Episode #320: Should I Go High Tech With My Presentation

Why do high-tech presentation tools often fail to improve communication?

Modern presenters—especially in global companies and 日本企業 (Japanese corporations)—often rely on sophisticated platforms packed with interactive features. These tools can run quizzes, track response speed, and showcase sleek visual effects. But business leaders increasingly ask:

“Is my message actually getting through, or are people just impressed by the tech?”

In many cases, the technology becomes the star, while the content becomes secondary. As seen in the original scenario, the presenter’s advanced tools were engaging, but the audience struggled to retain the core message.
High-tech ≠ high-impact.
When the medium overshadows the meaning, comprehension drops.

Mini-summary: Advanced tools can enhance engagement, but they often distract from the core message when overused.

Executives at 外資系企業 (foreign multinationals) and Japanese companies alike face a common issue: a monotone speaker can undo any technological advantage.

In the scenario, once the second presenter began speaking without vocal energy or modulation, the session collapsed. Participants immediately:

• Lost focus

• Felt drowsy

• Disengaged from the message

Technology cannot compensate for poor vocal presence, especially online where facial expressions, gestures, and body language are minimized.

Mini-summary: Delivery quality—not technology—determines audience retention.

Why do online presentations make it harder for audiences to stay engaged?

Online meetings are notorious for divided attention. Audience members may:

• Check email

• Multitask

• Turn cameras off to avoid full participation

With slides dominating the screen and the presenter reduced to a tiny window, it becomes nearly impossible to create human connection.

This makes vocal modulation (声の抑揚 / voice dynamics) essential. When your voice is the only active tool, it must work harder.

Mini-summary: Online formats reduce visibility and connection, so speakers must maximize vocal energy.

Yes—leaders in Tokyo and globally are rediscovering the impact of showing themselves, not their slides.

With online tools like Zoom, it’s easy to stay locked in screen-share mode. But switching the slides off—even briefly—brings the presenter to the center of the screen. The audience re-focuses on the speaker, not the visuals.

Even in in-person training or セミナー (seminars), hitting the “B” key to black out the screen shifts attention back where it belongs: on you.

Mini-summary: Temporarily removing slides increases presence, connection, and message retention.

In most cases—especially in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation skills training)—the answer is no.

Corporate videos often:

• Add little value

• Act as filler

• Reduce speaker authority

• Compete with your own message

If the video is too polished, the presenter looks weaker by comparison. If the video is mediocre, the audience disengages entirely.

As Dale Carnegie teaches, a live speaker has far more impact than a passive video.

Mini-summary: Videos rarely strengthen a presentation and often reduce the speaker’s impact.

Is simplicity the key to persuasive business communication?

Absolutely. Whether delivering leadership messages, sales pitches, or DEI研修 (DEI training) content:

• Minimal slides outperform busy ones

• Vocal energy beats animation effects

• Message clarity beats technical gimmicks

When the screen is overloaded with fonts, colors, data, or animations, the audience’s attention fractures.
Simplicity positions the speaker—not the slides—as the star.

Mini-summary: Clear, simple visuals allow your message to shine and your audience to follow.

“Be the bells and whistles yourself.”

Technology can support your message, but it should never replace or overshadow the human element. Whether online or in person, the most memorable presenters:

• Communicate simply

• Use visuals sparingly

• Maintain strong vocal presence

• Connect human-to-human

This approach aligns with Dale Carnegie’s 100+ year philosophy:
People don’t remember the platform—they remember the person.

Mini-summary: Your delivery and presence—not your tools—determine whether your message resonates.

• High-tech tools can distract from the core message when overused.

• Monotone delivery destroys engagement—even with impressive technology.

• Reducing screen sharing and increasing face time strengthens presence online.

• Simple, clean visuals keep attention on the speaker’s message.

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.