Episode #358: How Casual Should I Be When Presenting?

Modern executives know that a stiff, overly formal speaking style kills engagement. Yet a casual, “pub-style” tone can undermine credibility—especially in high-stakes presentations with 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo).

So how do you sound smart without sounding snobbish? And how do you adapt your accent, tone, and body language in Japan—without losing authenticity?

Business audiences—especially senior leaders—expect clarity, confidence, and connection. A conversational tone signals:

• “I’m talking with you, not at you.”

• Psychological safety and inclusivity.

• Confidence without arrogance.

However, “conversational” does not mean sloppy, unstructured, or unprepared.

If you are too formal, you create distance. People tune out, even if your content is excellent.
If you are too casual, you risk sounding unprofessional or underprepared—especially in leadership, sales, or プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) environments.

Mini-summary: Aim for a relaxed, conversational delivery—but anchored by clear structure and professional intent.

Accent is a key part of your identity. At the same time, in global business settings, clarity is more important than authenticity alone.

Consider these realities:

• In some countries, strong regional accents can be perceived—rightly or wrongly—as “less educated” or “less senior.”

• In highly mobile careers, professionals sometimes modify their accent to be better understood and respected.

• In Japan, many international audiences are non-native English speakers; strong vowels or local pronunciations can create avoidable confusion.

Practical guideline:

• If you are speaking to people from your own culture or region, your natural accent usually supports authenticity and trust.

• If you are speaking to a diverse, international, or non-native audience (for example, at a Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo), slightly neutralising your accent often helps your message land more clearly.

You don’t need to “OxBridge it up” or imitate an American accent—that quickly feels fake. Instead, aim for a neutral, clear version of your own voice: slower pace, cleaner enunciation, fewer regional slang terms.

Mini-summary: Keep your identity, but adjust enough for clarity. Authenticity plus intelligibility beats both extreme “local” and fake “posh” accents.

In 東京 (Tokyo), you often face mixed groups:

• 日本企業 (Japanese companies)

• 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies)

• Non-native English speakers with different listening habits

Even very fluent global professionals can struggle with unfamiliar vowel sounds or fast regional speech. For example, an Australian speaker might think they’re saying “a” while some listeners hear “I” instead.

To adapt effectively:

1. Neutralise without erasing

   • Slightly soften extreme regional sounds.

   • Avoid local slang that may confuse non-native speakers.

2. Support comprehension with structure

   • Use clear signposting: “First… Next… Finally…”

   • Repeat key terms and numbers.

3. Check understanding subtly

   • Ask simple confirmation questions:

     • “Is this clear so far?”

     • “Does this approach make sense in your context?”

This approach aligns strongly with Dale Carnegie’s プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) for mixed Japanese–global audiences, where clarity and connection drive influence.

Mini-summary: In Japan, a slightly neutral accent plus clear structure and explicit signposting will help both Japanese and multinational listeners follow—and trust—your message.

Executives often worry:

“If I change my accent or tone, am I still being authentic?”

Think of authenticity as being honest about who you are and why you’re adapting, not as refusing to adapt.

Reasonable adaptation:

• Slowing down and neutralising your accent so non-native audiences can understand.

• Choosing more formal language for high-stakes, expert-level topics.

Inauthentic performance:

• Putting on an OxBridge (Oxford–Cambridge) accent when you have no connection to that background.

• Faking an American accent that you cannot sustain naturally.

A useful rule:

Adjust your style for your audience’s benefit, not to impress them with something you are not.

Mini-summary: Adapt your speech as a service to your audience, not as a costume. Real authenticity is about intention and integrity, not freezing your style in place.

How formal or relaxed should my posture be on stage?

Your body sends a message long before your first slide. Executives often debate:

• Stand like a soldier (rigid and formal)?

• Stand like you’re at the bar with friends (loose and slouching)?

The sweet spot is:

• Stand tall, but not tense.

• Feet about shoulder-width apart.

• Weight distributed 50/50 between both feet.

• Knees unlocked, not rigid.

This posture signals:

• Professionalism

• Stability

• Approachability

It looks confident and credible, without appearing stiff or intimidating—critical for leaders in sales presentations, 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).

Mini-summary: Stand straight, balanced, and relaxed. That combination communicates both authority and openness.

What should I do with my hands during a presentation?

Many presenters—especially men—shove their hands into their pockets because they feel awkward. Others hide them behind their back or in a “fig leaf” position in front of the body.

All of these positions limit your gestures, and limited gestures reduce your impact.

Use this simple method to find a natural “rest” position:

1. Lift your arms so they are parallel to the floor at a 90-degree angle.

2. Relax and let them drop naturally to your sides.

Where they land is your neutral hand position when you’re not gesturing. From there:

• Use your hands like a faucet, not a fire hose.

• Turn gestures on to emphasise a point, then turn them off and return to neutral.

• Avoid holding any single gesture for longer than ~15 seconds; after that, the power drops and it starts to look strange.

If you engage your audience with your eyes, face, and voice, they will not obsess over what your hands are doing at rest. Gestures will rise naturally to support your words, and the audience will read them as congruent and authentic.

Mini-summary: Keep hands relaxed at your sides, gesture with intention, and avoid freezing any one gesture. Natural, varied movement amplifies your message.

Your audience and topic should guide how far you move along the scale from casual to formal.

Examples:

• Presenting to working-class local audiences on a practical topic?

  • A more down-to-earth tone and accent can build trust—provided clarity is not lost.

• Presenting a high-level strategy to senior leaders from 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinationals)?

  • A more neutral accent, precise language, and polished posture will strengthen your perceived expertise.

Problems occur at the extremes:

• Too posh or artificial → feels fake, arrogant, or “not one of us.”

• Too casual or rough → feels unprepared, unserious, or not credible for high-stakes decisions.

The goal—aligned with Dale Carnegie’s century-long philosophy—is to be:

“Human enough to relate, professional enough to be trusted.”

Mini-summary: Slide along the formality scale based on audience and topic, but avoid the extremes. Professional + human = influential.

For leaders, managers, and sales professionals in Japan, these skills are not “nice to have”—they directly affect:

• How your strategy is received.

• How your team perceives your leadership.

• How clients from 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign companies) decide to trust you.

Dale Carnegie Tokyo integrates these practical behaviours into:

• 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)

• DEI研修 (DEI training)

We help executives build a flexible “range” of communication styles so they can adapt instantly to different stakeholders—board members, team members, and clients—without ever feeling fake.

Mini-summary: Executive presence in Japan is a strategic skill. Accent, tone, posture, and gesture all become tools to lead, sell, and influence more effectively.

• Conversational, not casual: Use a relaxed tone that invites participation—but maintain professional structure and clarity.

• Adapt your accent for clarity, not ego: Keep your identity, but neutralise enough so diverse Japanese and global audiences can follow you easily.

• Let your body support your message: Stand tall, balanced, and relaxed; keep hands at your sides and use gestures intentionally like a faucet.

• Avoid the extremes: Too formal looks robotic; too casual looks unprofessional. Choose the right point on the scale for each audience and topic.

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.