Storytelling in Public Speaking In Japan: Harsh Lessons From The Chamber of Commerce Showdown: Episode #411 The Presentations Japan Series

Storytelling in Public Speaking In Japan: Harsh Lessons From The Chamber of Commerce Showdown: Episode #411 (Audio here:https://bit.ly/3YGFdFe ) The Presentations Japan Series

I had two interesting experiences last week.? One was watching the aspirants for a top position in a Chamber of Commerce go head-to-head for the votes of the members by giving talks about why they should be elected.? I love attending these types of events because as an instructor of public speaking; I know there are always a lot of life and business lessons about to be revealed.? They had five minutes each, which is quite long actually.?

With that amount of leeway, there is a tremendous opportunity to use storytelling to reinforce key points and make numbers memorable. Sadly, our ambitious leaders didn’t use these tools at their ready disposal. Telling us about your resume is boring.? Telling us what you are going to do is doubtful.? Quoting numbers to back up any claims doesn’t really resonate.

How about a different tack?? Why not tell a series of stories which underline your past contributions in human terms and bring ideas to flesh and blood reality?? They could have talked about the impact they had through the prism of individuals they touched through their efforts and decisions.? Putting flesh on the bones of the activities makes them all the more compelling and relatable.? Any initiative has consequences and some outcomes.? Tell us what happened to the people affected.? How did it improve their lives or business?? Were there any concrete gains which flowed from an initiative you took?

Even in the case of a future decision, there will be impacts and we should take those possibilities and weave in a hypothetical outcome and how it would play out for those benefiting from it.? Actually, it hasn’t happened yet, but we take decisions for change on the basis that what we are going to do will bring in something better and different.? We can use a fictitious story to describe that future, even if it isn’t reality as yet. We outline a future which hasn’t been delivered yet, but if elected, we will make this story a reality and make it happen.

Wrapping up numbers in stories is a great way to make sure the achievements we are publicising register in the brains and memories of the audience.? We hear the numbers, but we recall stories. If the numbers are woven into the story, we will be able to recall them and therefore they will have greater impact.? Every time you are going to nominate numbers, think how can I wrap these in a story which involves people and make the number more real?

The other missing piece was emphasis on what was being said.? Both speakers kept the same volume and power throughout their five minutes.? However, not every word or phrase has the same value or impact.? Some elements can be highlighted by turning a vocal lamp up to high beam on the keywords.? When we hit a word or phrase with power or by employing a secretive audible whisper, we project the power of that content above everything else.? This is what makes it stand out.?

I was reminded of this when listening to a classical music piano solo performance.? The Japanese pianist was excellent and the pieces of music he chose had their crescendos and lulls as he worked his magic on the keys.? Between some of the pieces, he would take the mic and make a few comments about what he was playing and why.? What I found interesting was that he was Johnny One Note when he took the mic.? He had just been employing crescendos and lulls in his performance with his instrument, but not when he spoke.? Every word was given the same treatment and therefore no particular points were highlighted.? He didn’t carry forth his magic on the piano to his speaking and didn’t use the same amazing tool for his talk as he employed in his music.? For him, they were unrelated.

The problem is a lack of training in how to do public speaking and a lack of self-awareness. Our pianist didn’t bridge from what he did on the keys of the piano to what he could do with his vocal cords.? I would extend the same observation to other musicians who use their vocal cords as their primary instrument–singers–and observe the same phenomenon.? During their comments between songs, the singers will employ a flat range in their voice.? This is just after just having hit high and low notes in their performance.? Like the pianist, they don’t seem to connect the two ideas together.

As speakers, we should always be looking to tell stories to make our points more accessible.? We should also tell those stories employing highs and lows in our vocal range to make them more interesting.? Nobody else is doing this, so we have an uncontended open field of possibilities right in front of us, ripe for the taking.

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About The Author

Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training

Contact me at [email protected]

Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery".? He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.

Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations.?He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.

He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

Has 6 weekly podcasts:

1.?????Mondays -??The Leadership Japan Series,

2.????Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series

Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え

3.????Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series

4.????Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series

Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト

5.????Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show

6.????Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews

Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:

1.?????Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV

2.????Fridays – Japan Business Mastery

3.????Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews

In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.

Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.

Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.

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