Presenting When Your Organisation’s Leaders are Struggling

Why do smart leaders still get told they are “all style and no substance”?

In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan), technical experts are promoted into leadership roles. They know the numbers. They know the strategy. But when they stand up to present, they lose the room.

Sometimes, colleagues say, “You’re all style and no substance,” or they look down on presentation skills as something “soft.” In reality, the real problem is the opposite: there is good content, but the delivery destroys its impact.

Mini-summary: Your ideas can be excellent, but if you cannot deliver them clearly and confidently, your value is underestimated.

Nitoryu (二刀流) means the “two-sword style” — using two strengths at the same time:

• High-quality content (facts, logic, insight)

• High-quality delivery (presence, voice, structure, visuals)

In business, this nitoryu style is not a “nice to have.” As we move up the ladder in 東京 (Tokyo) and global roles, we must present to senior management, boards, and global HQ. Without both “swords,” our career growth stalls and our team’s results are ignored.

Mini-summary: Nitoryu (two-sword) presenting means being strong in both content and delivery, which is essential for leadership and promotion.

Why do so many executive presentations fail, even with “good” slides?

A common scene in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching):

• Slides are packed with text — a “forest” of bullet points.

• Key messages are hidden.

• Every slide looks the same.

When everything is important, nothing is important. Audiences stop listening, especially in online meetings.

A better approach is simple:

• Break one busy slide into two or three simple slides.

• Reveal (build) information step by step.

• Use greyed-out sections to focus attention on the current point.

This makes it easy for busy executives to see the message and take action.

Mini-summary: Overloaded slides kill even the best ideas; clear, staged visuals help leaders see and remember your main points.

How should leaders present online when everyone is “stuck in a tiny box”?

In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan), senior people present online with their cameras off. This sends the wrong message:

• It encourages a “hiding” culture.

• It invites multi-tasking and low attention.

• It weakens leadership presence.

Instead, leaders should:

• Turn the camera on, always.

• Lift the camera to eye level.

• Look at the lens as if it is one person’s eyes.

• Use about 20% more energy than in a face-to-face meeting.

• Gesture and move your face and voice more to keep people engaged.

Even in a small video window, your energy and clarity show your leadership.

Mini-summary: Turning cameras on and using more energy online signals leadership, sets standards, and keeps remote teams engaged.

Dale Carnegie Tokyo works with leaders from 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan) who need:

• リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) that includes powerful presenting

• 営業研修 (sales training) that wins trust and drives decisions

• プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) to handle high-stakes internal and external talks

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) to prepare for C-suite and global HQ meetings

• DEI研修 (DEI training) where inclusive communication really matters

We combine your real business content with Dale Carnegie’s 100+ years of global presentation expertise and over 60 years of experience in 東京 (Tokyo). The result: leaders who can both think clearly and present powerfully, in Japanese and in English.

Mini-summary: Dale Carnegie Tokyo helps executives master both content and delivery so their messages drive action across Japanese and global organizations.

• Strong leaders need both high-quality content and high-quality delivery — the nitoryu (two-sword) style.

• Overloaded slides and weak delivery make even excellent ideas look average.

• Online, cameras on and higher energy are basic leadership responsibilities, not optional.

• Dale Carnegie Tokyo supports 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies in Japan) with proven 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).

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.