Thought Leadership

How to Eliminate Filler Words and Stop Sabotaging Your Own Presentation

At a recent Annual General Meeting in Tokyo, the organization’s President delivered a short, well-constructed,...

How to Win the First Three Seconds — Mastering Executive Presence in the Age of TikTok Attention Spans

TikTok, Reels, Shorts—these platforms have rewired global attention spans. If content doesn’t grip us in three...

How to Use Audience Interaction Effectively in Japan — Without Losing Control of Your Presentation

In Japan, nearly every presentation follows the same pattern:The speaker talks.The audience sits quietly.Inter...

Thrashing AI When Presenting in Japan — Why Human Storytelling and Stage Presence Still Win

With generative AI able to produce a full presentation in under a minute, many professionals fear that origina...

How to Build a High-Impact Presentation — Even If You Procrastinate

Many executives in 日本企業 and 外資系企業 admit the same thing:“I procrastinate.” We delay starting the presentation, ...

How to Keep Audiences Engaged at Any Time of Day — The Essential Guide for Professional Presenters in Japan

Whether you’re speaking at a breakfast seminar, a lunchtime gathering, or an evening networking event, every t...

How to Turn “Boring” Products Into Viral Marketing Gold — Lessons from Blendtec and What Japanese Companies Can Learn

In crowded red-ocean markets, many companies cling to the same conservative tactics year after year: brochures...

What Senior Leaders Can Learn from the Lord Mayor of London’s Speaking Style — A Masterclass in Quiet Persuasion

At a recent British Chamber of Commerce event in Tokyo, Alderman Lord Mayor Professor Michael Mainelli deliver...

Should Foreign Leaders “Go Japanese” When Presenting? — The Hidden Risks of Adopting the Local Style in Japan

Many global headquarters assume that appointing a Japanese President for the Japan operation is the safest str...

Why “Interactive Presentations” Fail Without Discipline — Lessons from a High-Energy Speaker in Tokyo

Audience members love a speaker who is vivacious, energetic, and full of fresh insights. Our presenter at a re...

Why Senior Executives Still Struggle With High-Stakes Presentations — Lessons From a Real-World “Two-Minute Leadership Test” in Tokyo

In a world where business moves at red-ocean speed, it is shocking how often senior executives—people who guid...

How to Make Clients Trust You Before You Meet — Digital Positioning for Leaders in Tokyo and Beyond

Today, buyers and clients almost always Google you, check your LinkedIn, or scroll your social media before de...

What Three Contrasting Speakers Can Teach Us About Executive Presence in Tokyo — Lessons from Jesper Koll, Georg Loer, and Carolina Kawakubo

In 日本企業 and 外資系企業, leaders frequently address mixed audiences—executives, investors, policymakers, and global ...

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 distract...

Should You Speak When You’re Sick? What Joe Biden’s Debate Disaster Teaches Executives About Protecting Their Reputation

Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance triggered global debate. His team explained his weak voice as a cold...

What Donald Trump’s Speaking Style Reveals About Audience Engagement — Lessons for Business Leaders in Japan

As an Aussie, I have no vote in American elections and no political agenda. I study political speeches strictl...

What Kamala Harris Can Teach Business Leaders About Timing, Pauses, and Executive Presence

As a non-American, I take no political stance and always aim for neutrality—becoming the “Switzerland” of pres...

Episode #40: Well Japan, I'm Sorry

Are your presentations in Japan falling flat—even when the content is strong? Many globally educated Japanese ...

How to Build Credibility in the Age of Distraction and Cynicism — A Smarter Way to Structure Business Speeches

Business speeches used to be straightforward:We did X. It worked. Here’s how you can do the same. But we now l...

Episode #41: Lawyers Need To Be Good Presenters, But Don't Know It

Are you assuming legal expertise alone will attract clients in today’s market? In the “good old days,” lawyers...