The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

Dr. Greg Story
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For succeeding in business in Japan you need to know how to lead, sell and persuade. This is what we cover in the show. No matter what the issue you will get hints, information, experience and insights into securing the necessary solutions required. Everything in the show is based on real world perspectives, with a strong emphasis on offering practical steps you can take to succeed.

  1. 3d ago

    Salespeople Need to Have Self-Awareness

    Salespeople often think the biggest obstacle to winning business is the buyer, the price or the competition. In reality, the salesperson's lack of self-awareness is often the real problem. When sellers talk too much, miss buying signals, push products that suit their own targets and fail to adapt when a conversation goes wrong, they damage trust and reduce the lifetime value of the client relationship. Why is self-awareness essential in sales? Self-awareness helps salespeople recognise when their behaviour is helping the buyer and when it is quietly destroying the opportunity. A sales conversation can go off course very quickly. The seller may dominate the discussion, miss the client's cues or continue with small talk that has already become awkward. The danger is that many salespeople do not notice the decline because they are concentrating on their own agenda. In consultative selling, the buyer's reactions are data. Facial expression, tone, hesitation, shorter answers and changes in energy all signal whether trust is strengthening or weakening. This matters especially in Japan, where buyers may avoid direct confrontation and communicate discomfort indirectly. A self-aware salesperson notices the shift, pauses and changes direction before the meeting enters a death spiral. The professional question is not, "Am I delivering my pitch?" It is, "Is this conversation creating value for the buyer?" Do now: Monitor the buyer's energy, response length and questions. When engagement drops, stop presenting and ask a useful question. What should a salesperson do when the conversation is going badly? When a sales meeting starts going wrong, the best recovery move is usually to stop talking and start asking questions. Weak sellers often react to a difficult conversation by talking faster, adding more detail and pushing harder. That is the equivalent of leaning on the shovel and digging the hole deeper. Questions give the buyer more control, reveal what has been misunderstood and allow the salesperson to regroup. Useful recovery questions include: "What would be most helpful for us to clarify?", "Have I understood your priority correctly?" and "What would a successful outcome look like for you?" The salesperson normally arrives with a selling plan, while the buyer may not yet have a clear buying plan. This creates an opportunity to guide the discussion, but guidance is not the same as domination. Strong salespeople maintain direction while remaining flexible enough to follow the client's real concerns. Do now: Prepare three recovery questions before every client meeting so you can reset the conversation without becoming defensive. Why is selling the wrong solution so damaging? Selling a product that delivers little or no return for the client may create one small sale, but it can destroy a much larger future relationship. A salesperson may feel successful after persuading a buyer to purchase a slow-moving product or a solution carrying a higher commission. Commercially, however, that first transaction can be a disaster. The buyer eventually discovers that the solution produces limited value, trust collapses and the seller's credibility disappears. In close business communities, the reputational damage can spread through referrals and informal networks. The correct measure is not the revenue from the first order but the client's lifetime value, repeat business, cross-selling potential and willingness to recommend the salesperson. A peanut-sized initial sale can become extremely expensive when it makes the seller radioactive in the market. Ethical selling and long-term profitability therefore point in the same direction: recommend what genuinely advances the client's objectives. Do now: Before proposing anything, state the client's expected return in measurable terms. If the value is unclear, keep diagnosing. How does customisation improve client value? Customising the solution around the client's objectives usually increases relevance, perceived value, satisfaction and return on investment. Off-the-shelf solutions are attractive because they are fast, familiar and operationally efficient. The problem is that the client's needs may not fit the standard package. Trying to force the buyer into the seller's preferred solution creates the classic square-peg-and-round-hole failure. Customisation does not always mean rebuilding the entire offer. It may involve changing the sequence, scope, examples, delivery format, timeline, success measures or support structure. In B2B sales, those adjustments demonstrate that the salesperson has listened carefully and understands the organisation's context. The solution should connect directly to the outcomes discussed during discovery. When that alignment is visible, the buyer can explain the investment internally, decision-makers see a clearer business case and implementation has a better chance of succeeding. Do now: Link every element of the proposal to a stated client need, business outcome or decision criterion. How do commissions and internal pressure distort sales judgement? Commission structures and management pressure can tempt salespeople to prioritise their own short-term interests over the buyer's best outcome. Sales incentives shape behaviour. When one product pays a higher commission, sellers may emphasise it even when another option is better for the client. Managers can create the same distortion by demanding that the team push the solution that benefits the company most. The salesperson may rationalise the recommendation because rapport has already been established and the buyer appears willing to trust the advice. That is precisely why the behaviour is dangerous. Trust gives the seller influence, and using that influence to foist an unsuitable solution on the buyer begins haemorrhaging credibility immediately. Sales leaders should therefore review whether compensation, product campaigns and quarterly targets reward client value or merely product movement. Sustainable sales cultures align incentives with retention, implementation success, repeat business and measurable customer outcomes. Do now: Audit your incentive plan for conflicts between what pays the salesperson and what best serves the client. What does client-centred ROI look like in practice? Client-centred selling focuses first on the buyer's return on investment, not the seller's commission, quota or internal product target. The salesperson's role is to help the client make a sound commercial decision. That means clarifying the problem, defining the desired outcome, identifying constraints and testing whether the proposed solution will produce a worthwhile return. ROI may involve revenue growth, cost reduction, risk avoidance, productivity, retention, speed, quality or strategic capability. The appropriate measure varies by industry and purchase, but the discipline remains the same. Sellers should ask how success will be measured, what happens if nothing changes and which stakeholders must see value. This approach increases trust because the buyer can see that the salesperson is willing to recommend a smaller, different or delayed solution when that is the better decision. Ironically, concentrating on the client's ROI is also the strongest route to the seller's long-term ROI. Do now: Build proposals around the buyer's success metrics and include a clear method for reviewing results after implementation. What should salespeople remember? Sales self-awareness is not a soft or optional capability. It directly affects trust, proposal quality, reputation, repeat business and client lifetime value. Strong salespeople recognise when a conversation is failing, use questions to recover, resist incentives that distort judgement and shape solutions around the buyer's objectives. The central rule is simple: make the solution fit the client rather than making the client fit the solution. Focus on the client's ROI first, and your own commercial results will become more sustainable. Quick actions for salespeople and sales leaders Notice when the buyer's engagement changes and adjust immediately. Replace excessive talking with diagnostic and recovery questions. Refuse to recommend products that do not create credible client value. Customise the solution around the buyer's objectives and constraints. Measure success through client ROI, retention and lifetime value. Author bio 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 leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the 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. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, hosts six weekly podcasts, and produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews on YouTube.

  2. 3d ago

    Really Understand Your Expectations Of Your Sales Team

    Sales leaders often blame weak performance on the individual salesperson, but the deeper problem is frequently a mismatch between the company's expectations, hiring system, onboarding process and incentive structure. In Japan, where recruiting experienced salespeople is difficult and replacing an underperformer can take months, leaders cannot afford a revolving door. They need to define the type of salesperson required, establish realistic performance norms, build the right compensation plan and set targets that encourage effort rather than surrender. Are your sales hiring expectations realistic in Japan? Many sales performance problems begin before the salesperson joins, because the company has not clearly defined what success should look like. A founder, country manager or sales director may assume that an experienced hire will arrive, understand the market immediately and start producing revenue. That "plug-and-play" expectation is dangerous in Japan. Relationships, internal approval processes, brand recognition and access to decision-makers all influence how quickly a salesperson can gain traction. Startups face a different challenge from established multinationals: they may offer speed and freedom, but lack leads, systems and market credibility. Before blaming the new hire, leaders should audit the role itself. Is the territory viable? Is the value proposition clear? Are there enough qualified prospects? Is management providing coaching, introductions and sales tools? A salesperson cannot compensate forever for a weak commercial system. Do now: Write down the first 90-, 180- and 365-day outcomes you expect, then confirm that the company is providing the market access, support and resources required to achieve them. Do you need a sales hunter or a sales farmer? A hunter creates new business, while a farmer develops existing accounts; hiring one and expecting the behaviour of the other creates predictable disappointment. Japan has many capable relationship managers who excel at maintaining trust, expanding established accounts and coordinating internal stakeholders. These farmers are valuable, especially in long-cycle B2B sales, professional services and major-account management. Hunters are different. They prospect, open doors, tolerate rejection and create opportunities where none previously existed. During interviews, ask candidates where their current customers came from. Were they inherited from a departing colleague, supplied by marketing, allocated by the boss or already inside the company's client base? That suggests farming experience. Candidates who can explain how they identified targets, gained access, created urgency and won previously unknown buyers are demonstrating hunting behaviour. Neither profile is automatically superior; the question is whether the profile matches the commercial need. Do now: Classify the role as primarily hunting, farming or hybrid, and build interview questions that require candidates to prove where their past revenue actually came from. How long should a new salesperson take to produce revenue? The correct ramp-up period should come from historical performance data, not the leader's personal memories, impatience or hope. Sales leaders often say, "I did it quickly, so they should be able to do it too." That comparison may be unfair. The leader may have joined when the market was stronger, inherited better accounts, possessed deeper networks or benefited from a more experienced manager. A more objective approach is to review every salesperson who joined during the past five to ten years and track monthly revenue from Day One. Calculate the typical production level by quarter, removing extreme top and bottom performers when the sample is large enough. This creates a practical benchmark for onboarding, coaching and forecasting. A complex enterprise sale may require a longer runway than transactional consumer sales, while a recognised brand may shorten the cycle compared with an unknown entrant. Do now: Build a month-by-month ramp-up curve from previous hires and use it as the baseline for coaching conversations, forecasts and probation reviews. How should sales leaders measure new-hire performance? Revenue matters, but early-stage performance should also be measured through controllable activities and pipeline quality. A new salesperson may not close major business immediately, especially where buying decisions involve procurement, legal, finance and multiple executive stakeholders. Leaders should therefore track leading indicators alongside lagging revenue. Useful measures include target-account coverage, qualified meetings, decision-maker access, proposals issued, opportunity value, next-step discipline and movement through the sales pipeline. The aim is not to reward empty activity. Fifty unqualified calls are less useful than five serious conversations with the right buyers. Managers also need to inspect conversion rates: prospect to meeting, meeting to proposal and proposal to close. These measures reveal whether the problem is prospecting, discovery, solution design, credibility, pricing or negotiation. Do now: Create a balanced scorecard combining revenue, qualified pipeline, conversion ratios and agreed weekly prospecting behaviours. Does your sales incentive scheme reward the behaviour you want? Compensation plans shape behaviour, so leaders should not expect aggressive new-business development from a scheme that mainly rewards account maintenance. In Japan, fixed salaries with bonuses are common, while American-style commission-only structures are rare. A high base salary may provide security, but it can also reduce the urgency to prospect in a risk-averse environment. Straight commission on all revenue can also favour farmers, because inherited or repeat business may pay as well as difficult new-account acquisition. A stronger design distinguishes between existing-account revenue, expansion revenue and genuinely new business. It should also be easy to understand. If salespeople need a spreadsheet and a finance specialist to calculate their reward, the plan will not motivate daily behaviour. The company must also avoid creating a scheme designed mainly to protect its own margin while asking the salesperson to carry all the risk. Do now: Test whether the plan pays more for the behaviour the company claims to value, especially new logos, strategic products, margin quality and sustainable account growth. How high should a salesperson's target be? A sales target should stretch performance while remaining credible; an impossible number causes people to disengage rather than accelerate. Leaders sometimes raise quotas because the business plan requires more revenue, not because the territory can realistically produce it. When the gap between the target and the salesperson's own sense of capability becomes too large, motivation can collapse. The salesperson may stop believing that extra effort will matter, protect themselves psychologically and settle into lower performance. Target-setting is therefore both analytical and managerial. Review territory potential, historical conversion rates, average deal size, sales-cycle length, available leads, account concentration and the salesperson's experience. Then explain the logic. A demanding target can energise people when they can see a path to achievement, receive regular coaching and know that exceptional results will be rewarded fairly. Do now: Pressure-test each quota against territory data and pipeline maths, then agree on the specific activities and support required to reach it. What should sales leaders do now? Sales leaders should stop treating every performance failure as proof that they hired the wrong person. Sometimes they did. Often, however, the company recruited a farmer for a hunting role, expected revenue too quickly, measured the wrong indicators, designed an uninspiring incentive scheme or set a target with no credible pathway. In Japan's tight talent market, replacement is not a strategy. The better approach is to define the role precisely, benchmark performance objectively, coach the controllable behaviours and align rewards with the results the business genuinely needs. Check whether the recruiting process is selecting farmers when the business actually needs hunters. Create realistic production norms based on the ramp-up history of previous sales hires. Use leading indicators and conversion ratios to diagnose where performance is breaking down. Redesign incentives so new business, strategic growth and healthy margins are rewarded clearly. Set stretching but credible targets supported by territory data, pipeline maths and coaching. Author Bio 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 leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes, 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 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). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and J

  3. Jul 12

    How To Be More Persuasive

    Persuasion starts with being concise and clear. If the audience cannot follow the speaker quickly, they will not be persuaded, no matter how clever the message may be. In this Age of Distraction, speakers are competing with mobile phones, email, LinkedIn, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, and every other digital escape route. Leaders, executives, salespeople, trainers, consultants, and presenters in Japan, Australia, the United States, Europe, and across Asia-Pacific need structure, evidence, timing, and strong openings and closes. Persuasion is not a lucky accident. It is designed. Why must persuasive speakers be concise and clear first? Persuasive speakers must be concise and clear because audiences will not accept a message they cannot follow.Rambling kills attention, and confusion kills trust. Many speakers want to be more persuasive, but persuasion is impossible when the audience is lost. In business presentations, sales pitches, investor briefings, training sessions, and leadership town halls, listeners decide quickly whether the speaker is worth their attention. If the speaker rambles, they reach for their phones. If the message is mystifying, they escape into digital safety. Conciseness and clarity create the foundation for influence. Do now: Before trying to persuade, ask whether your audience can explain your main point in one sentence. How should speakers open a persuasive presentation? A persuasive presentation needs a strong opening that wakes the audience up and tells them why they should listen now. The opening is the dynamite, the nitro, and the fuse. The first moments of a talk must break through complacency, sloth, and slumber. A weak opening wastes the audience's best attention. A strong opening may use a provocative statement, a sharp question, a surprising statistic, a customer story, or a vivid problem. In Japan, where business presentations can sometimes begin slowly and formally, a crisp opening helps both local and international audiences understand the value immediately. Do now: Design the opening separately. Do not drift into the talk and hope the audience comes with you. Why should presentations be organised in five-minute blocks? Five-minute blocks help speakers keep the audience attached to the message by regularly changing the rhythm.Every few minutes, the audience needs a fresh reason to stay engaged. A persuasive talk should not run as one long stream of explanation. Around every five minutes, the speaker should switch it up with a story, a strong slide, a quotation, a question, a demonstration, or an example. This prevents the presentation from becoming predictable. In executive briefings, sales presentations, board updates, and training programs, five-minute blocks create momentum and make the message easier to remember. Do now: Map your next presentation into five-minute sections, each with a clear purpose and engagement device. How does evidence make a speaker more persuasive? Evidence makes a speaker more persuasive because it proves the claim and reduces audience doubt. Strong opinions need credible support. When speakers make provocative claims, they must bolt on proof. Data, statistics, survey results, testimonials, case studies, customer feedback, and benchmark comparisons all increase credibility. In B2B sales, leadership communication, consulting, and training, unsupported assertions sound like opinion. Supported assertions sound like business logic. The speaker's job is to make it easy for the audience to believe the point without working too hard. Do now: For every major claim, add one proof point: data, example, testimonial, or result. What structure makes a persuasive talk easy to follow? A persuasive talk becomes easier to follow when the speaker chooses a clear structure and stays with it. Logical flow prevents the audience from getting lost. The structure may be thematic, chronological, micro to macro, problem-solution-result, past-present-future, or challenge-action-outcome. The exact model matters less than the discipline of choosing one. Speakers get into trouble when they let the muse take them on a scenic journey without direction. Audiences are lazy escape artists. If they have to work too hard to follow the thread, they leave mentally. Do now: Choose one organising structure before building slides or writing the script. Why are bridges important in persuasive presentations? Bridges are important because they guide the audience from one section to the next without making them work.They stitch the whole presentation together. Useful bridges sound simple: "We have covered XYZ, now let me explore ABC." "In a moment, let's look at how the economy may affect our projections." "There are three key things we must be vigilant for; the first is…" These verbal signposts help listeners understand where they are and where the speaker is taking them. In cross-cultural presentations, especially when English is a second language for some audience members, bridges reduce confusion and increase trust. Do now: Write transition lines between sections before rehearsing the full talk. How does rehearsal improve persuasion? Rehearsal improves persuasion by forcing the speaker to tighten language, control timing, and remove excess. The stopwatch is the speaker's weapon of choice. Unrehearsed speakers often discover too late that they are running out of time. Then they "whip through" the final slides and cheat the audience out of important information. Rehearsal with a stopwatch exposes rambling, weak sentences, unnecessary detail, and poor pacing. It helps the speaker sharpen the prose, focus on the essentials, and give the strongest points the time they deserve. Do now: Rehearse with a stopwatch and cut anything that does not support the main persuasive point. How should speakers close a persuasive presentation? A persuasive presentation needs two closes: one before Q&A and one at the very end. Both should reinforce the main message and leave the audience with a memorable conclusion. The pre-Q&A close protects the core message before the discussion begins. The final close after Q&A puts the bow on the whole enterprise. These closes are opportunities to hammer the main conclusion, underscore the punch line, and make the key idea stick. A weak close lets the message fade. A strong close leaves a thought pounding in the audience's ears long after they leave. Do now: Write both closes in advance. Never improvise the final impression. Final summary Persuasion is built on concise language, clear structure, credible evidence, and disciplined rehearsal. Speakers who ramble or confuse the audience lose the chance to influence them. A persuasive talk needs a strong opening, five-minute content blocks, logical flow, verbal bridges, proof for major claims, stopwatch rehearsal, and two strong closes. In the Age of Distraction, audiences will not work hard to follow the speaker. The speaker must make the journey easy. Quick actions for speakers Plot the talk in five-minute brackets. Create bridges that lead the audience into each next section. Use a stopwatch to tighten the delivery. Support major claims with evidence. Spend proper time designing the opening and both closes. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. 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 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）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

  4. Jul 5

    Why Trust Is Earned Not Commanded

    Leaders receive automatic compliance from their title, but they do not receive earned trust by command. Position power may get people to follow instructions, laugh at the boss's jokes, and say "yes," but it will not create deep commitment, innovation, or discretionary effort. In Japan, Australia, the United States, Europe, and across Asia-Pacific, leaders in multinationals, SMEs, startups, and family businesses face the same problem. They confuse authority with trust. The team may obey, but obedience is not the same as willing cooperation. Real trust is built through consistent communication, proper delegation, follow-through, and time spent understanding people. What is the difference between automatic trust and earned trust? Automatic trust comes from position power, but earned trust comes from repeated behaviour that proves the leader is reliable. A title can force compliance, but it cannot command genuine commitment. Automatic trust is the basic respect given to the role. People follow the reporting line, attend meetings, and respond to instructions because the leader has authority. Earned trust is different. It is based on the reality of daily interactions: whether the leader listens, explains decisions, follows through, keeps promises, and treats people fairly. In Japanese organisations, where hierarchy and seniority can be powerful, the gap between obedience and trust can be especially easy to miss. Do now: Ask whether your team is following you because they trust you, or because your title requires it. Why does trust affect delegation and time management? Trust affects delegation because leaders who do not trust their team keep too much work on their own shoulders.That destroys both people development and executive time management. When leaders fear that others will make mistakes, miss deadlines, or mishandle responsibility, they avoid delegating. The result is a double loss. First, team members lose the chance to grow through accountability and higher-level tasks. Second, the leader becomes trapped in low-value and medium-value work instead of focusing on strategic priorities. This pattern appears in corporate Japan, regional offices, startups, and global firms alike. Poor delegation is not just a workload issue; it is a trust issue. Do now: Identify one task you are holding because of low trust, then decide what support would make delegation possible. How does earned trust increase discretionary effort? Earned trust increases discretionary effort because people are more willing to go beyond the minimum when they believe in the leader. Trust turns paid labour into deeper commitment. Discretionary effort is the jewel every leader wants. It shows up when people innovate, create, think ahead, take ownership, and step up without being forced. Employees are paid for their work, but extra commitment cannot be bought by salary alone. It is released through trust. When trust levels are high, people bring more energy, ideas, and resilience. When trust is low, they do only what is necessary and protect themselves from risk. Do now: Build the conditions where people want to contribute more, rather than merely comply. How do leaders accidentally destroy trust? Leaders destroy trust when their words, reactions, and follow-through do not match what they claim to value.Trust is built slowly but can fall through the floor in one bad interaction. A leader may lose their temper, lash out, dismiss a suggestion, promise action and then do nothing, or say one thing while doing another. Each moment withdraws from the trust account. When a team member offers an idea and the boss reacts harshly, that person's "innovation ticket" is cancelled. Others notice too. In Japanese workplaces, where people may already be cautious about speaking up, one poor reaction can silence future input for a long time. Do now: Treat every reaction to bad news, ideas, or mistakes as a deposit or withdrawal from trust. What kind of communication actually builds trust? Trust-building communication explains the why, listens seriously, asks for input, and goes beyond telling people what to do. Talking a lot is not the same as communicating well. Many leaders believe they communicate because they issue instructions, chair meetings, and give updates. That is not enough. Communication that builds trust requires time and curiosity. Leaders need to explain the purpose behind decisions, listen to concerns, seek ideas beyond their own experience, and understand what motivates each person. This takes longer than command-and-control leadership, but it creates stronger alignment. For Japanese teams, global project groups, and cross-cultural organisations, explaining the "why" is especially important because assumptions may differ. Do now: Replace one directive conversation with a "why, input, and listen" conversation this week. How should leaders delegate to build trust? Leaders should delegate by matching tasks to the person's development path, not by dumping unwanted work.Proper delegation is a trust-building conversation. Delegation fails when it feels like a hospital pass: bothersome, unpleasant, and pushed downward because the boss is too busy. Professional delegation is different. The leader explains the value of the task, connects it to the person's career growth, asks them to create the plan, agrees on milestones, and monitors execution without micromanaging. This approach builds accountability, confidence, and capability. It also frees the leader to focus on higher-level work only they can do. Do now: Before delegating, explain how the task helps the person grow, then let them shape the plan. Final summary Trust cannot be commanded by title, hierarchy, or authority. It is earned through repeated communication, proper delegation, consistency, and genuine consideration for the team. Leaders who do not trust their people fail to delegate. Because they fail to delegate, they lose the time needed to communicate properly. Because they do not communicate properly, they fail to build trust. That loop must be broken deliberately. The price of earned trust is time and consideration. Leaders who truly value their people must move them higher on the priority list and prove it through consistent action. Quick actions for leaders Understand the difference between position power and earned trust. Delegate properly by linking tasks to development. Check whether you are truly communicating or just issuing instructions. Make time to understand what inspires, interests, worries, and motivates your team. Follow through consistently so trust grows over time. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. 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 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）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

  5. Jun 28

    How To Present Products Professionally

    Presenting products professionally is not just about explaining features. It is about holding attention, guiding the buyer's thinking, and making the value of the product easy to understand. Salespeople, executives, product managers, founders, trainers, and technical specialists are all competing with smartphones, short attention spans, and audience impatience. In Japan, the United States, Europe, and across Asia-Pacific, even a strong product can be weakened by flat delivery, endless talking, and no clear emphasis on what matters most. Why do product presentations fail even when the product is good? Product presentations fail when the speaker makes the product sound boring, complicated, or indistinguishable from every other option. A strong product still needs strong delivery. Many presenters rely too heavily on specifications, slides, and technical explanations. They assume the product will sell itself. It usually will not. Buyers, procurement teams, senior executives, and end users need help understanding why the product matters now, how it solves their problem, and what makes it different from competitors. A monotone explanation turns valuable product information into white noise. Do now: Do not just describe the product. Guide the audience to the value, risk reduction, and business impact. How does monotone delivery damage a product presentation? Monotone delivery damages product presentations because the audience stops hearing what is important. When every sentence sounds the same, benefits, proof points, and differentiators disappear. A flat voice makes product messaging feel lifeless. The presenter may be describing innovation, cost savings, productivity improvement, quality control, customer experience, or safety, but the buyer hears a refrigerator hum. In Japanese business settings, presenters may be used to a flatter speaking rhythm, but when selling in English or to international audiences, more vocal contrast is needed. The speaker must create highs, lows, rhythm, and energy. Do now: Use voice modulation to make the product's most important benefits stand out. Why are pauses important when presenting products? Pauses help buyers process the value of the product before the next point arrives. Without pauses, one feature drowns the next. Product presenters often rush because they know too much. They try to explain every function, every technical detail, and every comparison. The problem is that the buyer's brain needs time to translate information into relevance. A pause after a key benefit, price point, case study, performance result, or risk-reduction claim gives the audience time to think, "How does this apply to us?" In Japan, pauses are especially valuable when listeners are processing English as a second language. Do now: Pause after the product's strongest value claims, not just at the end of slides. How should presenters highlight product features and benefits? Presenters should emphasise the few product points that matter most to the buyer's decision. Not every feature deserves equal vocal weight. Democracy is fine in politics, but it is deadly in product presentations. If every feature is delivered with equal emphasis, the buyer cannot tell what is essential. The presenter should punch key words such as "lower cost," "faster implementation," "reduced downtime," "higher conversion," "safer operation," "Japan-ready support," or "measurable ROI." This is how the speaker guides the audience through the intended decision path. Do now: Before presenting, underline the key words you want buyers to remember. How can salespeople keep buyers from checking their phones? Salespeople keep buyers engaged by creating contrast, relevance, and movement in the presentation. The phone wins when the speaker becomes predictable. Modern buyers can escape instantly to email, LinkedIn, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, news, or internal messages. That means product presenters must earn attention continuously. Use questions, pauses, examples, customer stories, comparisons, and vocal variety. A B2B buyer wants to know how the product reduces pain, saves time, makes money, prevents mistakes, or improves results. A professional product presentation should feel like a guided business conversation, not a technical data dump. Do now: Build the presentation around buyer problems, not your internal product catalogue. What should professionals practise before presenting a product? Professionals should practise voice modulation, pauses, and key-word emphasis before every important product presentation. Delivery is part of the product's perceived value. A brilliant product can look ordinary when presented badly. A practical way to improve is to record the presentation and listen honestly. Are you varying your pace? Are you slowing down for the most important points? Are you pausing after strong claims? Are you hitting the words the buyer must remember? CEOs, sales managers, consultants, startup founders, and technical specialists all need this discipline. Do now: Record your product pitch and check whether the buyer can hear the value clearly. Final summary Professional product presentations require more than product knowledge. They require delivery skill. Voice modulation, pauses, and key-word emphasis help buyers understand what matters and why it matters. In the smartphone era, boring delivery loses attention quickly. The best presenters do not drown buyers in information. They guide the buyer's thinking, highlight the value, and make the decision easier. Quick actions for presenters Vary your voice so the product does not sound boring. Pause after key benefits, proof points, and recommendations. Emphasise the words you want the buyer to remember. Focus on buyer problems before product features. Record your presentation and listen for monotone delivery. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. 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 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）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

  6. Jun 21

    Speaker Monotone Hell

    Speakers are now competing with mobile phones, short attention spans, and the audience's constant temptation to escape to the internet. A monotone delivery makes that escape almost irresistible. A presentation can have a powerful topic, a brilliant speaker resume, and a room full of interested people, yet still fail if the delivery puts everyone to sleep. Whether speaking in Japan, Australia, the United States, Europe, or anywhere across Asia-Pacific, leaders, trainers, salespeople, and executives need vocal variety, pauses, and emphasis to keep attention alive. Why do monotone speakers lose their audience so quickly? Monotone speakers lose audiences because the brain stops receiving useful signals of change, importance, or emotion. When every word sounds the same, listeners struggle to know what matters. A monotone voice becomes verbal white noise. Like the steady hum of a refrigerator, it may be present, but it does not stimulate attention. In Japanese business presentations, monotone delivery is often explained as a language and cultural pattern, because Japanese speech can sound flatter compared with English. Yet when speaking in English, especially to international executives or mixed audiences, the speaker must work harder to create highs, lows, contrast, and rhythm. Do now: Record your next talk and check whether your voice rises, falls, speeds up, slows down, and signals meaning. How does mobile phone distraction change public speaking? Mobile phones punish boring delivery faster than ever because the audience has an instant escape route. If the speaker does not hold attention, the internet will. Before smartphones, bored audience members had fewer options. They might stare at the ceiling, doodle, or politely suffer. Now they can check email, LinkedIn, Slack, WhatsApp, news, stock prices, or sports scores within seconds. This makes voice modulation a business survival skill, not a theatrical extra. In corporate training, sales presentations, town halls, investor briefings, and conference speeches, the speaker is competing against a personal entertainment machine in every hand. Do now: Assume the audience will leave you mentally unless your delivery gives them a reason to stay. Why are pauses so important in presentations? Pauses are powerful because they give the audience time to process, translate, and absorb the message. Continuous talking drowns one idea beneath the next. Many speakers fear silence. They rush, fill every gap, and treat a pause as a failure. In reality, pauses are pattern interrupters. They tell the brain, "Something has changed. Pay attention." For Japanese audiences listening in English, pauses are especially useful because they allow mental translation and comprehension. For global audiences, pauses also create authority. Leaders who pause sound more confident than leaders who machine-gun words at the room. Do now: Insert short pauses after important points, transitions, numbers, questions, and recommendations. How can speakers use voice modulation effectively? Voice modulation works by adding contrast through volume, pace, pitch, and energy. The audience needs vocal variety to stay mentally engaged. A strong speaker does not need a radio announcer's baritone voice. The goal is not to sound like a professional narrator. The goal is to guide listeners. Speed up to show energy. Slow down to show importance. Add strength to key phrases. Drop the voice to create seriousness. Lift the voice to create curiosity. This is especially important for executives, trainers, and salespeople who need to persuade, not merely transfer information. Do now: Practise one paragraph three ways: stronger, softer, faster, and slower. Notice how meaning changes. Why should speakers emphasise key words? Speakers should emphasise key words because audiences need help identifying what matters most. Without emphasis, every sentence sounds equally important and equally forgettable. Democracy is excellent in political systems, but not in speeches. In presentations, some words deserve more weight than others. The speaker must decide which words carry the meaning and then punch them vocally. This creates a mental path for the listener. In sales, leadership, teaching, and keynote speaking, key-word emphasis helps the audience follow the speaker's intended logic, emotion, and conclusion. Do now: Mark your script before presenting. Underline the words you want to hit harder. What should leaders and presenters do to avoid boring delivery? Leaders and presenters should check their delivery by recording themselves and listening honestly. Self-awareness is the fastest way to escape monotone hell. Most speakers do not know how they actually sound. They judge themselves by intention, not by audience experience. Recording reveals whether the talk has vocal variety, useful pauses, and highlighted key words. This matters for CEOs, sales managers, trainers, consultants, academics, and anyone presenting ideas. People attend talks to be informed, persuaded, motivated, entertained, or ideally all four. They do not attend to be gently sedated. Do now: Tape your next presentation. Listen for modulation, pauses, and emphasis before blaming the audience. Final summary A monotone presentation kills attention, no matter how strong the topic or impressive the speaker's credentials. Audiences need vocal variety, pauses, and key-word emphasis to stay engaged. Speakers are not just delivering information. They are guiding attention. In the smartphone era, boring delivery is punished immediately. The good news is that voice modulation, strategic pauses, and emphasis can all be practised. Quick actions for speakers Add voice modulation by varying strength, pace, pitch, and energy. Use pauses so the audience can process what you have said. Emphasise key words to guide listeners toward your message. Record your delivery and listen for monotone patterns. Do not rely on topic quality alone to hold attention. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. 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 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）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

  7. Jun 14

    Yes Boss, Whatever You Say

    In Japan, many leaders worry they are surrounded by people who agree too quickly, avoid bad news, and keep quiet when the boss is wrong. That silence is dangerous. It hides risk, weakens decision-making, and encourages executives to build beautiful ladders against the wrong wall. This is not just a Japanese leadership issue. It appears in multinationals, SMEs, family businesses, startups, and government agencies across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States. The difference in Japan is that hierarchy, harmony, seniority, and group responsibility can make "speaking truth to power" feel personally risky. Why do employees in Japan say "yes boss" even when they disagree? Employees often say "yes boss" because hierarchy, risk avoidance, and group harmony make open disagreement feel dangerous. In many Japanese workplaces, the safest career move is to blend in, avoid blame, and let responsibility dissolve into the group. This becomes a major leadership problem when the boss has a bad idea. The original Tokyo Olympic Stadium controversy and the Toyosu market issues showed how difficult it can be to identify clear accountability when decisions go wrong. In Japan, success often has many parents, while failure can become an orphan. Compared with flatter US startup cultures or some European consultation models, Japanese corporate life often places greater weight on rank, silence, and consensus. Do now: Leaders should ask, "Am I getting the truth, or just polite agreement?" How does power distance damage leadership decisions? Power distance damages decisions by discouraging subordinates from sharing negative information early. When people fear being criticised, ignored, or humiliated, they delay warnings until the damage is already done. Senior leaders often succeed because they push through resistance. That drive can become their strength and their weakness. After years of winning arguments, launching initiatives, and forcing change through slow-moving systems, the leader's ego can quietly become overinflated. In Japan, where introducing anything new often requires enormous persistence, the "bulldozer boss" may look effective at first. Over time, however, that style teaches everyone to stay silent. Do now: Watch for hesitation, doubt, or reluctance. These may be early warning signals, not disloyalty. Why do successful bosses stop listening? Successful bosses often stop listening because their past victories convince them their judgement is usually right.The more they win debates, the easier it becomes to confuse confidence with accuracy. This is especially risky for executives who are fast-paced, action-oriented, and under pressure. They prefer speed, clean decisions, and no loose ends. Listening to a subordinate's concern can feel like wasted time when the inbox is overflowing and urgent tasks are piling up. Yet the people closest to the gemba—the actual workplace reality—often know things the boss does not. Toyota's famous respect for frontline insight shows why the gemba matters: real conditions are not always visible from the executive office. Do now: Slow down before responding. The person in front of you may hold the missing piece. What should leaders do when subordinates challenge their ideas? Leaders should avoid immediate judgement and create enough psychological safety for people to speak honestly.The first response should be curiosity, not a counterattack. When someone raises an objection, the boss should not launch a "nuclear harpoon strike" to wipe out resistance. Instead, pause, keep a neutral face, and say: "Thank you. This is an important consideration, and I want to give the idea sufficient time to mull it over." That simple sentence changes the room. It shows that disagreement is not career suicide. In multinationals, SMEs, B2B sales teams, and professional services firms, this habit can improve risk detection, innovation, and accountability. Do now: Replace instant rebuttal with one question: "What are you seeing that I may be missing?" How can Japanese executives build a speak-up culture? Japanese executives can build a speak-up culture by repeatedly proving that bad news is welcome before decisions fail. One polite invitation is not enough; people need months of evidence. If the boss has spent years interrupting, dominating, and dismissing alternative views, employees will not suddenly trust a new listening style. Everyone will watch the first brave person who speaks up. If that person is punished, ignored, or publicly crushed, the old silence returns immediately. If they are thanked and heard, others may slowly follow. This is behaviour change work, not a slogan. Leaders must give full concentration, turn off the mental white noise, and listen without preparing their counterargument. Do now: Reward early warnings. Make the person who raises risk feel safer, not smaller. What leadership habit matters most for better decisions? Humility is the leadership habit that protects executives from their own certainty. Leaders must become less attached to the automatic belief that their judgement and experience are always enough. Humility does not mean weakness. It means recognising that rank does not create perfect information. In Japan's seniority-conscious workplaces, the person with the lowest title may still understand the customer, factory floor, sales objection, or internal bottleneck better than the president. The leader's job is not to win every argument. The leader's job is to make the best possible decision with the best possible information. Do now: Ask regularly, "What bad news am I not hearing?" Then stay quiet long enough for the answer. Final summary "Yes boss" cultures feel efficient, respectful, and harmonious until the wrong decision becomes expensive. Leaders in Japan, and everywhere else, need people who will tell them the truth before the damage is done. That requires patience, humility, and repeated proof that dissent is not punished. The best leaders are not the ones who dominate every conversation. They are the ones who create enough trust for others to improve the decision before it is too late. Quick actions for leaders Check whether you are surrounded by "yes" men and women. Notice whether you are the last person to hear bad news. Stop bulldozing every disagreement. Do not respond immediately when you hear an opposing view. Become more humble about the limits of your own judgement. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across 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 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）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

  8. Jun 7

    Build Your Sales Bridge

    Sales conversations need structure, not spaghetti. In Japan especially, the best salespeople do not simply pitch, push and hope. They build bridges between each phase of the buyer conversation: rapport, permission to ask questions, solution presentation, objection handling and the final close. These bridges make the sales call feel natural, respectful and useful for the client. For executives, sales leaders and B2B professionals, the real lesson is simple: a sales process is not just a checklist. It is a conversation road map. When each transition is handled smoothly, the buyer feels understood rather than sold to. Why do sales conversations need bridges? Sales conversations need bridges because buyers rarely move smoothly from greeting to decision without guidance. A bridge is the short phrase, question or transition that helps the buyer follow the logic of the meeting. In Japan, where trust, politeness and context matter deeply in business, these bridges are even more important. A salesperson who jumps too quickly into the pitch can feel abrupt, especially compared with the slower relationship-building style common in Japanese B2B sales. In the US, a direct "Let's get down to business" approach may be accepted. In Japan, the same move can miss the social rhythm that helps buyers relax and open up. Do now: Map your sales call into phases and write one clear bridge sentence between each phase. How should salespeople start a meeting in Japan? Salespeople in Japan should start by using small talk, meishi and respectful observation to build trust before discussing business. The beginning of the meeting is not wasted time; it is the first sales bridge. Business cards remain a gold mine in Japan. The buyer's meishi can reveal their title, division, company structure, location, seniority and sometimes even regional clues in their name. A skilled salesperson uses these details naturally. For example, commenting politely on a rare kanji reading or asking about the buyer's role can start a human conversation. This is different from many Western business settings, where business cards have become less central and meetings often begin more transactionally. Do now: Treat the first three minutes as a trust-building phase, not an awkward warm-up. Why should salespeople ask permission before asking questions? Salespeople should ask permission because questioning the buyer can feel intrusive unless the purpose is clearly explained. In Japan, this bridge is vital because direct questioning may be seen as rude if handled poorly. Many Japanese salespeople avoid asking diagnostic questions and instead launch straight into the pitch. That creates a problem: without questions, the salesperson cannot know which solution matters. If a company has 155 training modules, products or services, presenting everything overwhelms the buyer. A better bridge is: "We may be able to help, but I am not sure yet. Would you mind if I asked a few questions so I can understand your situation?" This makes the questioning feel respectful and useful. Do now: Never interrogate. Ask permission, explain the benefit, then diagnose. How do you move from questions to the solution? The best bridge from questions to solution is a short confirmation that shows the buyer you listened. Before presenting, summarise the need and explain that you have narrowed the options. This is where many salespeople lose control of the conversation. They ask good questions, then dump too much information on the buyer. In B2B sales, especially with executives, SMEs and large Japanese firms, clarity beats quantity. A strong bridge sounds like: "Thank you, I now understand what you are looking for. Based on your priorities, I believe this solution fits best." This tells the buyer the pitch is not generic. It is selected for them. Do now: Present only the solution that matches the buyer's stated need. Leave the rest out. What is the best way to check buyer interest during the sales presentation? A trial close is the bridge that checks whether the buyer is following, interested and comfortable. The simple question "How does that sound so far?" can reveal confusion, hesitation or hidden objections. This is not a hard close. It is a conversational checkpoint. After explaining the feature, benefit, application and evidence, the salesperson pauses and lets the buyer react. In Japan, where buyers may avoid direct confrontation, these gentle checks are especially useful. They give the buyer permission to raise concerns without losing face. Compared with more aggressive American closing styles, this approach is low-pressure but still commercially effective. Do now: After each major solution point, ask a soft trial close before moving forward. How should salespeople handle price objections? Salespeople should bridge into objections by thanking the buyer and asking why they feel that way. The best response to "Your price is too high" is not a defence; it is curiosity. A calm answer might be: "Thank you. May I ask why you say that?" Then stop talking. Silence is powerful. The buyer may reveal they are comparing against a cheaper competitor, working with a fixed budget, unsure of value, or testing whether a discount is available. Each answer requires a different response. If the salesperson guesses, they may answer the wrong objection. In Japanese sales, where open disagreement can be subtle, this bridge helps uncover the real issue. Do now: Do not fight objections. Clarify them first, then answer the real concern. Conclusion: What should sales leaders do now? Sales leaders should train their teams to build bridges, not just deliver pitches. A strong sales call has a clear flow: rapport, permission, diagnosis, tailored solution, trial close, objection handling and final decision. Each phase needs a transition that feels natural to the buyer. For Japan-focused sales teams, this is especially important. Respectful pacing, small talk, meishi awareness, permission-based questioning and low-pressure closing all help buyers feel safe enough to engage. The goal is not to manipulate the conversation. The goal is to make it easier for the buyer to understand, trust and decide. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the 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 been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō, Purezen no Tatsujin, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews, followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

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For succeeding in business in Japan you need to know how to lead, sell and persuade. This is what we cover in the show. No matter what the issue you will get hints, information, experience and insights into securing the necessary solutions required. Everything in the show is based on real world perspectives, with a strong emphasis on offering practical steps you can take to succeed.

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