your voice is husky, high-pitched, or accented, you can still be highly effective if your delivery is controlled and your message is well structured.

In Dale Carnegie プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) in 東京 (Tokyo), we focus on practical techniques that any busy executive in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) or 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan) can apply immediately — without trying to become a full-time performer.

Mini-summary: You don’t need a “perfect” voice to be influential. You need a clear message and a controllable, confident delivery style that fits your real business role.

Many managers “think out loud” while speaking. Their internal thought process leaks out as “um,” “ah,” “ehhh,” or half-finished sentences. This weakens credibility and distracts senior stakeholders.

A simple discipline can change this:

1. Purse your lips when you are not speaking.
   Keep your lips gently closed so no sound can escape while you are thinking.

2. Only open your mouth when you are ready to speak the full idea.
   Decide the sentence in your head first, then say it clearly and confidently.

3. End the sentence, then close your lips again.
   Think silently about the next point before you speak.

With practice, this “speak / lips closed / think / speak” rhythm removes filler sounds and forces you to be more concise. The result is a sharper, more executive style of communication, which is critical in leadership meetings, 営業研修 (sales training) situations, and プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) exercises.

Mini-summary: By training yourself to think with lips closed and speak only when ready, you can quickly reduce filler words and sound more concise, credible, and executive.

Many presenters are not actually talking to their audience:

• They stare at their notes or laptop.

• They turn their back to the room and talk to the screen.

• Or they “spray” their eyes around the room so fast that no one feels truly seen.

Online, a common mistake is to look at the faces on the screen instead of the camera. This feels like “eye contact” to you, but the audience experiences it as you looking down, not at them.

A more powerful approach:

1. In person: hold eye contact for about six seconds per person.
   Choose one person, lock eyes, speak to them for roughly six seconds, and then move to another person at random. Less than this feels superficial; more than this can feel uncomfortable.

2. Online: speak to the camera lens.
   The camera is your “VIP client” or your “CEO.” Glance at participant faces occasionally, but when you deliver key points, look straight into the camera so each viewer feels you are speaking directly to them.

3. Avoid predictable patterns.
   Don’t go left to right in a fixed order. Randomize who you look at so people stay alert and engaged.

This deeper, slower eye contact technique is a core part of プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) for leaders who need to project confidence to both Japanese and global stakeholders.

Mini-summary: Intentional, six-second eye contact — in person and through the camera — transforms presentations from “broadcast” to genuine human connection.

Whether you are speaking to 日本企業 (Japanese companies) or 外資系企業 (multinational companies), your audience is constantly giving you feedback through their faces and body language. Your job is to see it and adjust in real time.

Practical techniques:

• Watch for confusion.
  If people look puzzled or lost, pause and rephrase the point with a simpler example or story.

• Use rhetorical questions.
  Ask, “Have you ever experienced this with a client?” Even if you don’t call on anyone, people think about their own answer. This re-activates attention.

• Use hands-up questions carefully.
  Ask people to raise their hands once or twice (not ten times) to avoid feeling manipulative. Online, use reactions like the green check, thumbs-up, or quick polls.

• Balance talking with interaction.
  Especially in long meetings or webinars, insert small interaction moments every few minutes so people don’t slip into passive listening.

These techniques are also applied in 営業研修 (sales training) and DEI研修 (DEI training), where reading the room and including all voices is vital for closing deals and building inclusive cultures.

Mini-summary: By watching faces, rephrasing when needed, and using simple interactive techniques, you can keep your audience mentally present and emotionally engaged from start to finish.

The energy you use in a casual conversation is too low for a business presentation — especially on camera. If you present at your “normal” level, you often appear flat or tired to your audience.

To project strong leadership presence:

1. Increase your energy by about 40%.
   Speak a little louder, with more intention. Use a stronger, more positive facial expression.

2. Stand up when possible, even online.
   Standing improves breathing, posture, and energy projection. It also signals confidence and authority.

3. Use posture as a credibility signal.
   Stand or sit up straight, shoulders relaxed but open. This is critical when speaking to senior stakeholders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies).

4. Free your hands for gestures.
   Use a headset online. In person, use a lavalier microphone if available. Gestures act like visual exclamation marks that reinforce your key messages.

5. Match energy to the moment.
   You don’t need to shout. You need controlled, focused intensity that shows you care deeply about the topic and the audience.

These adjustments are essential not only in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) but also in リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), where your presence directly shapes how your team and stakeholders perceive you.

Mini-summary: Raise your energy, improve posture, and use deliberate gestures so your physical presence fully supports your message and leadership brand.

Dale Carnegie Training has helped business professionals build confidence and influence for more than 100 years globally, and for over 60 years in 東京 (Tokyo). The delivery techniques on this page — voice control, clarity, eye contact, audience engagement, and energy — are core elements of our programs for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan), including:

• 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 skills training)

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching)

• DEI研修 (DEI training)

Our approach is highly practical: participants rehearse, receive coaching, and refine these skills so they can apply them immediately in boardrooms, client meetings, town halls, and virtual presentations.

Mini-summary: Dale Carnegie Tokyo helps leaders turn everyday presentations into high-impact communication moments that drive trust, alignment, and business results.

• You don’t need a perfect “professional” voice; you need clear, controlled delivery aligned with your real leadership role.

• Eliminating filler words through a simple lips-closed thinking habit makes your speech more concise and credible.

• Deep, intentional eye contact — including through the camera — creates genuine connection and engagement.

• Reading the room and using light interaction keeps audiences focused, both online and in person.

• Higher, controlled energy, strong posture, and purposeful gestures elevate your executive presence.

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.