Episode #45: Boris Johnson's Lessons On Public Speaking

If your presentations feel “fine” but not memorable, or your audience seems distracted the moment you begin, you’re not alone. Many capable professionals in 東京 (Tokyo) struggle to project confidence, build connection, and win real buy-in. The good news: these are learnable skills. By studying what highly effective speakers do—especially under pressure—we can extract practical methods you can use in any meeting, keynote, or client pitch.

Speakers who command attention project energy and confidence from the first second. When Boris Johnson spoke at a British Chamber event, the audience felt he was “larger than life” because he radiated presence.
You don’t need his background (elite schools, journalism career) to create that effect. You can choose higher energy, stronger posture, and a more forward, engaged delivery.

Mini-summary: Presence isn’t a personality gift. It’s a deliberate choice to raise energy and confidence signals.

Never announce your fear. Some presenters start by confessing they’re nervous or “bad at public speaking,” hoping for sympathy. But audiences don’t respond with kindness—they respond with distraction. They want to be informed and entertained, not reassured.

Instead, act confident first. Higher energy makes you look confident, and looking confident helps you feel confident.

Mini-summary: Don’t confess insecurity. Perform confidence through energy and delivery, and the feeling follows.

Johnson uses humor at his own expense. He mentions small imperfections because audiences can’t identify with perfection.
But note the difference:

• Relatable self-awareness: “I’m not perfect, and that’s human.”

• Confidence-killing apology: “I’m hopeless at speaking.”

Relatability works only when your overall delivery says, “I’ve got this.”

Mini-summary: Share small flaws to humanize yourself—but never undermine your authority.

Even with high expertise, Johnson avoids acting superior. He doesn’t lecture the audience like a professor addressing the “great unwashed.”
For leaders, consultants, and specialists, the risk is real: if you sound like you’re teaching down to people, connection dies.

Use occasional lightness, but sparingly. Forced humility feels fake.

Mini-summary: Expertise connects only when it feels respectful and human.

Great speakers constantly build connections with the audience:

• Verbal connectors: inclusive phrases that invite belonging (“we,” “us,” “together”).

• Audience tailoring: he spoke as if to family because he understood who was in the room.

This is a golden rule in presenting: Know your audience. Research who will attend and what they care about—especially in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies), where expectations can differ.

Mini-summary: Connectors make listeners feel included; research makes connectors believable.

Johnson leans in, makes constant eye contact, and projects energy toward people. Even his casual gesture—playing with his hair—reduces tension and keeps the moment human.

You can do the same without theatrics:

• Lean slightly forward to show engagement.

• Hold eye contact for about six seconds per person.

• Spread attention across the room so each listener feels you’re speaking to them.

Mini-summary: Physical connection creates trust faster than words alone.

Johnson makes audiences feel they’re on the same side by designing easy points of agreement.
This isn’t luck—it’s planning. During speech design, ask:

• What outcomes do we all want?

• Which values already unite us?

• How can I frame this so agreement feels natural?

This is how you design buy-in.

Mini-summary: Agreement is engineered in preparation, not hoped for onstage.

Johnson restates key points at the end, then stops. No wandering add-ons. No dilution.
The last thing people hear is what they remember.

So: summarize, land the message, and leave.

Mini-summary: A strong ending is short, clear, and final.

• Show confidence (even before you feel it).

• Project energy—lift for the occasion.

• Don’t start by apologizing for your speaking.

• Talk about mistakes to be relatable, not helpless.

• Don’t take yourself too seriously, but do it sparingly.

• Use speech and physical connectors to bond with listeners.

• Create points of agreement during planning.

• Sum up key points and stop—don’t keep adding.

• Confidence is communicated through energy, posture, and delivery, not background.

• Relatability + authority beats perfection or apology.

• Connectors (verbal and physical) create instant audience bond.

• Buy-in and memorability come from intentional speech design and crisp endings.

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 (東京オフィス / Tokyo office), established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.

If you want your leaders and teams to speak with confidence, influence, and clarity through プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), we can help.