Should You Distribute Materials Before Your Speech

Why do some event organisers ask for our slides in advance?

Many organisers in 東京 (Tokyo) believe sending the full slide deck before the talk will help the audience follow along. They also think that, in Japan, people are better at reading than listening, so having the slides in hand will support understanding — especially in プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training).

The problem: when the audience already has the full deck, their eyes go to the paper, not to you. You lose attention and impact.

Mini-summary: Sending slides in advance feels helpful, but it quietly shifts focus away from the presenter and weakens communication.

If everyone receives the full slide deck, they start reading ahead. While you are explaining page 1, they are already on page 18. You lose control of the story and the flow of your argument.

Your voice becomes “background noise” while they are reading. For 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) alike, this is a serious problem when the goal is to persuade senior stakeholders.

Mini-summary: When the audience reads instead of listens, you lose control of the narrative and your message becomes weaker.

A rare exception is detailed spreadsheets with many small numbers. On screen, tiny cells are hard to read, and many presenters still say, “You probably can’t see this, but…”. The audience cannot follow, and the data loses meaning.

In this case, you may share a simple handout with the key tables so people can verify the numbers. However, even then, be careful: once people look down at the paper, you lose eye contact and emotional connection.

Mini-summary: Only consider sharing data-heavy spreadsheets, and even then, keep handouts simple and limited.

Treat the full spreadsheet as “wallpaper” in the background of the slide. Then, use animation to pull out one big key number at a time in a very large font. Explain why that number matters for the business, and keep all eyes on you.

Repeat this process for each important number. At the end, you can offer a detailed handout for those who want to go deeper.

Mini-summary: Show only the most important numbers in a clear, bold way, and offer detailed data after the presentation.

In any プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) or real business meeting, you are the main message, not the slides. The slide deck and spreadsheet are just tools to support your story.

Your role is to guide the audience through a logical flow that builds to a strong conclusion. You need to watch their faces, feel their reaction, and adjust in real time — especially in high-stakes meetings for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in Japan.

Mini-summary: The presenter must stay “the star of the show” to control the message, emotion, and direction of the talk.

Some organisers are not regular presenters. They may insist that slides must be shared in advance. You should politely but firmly decline, explaining that doing so reduces audience attention and the effectiveness of the session.

We must hold ourselves to a higher professional standard. Our job is to be the expert — the “island” of insight, experience, and leadership in the room.

Mini-summary: Respect organisers, but protect the quality of your presentation by refusing to send the full deck beforehand.

• Do not send your full slide deck before the presentation; it weakens attention and control of your story.

• Only consider sharing detailed spreadsheets, and even then, keep the focus on a few key numbers displayed clearly on screen.

• Keep the audience’s eyes on you, not on paper or screens; you are the main communication channel.

• For 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), strong presentation control is essential to influence senior stakeholders and drive decisions.

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.