How Much Should You Brag About Yourself When Presenting

Why do many speaker introductions lose the audience?

Executives and managers in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo) often start talks by telling long stories about their past “glory days.”
This feels important to them, but the audience quickly thinks, “This is old. How does this help me now?”

The problem:

• Too much history, not enough value

• Overlong introductions written by the speaker, then badly read by the host

• Audience hears “propaganda” instead of relevance

Mini-summary: Long, self-focused introductions make you sound dated and reduce your impact.

Keep only what directly proves you can help this audience today.

Better options:

• Skip full career chronology

• Only use details that show expertise on this topic

• Example: Instead of “I started my career in…”, say “This is my 342nd presentation on this topic.”

Avoid:

• Showing off unrelated achievements

• Retelling old success stories that do not connect to the listeners’ current challenges

Mini-summary: Share just enough about yourself to build trust, then move fast to the audience’s needs.

In プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and 営業研修 (sales training), we see many leaders overload their introduction with:

• Too many company slides

• Long corporate videos that try to do everything for everyone

Better approach:

• Use 1–2 simple slides with only the key USPs (unique selling points)

• One strong image can show history and trust (for example, an old branch photo that proves longevity)

• If you must use video, play only the most powerful 30–60 seconds, not the whole “Swiss Army Knife” corporate movie

Mini-summary: Use minimal slides and short, focused video clips to support your story, not replace it.

In リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training), executives often ask:
“How do I show results without sounding like I am bragging?”

Practical tips:

• Tell client stories, not just your own

• Describe what you did for them and what they achieved

• Connect every example to their future success, not your ego

The audience is always asking:

“If I listen to you, what good will happen for me and my team?”

Mini-summary: Use client-focused examples that show how your ideas create wins for others, not just for you.

• Short, focused introductions build more trust than long “glory days” stories.

• Only share background that proves your expertise on today’s topic.

• Use minimal, clear slides and short video clips to highlight your company’s strength.

• Shift from “my success” to “client success” so the audience can see their own future wins.

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.