Episode #42: Clueless Smart People

Why do so many presentations in Japan feel flat, even in world-class companies?

Japan is famous for ultra-modern, high-tech, nuanced design. Yet when it comes to business presentations, a surprising outlier remains: delivery is often overly cautious, formulaic, and low-impact.

In many Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies) and even among senior executives, the safe default is to present in a way that feels “conventional” rather than convincing. The result is a culture where audiences expect lifeless, over-compressed slides—and anything more human or energetic is seen as “too radical.”

Mini-summary: Presentation style in Japan often prioritizes safety over persuasion, which trains audiences to accept low-impact communication.

We were once asked to coach a CEO for a major speech. Reviewing the previous year’s talk revealed that every attempt to humanize the message had been removed. The speech was stripped down to a shapeless, passionless lump—like “boiled cabbage.”

Why? Because the audience consisted of presidents of related firms, and “boiled cabbage” was considered all they could handle. In some industries (banking is a classic example), it is acceptable to fail—so long as you fail conventionally. Presenting in Japan can follow the same logic.

Mini-summary: Conventional failure is culturally tolerated, but it blocks influence, clarity, and leadership impact.

When presentation standards are low, even highly capable people get pulled into underperformance. The audience expects dullness, and presenters deliver it to avoid standing out. This creates a vortex of mediocrity where smart professionals can appear unprepared, unclear, or even incapable—despite strong ideas.

This matters more than ever in Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo) and across Japan’s globalizing economy. Senior leaders need to influence diverse stakeholders, including multinational companies (外資系企業 / multinational companies), investors, and international partners. Flat presentations weaken trust and slow decisions.

Mini-summary: Low presentation standards create systemic underperformance and reduce Japan’s business agility in global settings.

One surprisingly simple issue wrecks many otherwise brilliant talks:
Putting everything on one slide.

A brilliant, innovative scientist once delivered excellent content with terrible slides. Each slide was a multi-colored, crowded “screaming screen nightmare.” Because everything appeared at once, he used different colors to guide the audience through the chaos—yet that only increased overload.

Slides are free. There is no reason to cram multiple ideas onto one screen anymore.

Mini-summary: Overcrowded, multi-color slides overwhelm the audience and bury the speaker’s main point.

What is the “platinum rule” for slides?

One idea per slide.

This rule is simple, but it changes everything. With one idea per slide:

• the audience processes faster,

• the presenter speaks more clearly,

• the message lands with force.

Having more slides does not make a talk longer. You can move through dozens of slides in 30 minutes if the goal is visual reinforcement or storytelling. If the objective is deep analysis, fewer slides may be better. Slide count is driven by purpose, not time.

Mini-summary: One idea per slide improves clarity and persuasion without increasing talk length.

Not necessarily. Sometimes a single, minimal slide is enough.

Example: Howard Schultz (then head of Starbucks) once gave a powerful talk in Japan using only one slide—the Starbucks logo. The lack of visual clutter forced attention onto his message.

Slides are tools, not crutches. When the content is complex, well-sequenced slides help. When the content is emotional or strategic, fewer slides can be stronger.

Mini-summary: Slides should serve the message; sometimes fewer (or none) creates more impact.

A core issue is awareness. Japan has too few visible role models for modern persuasive presenting, so people copy the “dud examples” they see around them. That becomes the standard—and everyone fails conventionally.

Breaking this cycle requires intentional skill building and practice, especially for leaders responsible for transformation, strategy, or culture change. This is exactly where Presentation Training (プレゼンテーション研修 / presentation training) and executive coaching make a measurable difference.

Mini-summary: Without strong role models, bad habits spread. Skill training resets the cultural baseline.

Dale Carnegie equips leaders to persuade, inspire, and move audiences to action through:

• Leadership Training (リーダーシップ研修 / leadership training)

• Sales Training (営業研修 / sales training)

• Presentation Training (プレゼンテーション研修 / presentation training)

• Executive Coaching (エグゼクティブ・コーチング / executive coaching)

• DEI Training (DEI研修 / DEI training)

With 100+ years of global expertise and 60+ years in Tokyo, we specialize in helping leaders in Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies) and multinational firms (外資系企業 / multinational companies) communicate clearly, confidently, and persuasively—without losing cultural fit.

Mini-summary: Our programs build persuasive communication that works in Japan and on the global stage.

• Presentation culture in Japan often rewards conventional safety over persuasive clarity.

• The biggest slide problem is overcrowding; “one idea per slide” fixes it fast.

• Slides are optional—use them only when they strengthen understanding.

• Dale Carnegie Tokyo helps leaders present with confidence, influence, and cultural intelligence.

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.