Episode #268: How To Balance Relaxed Style With Professional Authority
THE Leadership Japan Series
Can a Presentation Be Conversational and Still Professional?
We’re often told to present as if we’re chatting with a friend. Relaxed. Natural. Inclusive. But does that work in a boardroom of executives or in front of clients? The truth is: sometimes yes, sometimes no. It all depends on purpose.
Mini-summary: Conversational style works in some settings but must match audience and objective.
When Does a Conversational Style Work?
If the goal is to inform experts, a relaxed tone makes complex information easier to absorb. But go too casual, and the audience may feel you’re not taking them seriously. A conversational approach works best when the atmosphere benefits from ease, but professionalism must still anchor it.
Mini-summary: Use conversational tone for clarity, but keep professionalism intact to maintain respect.
Why Must Presentations Be Tailored?
A one-size-fits-all approach fails. Heavy jargon alienates outsiders, while overly simple talk frustrates experts. The right balance means gauging knowledge levels and adjusting accordingly. This tailoring prevents audiences from feeling either overwhelmed or patronised.
Mini-summary: Tailor delivery to match audience expertise—too simple or too complex both backfire.
What Techniques Keep Professionalism Without Being Boring?
Speakers can project credibility with energy. Power in and power out voice control emphasises key points. Gestures that align with meaning, steady eye contact, and storytelling all add memorability. Authenticity also grows when speakers include personal successes and failures.
Mini-summary: Vocal variety, gestures, and stories bring professionalism alive without stiffness.
How Should We Persuade Using Evidence?
Persuasion needs data. But raw numbers alone are lifeless. Converting them into word pictures—“as long as ten football fields” or “as big as an Olympic pool”—makes them memorable. Evidence layered with comparisons, testimonials, and logic builds unshakable credibility.
Mini-summary: Persuasive talks need facts, but comparisons and stories make them resonate.
When Is Conversational Storytelling Best?
If the aim is entertainment, informality shines. Anecdotes with names, places, and detail make stories vivid. This is where wit and relaxed style thrive, helping audiences relax and enjoy the message.
Mini-summary: For entertainment, conversational style plus vivid storytelling delivers impact.
What’s the Key to Choosing the Right Style?
Clarity of purpose before building the slide deck is critical. Are we there to inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain? That choice determines whether we lean conversational, formal, or data-heavy.
Mini-summary: Decide intent first—inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain—and match the style.
About the Author
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012).
As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban “Hito o Ugokasu” Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).