Episode #66: Presenting: Good Is The Enemy Of Great

Why do so many experienced leaders give “good” presentations that still feel forgettable — even in high-stakes boardrooms across Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo) and global firms? The difference between good and great speaking isn’t more data or louder confidence. It’s the neglected elements: real eye contact, emotional connection, and human storytelling.

A presentation can be technically solid — confident delivery, clear structure, credible expertise — and still fail to move people. That’s because “good” often meets expectations, while “great” exceeds them.
In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies), audiences are used to polished but predictable talks. Once they sense “the usual routine,” attention drops.

Mini-summary: Good presentations check the boxes; great ones change how people think and feel.

Often, no. Notes can become a barrier between speaker and audience. Even when a presenter tries to maintain eye contact while reading, the brain is splitting attention: read → remember → reproduce → glance up. That cognitive juggling weakens connection.
If you’re articulate and experienced, speaking from key points (not a script) frees you to focus on the room instead of paper.

Mini-summary: Notes may feel safe, but they usually reduce audience engagement.

“Fake” eye contact happens when a speaker scans the crowd as a blur — talking to everyone and no one. Real eye contact is selective and personal: choose one person, look directly at them, and speak as if it’s one-to-one.
In large groups, this creates a powerful illusion: people around your chosen listener also feel addressed. It scales intimacy across the room.

Mini-summary: Real eye contact is targeted and personal; fake eye contact is broad but empty.

About six seconds.

• Under six seconds can feel rushed or performative.

• Over six seconds can feel uncomfortable or intense.

Six seconds is long enough to signal sincerity without triggering discomfort.

Mini-summary: Six seconds is the sweet spot for trust and connection.

Why does strong content still fail without emotional engagement?

Business audiences don’t just evaluate logic — they respond to meaning. When leaders deliver only expected messages or safe platitudes, listeners feel nothing new.
Even if the message is true, it sounds like what the speaker “should say,” not what they truly want to share. That’s why it lands as competent, but not memorable.

Mini-summary: Logic explains; emotion motivates. Great talks need both.

Storytelling connects at the human level. A story gives audiences:

• Plot to follow

• Characters to relate to

• Emotions to feel

• Meaning to remember

Most executives have careers full of powerful examples — change, conflict, success, failure, resilience. When those stories stay unused, the presentation stays flat.

Mini-summary: Stories make ideas stick because they make people feel.

What standard should business presenters in Japan aim for?

Not “better than average.” The average business talk is forgettable, so comparing yourself to that creates false confidence.
The real standard is your full potential:

• Engage individuals through deliberate eye contact

• Speak directly, not generically

• Use human stories to stir emotion

• Challenge yourself past “good enough”

This is the path to greatness in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training).

Mini-summary: Don’t aim to be less bad than others — aim to be your best.

Dale Carnegie Training brings over 100 years of global expertise and 60+ years in Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo), supporting leaders across 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies).
Through practical プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training), we help professionals:

• Build authentic executive presence

• Influence through message + emotion

• Use storytelling strategically

• Master high-impact eye contact and delivery

• Inspire action, not just agreement

Mini-summary: We turn capable speakers into inspiring communicators who drive business results.

• “Good” presentations meet expectations; “great” presentations exceed them.

• Notes and unfocused eye contact weaken connection; targeted six-second eye contact builds trust.

• Storytelling is the missing human element that creates emotional engagement.

• Dale Carnegie Tokyo helps leaders in Japan deliver presentations that inspire and move audiences.

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.