Executive Communication Lessons from Joe Biden’s Debate — What Japanese & Multinational Leaders in Tokyo Must Learn About Low-Energy Speaking

In today’s hybrid workplace, leaders in 日本企業 and 外資系企業 face a universal challenge: audiences are more distracted than ever. If executives do not speak with clarity, energy, and intention, employees tune out—often literally switching to email or social media during the presentation.
The recent scrutiny of Joe Biden’s debate performance highlights a powerful global truth: even the world’s most influential leaders struggle with presence, delivery, and control of their message.

Mini-Summary: Low-energy communication is not just a political issue—it is a business risk for leaders in Tokyo.

Many CEOs in Japan default to a restrained, conservative speaking style. Cultural norms—“don’t stand out,” “maintain harmony,” “avoid disruption”—often result in presentations delivered in a low-energy, monotone, passive style.
But business communication is not a cultural preference. It has a function: to transfer ideas, inspire action, and align teams. If audiences cannot absorb the message, the purpose of speaking is lost.

Mini-Summary: Cultural norms cannot override the need for compelling delivery, especially when representing a company.

Executives often judge others’ delivery while repeating the same behaviors. Three critical skills determine whether an audience stays with you:

1. Emphasizing Key Words for Impact

Not every word deserves equal weight. Leaders must elevate essential phrases so the message is unmistakable.
This is “the dictatorship of key words”—your message depends on it.

2. Using Vocal Energy and Pace Control

Biden’s lifelong stutter impacts his pacing, timing, and fluency. Yet he has built a career of constant public speaking despite this challenge—a reminder that communication is a trainable skill, not a fixed ability.

3. Eliminating Filler Words (“um,” “ah”)

Filler words distract and weaken credibility. A practical technique:

• Hit the first word of each sentence strongly.

• Deliver the sentence.

• Close your lips and pause briefly before the next.
  Over time, this removes verbal clutter and projects authority.

Mini-Summary: Leaders must intentionally amplify key words, reduce fillers, and strengthen vocal delivery to maintain credibility.

Rambling occurs for three predictable reasons:

1. Lack of Appreciation for Public Speaking

Leaders with technical backgrounds often dismiss communication as “soft skills.”
The result: unclear, overly complex, or irrelevant messages.

2. Poor Structure and Navigation

If the speaker cannot articulate the flow, the audience cannot follow it.
Every section must logically link to the next, especially for multinational teams.

3. No Rehearsal

Most business presentations are delivered once—on that day, to that audience.
Yet leaders spend time on the slide deck, not the delivery.
Rehearsal provides:

• Time control

• Fluency

• Logical flow

• Confidence

When receiving feedback, instruct colleagues to use “good/better” formats to avoid demotivating criticism.

Mini-Summary: Rambling is predictable—and preventable—with preparation, structure, and rehearsal.

Even “train wreck” presentations have value—they reveal what can go wrong when leaders rely on habit instead of skill.
Executives must not criticize political figures from afar without examining their own communication weaknesses.

In プレゼンテーション研修, leadership programs, and エグゼクティブ・コーチング at Dale Carnegie Tokyo, we consistently see the same truth:
Communication improves only when treated as a discipline, not an afterthought.

Mini-Summary: Continuous improvement in communication is essential for leaders in Japan’s increasingly globalized business environment.

• Low-energy speaking undermines credibility, regardless of culture or seniority.

• Strong vocal emphasis and pacing help audiences absorb your message.

• Removing filler words and using intentional pauses improves executive presence.

• Structure and rehearsal—not slides—determine whether your message is understood.

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.