Episode #51: Excuse Time Is Over Baby

Why do so many salespeople blame everything except themselves for poor results?
In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-capital / multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), management hears the same complaints: “The market is bad… pricing is wrong… the boss doesn’t understand…” — but rarely, “I need to become a better sales professional.”

This page explains why sales performance stalls, what top salespeople do differently, and how structured 営業研修 (sales training) and coaching can turn accidental salespeople into true professionals.

Most struggling salespeople don’t say, “My sales skills are weak.”
Instead, they say:

• “The boss is unreasonable.”

• “The market is impossible.”

• “Industry changes killed our pipeline.”

• “Currency movements ruined my deals.”

• “The price is too high.”

• “The materials are no good.”

In reality, this is often a lack of self-awareness. What they mean is:

“I would be able to sell more if the world were easier, so I don’t need to change.”

Because they don’t recognize the real cause (skill gaps, mindset, process), they:

• Complain instead of learning.

• React instead of planning.

• Blame instead of improving.

Mini-summary:
Blaming external conditions feels comfortable, but it hides the real issue: an underdeveloped sales mindset and skill set.

Today, salespeople in Japan have more learning resources than at any time in history:

• Classroom and online 営業研修 (sales training) programs.

• A huge range of sales books in bookstores and online.

• Free articles, guides, and frameworks on the internet.

• YouTube videos with role-plays, techniques, and expert advice.

• Global sales gurus visiting Japan and the rest of Asia.

Yet many salespeople do not proactively study any of this. Why?

1. No perceived link
   They don’t see a clear connection between studying and closing more deals.
   They think performance is about “talent” or “luck,” not about deliberate practice.

2. Outward focus
   Their attention is on what they cannot control (market, boss, pricing),
   not on what they can control (skills, attitude, preparation).

3. Low internal motivation
   Without personal ambition to master the profession, learning feels optional, not essential.

Mini-summary:
Information is everywhere, but only self-motivated, engaged salespeople actually use it to grow.

Why do so many people end up in sales by accident?

In many companies in Japan and globally, people “fall into” sales:

• They were assigned to sales because there was a vacancy.

• They joined during a boom market where “anyone could sell.”

• They saw it as a temporary bridge to a “real” career.

Because they don’t view sales as a profession:

• They invest little in structured learning.

• They rely on personality and luck instead of process.

• When times get tough, they quickly fail.

At the same time, sales is a metrics-driven game:

• Pipeline, meetings, proposals, and closes are all visible.

• Underperformance stands out clearly.

• Turnover becomes a constant cycle of “fresh bodies into the meat grinder.”

Some companies invest almost nothing in systematic 営業研修 (sales training). They rely on a “law of the jungle” approach:
top performers survive; everyone else is replaced.

Mini-summary:
When sales is treated as an accidental job instead of a serious career, both companies and individuals suffer from constant churn and mediocre results.

Many salespeople are like swimmers in a fog-covered lake:

• They are working hard.

• They are exhausted.

• But they have no idea where they are going or what they should do differently.

So what do they usually do in front of a client?

1. Talk first, ask later (or never)
   They start by explaining every feature and detail of the product or service,
   without knowing what the client actually needs.

2. Force-fit solutions
   If their offer doesn’t match the buyer’s real problem,
   they still try to “push it through” — a square peg in a round hole.

3. Burn and move on
   The client feels misled or poorly served.
   Trust is broken.
   The salesperson moves on to the next target, repeating the same errors.

4. More excuses
   After losing the client, they return to the old chorus:
   “The pricing is wrong… the materials are bad… the market is impossible…”

This cycle continues until they are eventually fired.

Mini-summary:
Hard work without a clear, customer-focused method leads to wasted effort, lost clients, and high turnover.

Professional selling is simple, but not easy. A basic high-level process looks like this:

1. Ask questions to discover needs

   • Explore the client’s situation, problems, goals, and constraints.

   • Understand both rational needs and emotional drivers.

2. Listen actively and deeply

   • Don’t wait for your turn to talk.

   • Confirm understanding and show empathy.

3. Decide honestly if you can help

   • If you have a relevant solution, say so clearly.

   • If you don’t, be transparent and do not force a poor fit.

4. Explain the value–price trade-off

   • Show how your solution addresses their specific needs.

   • Connect benefits to business outcomes (revenue, cost, risk, brand, engagement).

   • Justify your price with clear, concrete value.

5. Deliver and follow up

   • Execute reliably.

   • Check satisfaction.

   • Strengthen the relationship for future business.

This approach builds:

• Trust (because you are honest and client-focused),

• Loyalty (because you deliver and follow up),

• Profitability (because clients are willing to pay for real value).

Mini-summary:
Professional selling means asking, listening, matching, explaining value, and following up — not just talking about products.

Engaged employees are self-motivated.
Self-motivated people become inspired.
Inspired people drive business growth.

For leaders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-capital / multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), the core question is:

“Am I inspiring my sales team to own their results and grow as professionals?”

High-impact leaders:

• Treat sales as a career, not a stopgap job.

• Invest in structured 営業研修 (sales 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).

• Encourage continuous learning — reading, videos, role plays, coaching.

• Reward behaviors that show responsibility, curiosity, and perseverance.

• Align sales training with broader DEI研修 (DEI training) and
  プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) so communication improves across the organisation.

Dale Carnegie Training, with its 100+ years of global expertise and over 60 years in Tokyo, helps organisations:

• Shift mindset from “excuses” to “ownership.”

• Build consistent, ethical sales processes.

• Develop leaders who coach, not just manage.

• Create a culture where learning is normal and expected, not optional.

Mini-summary:
Leaders who invest in mindset, skills, and coaching create sales teams that take responsibility, keep learning, and consistently perform.

There has never been a better time to be in sales:

• World-class education is available in both English and Japanese.

• Training can be delivered in-person in 東京 (Tokyo) or online for dispersed teams.

• Best practices can be adapted to the realities of 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-capital / multinational companies).

But tools and content mean nothing without action:

• Take responsibility for your results.

• Study, apply, learn, repeat.

• Stop blaming conditions you cannot control.

• Focus on the skills, mindset, and behaviors you can control.

No more excuses. It is time to become a true sales professional.

• Excuses hide the real issue: Most sales problems come from skill gaps, weak processes, and mindset — not “the market” or “the boss.”

• Resources are abundant: Books, videos, courses, and coaching make it easier than ever for salespeople in Japan to self-educate.

• Professional selling follows a clear process: Ask, listen, qualify honestly, explain value, deliver, and follow up.

• Leadership drives sales culture: When leaders invest in 営業研修 (sales training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership 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), and DEI研修 (DEI training), they create engaged, inspired teams that grow the business.

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 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-capital / multinational companies) ever since through high-impact 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), and DEI研修 (DEI training).