Episode #248: Sourcing Ideas For Speeches

Why Do Executives Rush Into Slide Creation Instead of Strategic Planning?

Most business leaders in Tokyo start presentation preparation by opening PowerPoint and designing slides. Event organizers may give you a theme, but the instinct is still the same: gather old decks, recycle slides, and stitch together something “good enough.”

This approach is inefficient for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational firms) because it skips the strategic thinking required for influence. As we teach in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation skills training), the message must be designed before the slides.

Mini-summary:
Great presentations start with structured thinking, not slide design. Planning first leads to more persuasive communication.

An effective presentation begins by distilling the main idea into one crisp, concise statement. But executives often craft this message alone, even though collaboration is standard practice in project planning.

The question is: Why don’t we collaborate when preparing presentations?

Inside many organizations, teamwork is an ideal but not a system. Leaders hesitate to ask colleagues for input, unsure whether ideas will be welcomed. This is especially true in hierarchical cultures within 日本企業 (Japanese companies).

Mini-summary:
Distill your message—and seek broader input before finalizing it.

When preparing a keynote for the relocation industry in Osaka, I tapped my external network because no one in my company had direct industry experience. Conversations with experienced contacts revealed challenges, pressure points, and insights I could never have identified alone.

(Although COVID canceled the event, the preparation proved the power of external collaboration.)

This mirrors the value of cross-industry learning in leadership development, sales training, and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) across Tokyo.

Mini-summary:
External networks provide insights you cannot obtain internally.

古い知恵 (old wisdom): “Two brains are better than one.”
But most executives don’t use this principle intentionally.

For example, when translating my book Japan Sales Mastery into Japanese, I struggled with the title. A friend proposed ザ営業 (“Za Eigyo” / “The Sale”). Later, my son suggested leveraging both languages to become The 営業 (“The Eigyo” / “The Sale”), aligning the foreign author’s perspective with Japan’s sales culture. These ideas emerged only through conversation—not solitary thinking.

The lesson: Diversity of thought leads to stronger messaging in sales, leadership, and presentations.

Mini-summary:
Intentional collaboration leads to ideas you would never find alone.

On-the-spot feedback almost always results in shallow answers. To extract meaningful insights:

1. Share the theme in advance.
   Give collaborators time to think deeply.

2. Allow several days for reflection.
   Diverse perspectives require time, not haste.

3. Listen without interrupting.
   Avoid finishing their sentences or pushing your viewpoints.

4. Privately evaluate all ideas.
   Accept, adapt, or discard—but always appreciate.

When requesting feedback on your own ideas, use a two-step frame:

• What do you like?

• How could this be even better?

This preserves the presenter’s confidence—an essential factor in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation effectiveness training).

Mini-summary:
Set the stage properly, listen deeply, and frame feedback to support confidence.

In both 日本企業 and 外資系企業 in Tokyo, executives often rush the final stages of preparation because planning began too late. The solution is simple: schedule structured input sessions early in the process.

More collaboration does not require more time—only better timing.

Mini-summary:
Add collaboration into the preparation plan to improve quality without adding stress.

• Strategic planning—not slide creation—is the foundation of persuasive presentations.

• Collaboration with internal and external networks generates stronger, more diverse ideas.

• Structured feedback processes enhance clarity, creativity, and executive confidence.

• Effective presentation preparation requires deliberate timing, not extra time.

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.