Most business careers don’t stall because people lack IQ or work ethic — they stall because people can’t move other humans. If you can command a room, energise a team, excite customers, and secure decisions, you compound your influence fast — especially in the post-pandemic world of hybrid meetings, Zoom pitches, and global audiences.
Does persuasion power matter more than technical skill for promotion?
Yes — technical skill gets you into the conversation, but persuasion power wins you the job. In most organisations, the higher you climb, the more the work becomes “people deciding” rather than “people doing”.
This is why brilliant engineers, finance stars, and operational legends can still hit a ceiling. They’re exceptional in the engine room, but when it’s time to sell a strategy to a board, rally a division, or win internal funding, they can’t land the message. In Japan’s consensus-heavy corporate culture, you often need influence across multiple stakeholders; in the US, you may need crisp executive presence in faster decision cycles; in Europe, you might need stronger narrative and risk framing. Same game: decisions move when people feel clarity and confidence.
Do now: Identify one upcoming meeting where you must persuade (not “update”) — and design it like a pitch.
Why are so many senior executives surprisingly bad at speaking?
Because nobody trains them for “stage time” — they get responsibility, not rehearsal. Many leaders are promoted for performance, not persuasion.
You see it everywhere: high-status, high-stakes people who can’t string together a five-minute case for themselves or their ideas. They’ve been rewarded for competence, reliability, and execution — then suddenly they’re expected to represent the brand, defend strategy, and inspire others. That’s a different profession. Startups often over-index on charisma early; multinationals over-index on process and tenure — both can produce leaders who are undercooked when they’re in front of customers, boards, or a chamber of commerce AGM audience.
Do now: Treat speaking as a core leadership skill, not a “nice-to-have” — schedule training and practice like you schedule finance reviews.
How do you self-promote without sounding cringe or arrogant?
You self-promote best by making your value useful to others. The trick isn’t “talk about me”; it’s “here’s what I learned, here’s what it changed, here’s how it helps”.
Personal brand isn’t your logo — it’s your reputation at decision time. The strongest self-promotion is evidence-based: outcomes, lessons, frameworks, and how you’d repeat the win. Use story, but anchor it in business reality: customers, revenue, safety, quality, speed, retention. In B2B, credibility often comes from clarity and risk management; in consumer, it’s momentum and narrative. Either way, you’re building trust. You can also borrow structure from Aristotle’s ethos/pathos/logos: establish credibility, connect emotionally, then land logic.
Do now: Create a 60-second “value story” with: problem → action → result → lesson → next step.
What changes when you present to a global audience like TED or online?
The upside is massive — but the downside lasts forever. A local talk fades; a recorded talk can follow you for years.
Online audiences behave differently: they’re less forgiving, more distracted, and they can replay your weak moments. But if you deliver professionally, your credibility scales globally — especially if you’re known for communication, training, sales, or leadership. Post-2020, many leaders now “present” via webinars, town halls, podcasts, and investor updates more than they do in ballrooms. That means your persuasion power is constantly on display. TED’s own guidance to speakers is blunt: rehearse repeatedly and treat preparation as part of performance. [1] TED ted.com
Do now: Assume every important talk will be shared — build it to survive replay.
What’s the fastest escape hatch from speaking disasters?
Rehearsal — not talent — is the catastrophe escape hatch. You don’t get confidence by “hoping”; you get it by seeing yourself succeed in practice.
Most business talks are delivered once: one-and-done. That’s like launching a product without QA. Effective rehearsal isn’t memorising every line; it’s building a structure you can drive under pressure. Harvard Business Review makes the same point: rehearse a lot, but don’t trap yourself in robotic scripting — aim for confident flow and strong openings/closings. [2] Harvard Business Review Harvard Business Review
Do now: Rehearse the first 60 seconds and last 60 seconds until they’re unshakeable — that’s where trust is won or lost.
How do you rehearse and get feedback without getting crushed?
Ask for feedback that builds you up and sharpens you — never invite a vague judgement. “How was it?” is a confidence grenade.
Use a two-part prompt: “What did I do well?” and “What’s one thing I can improve?” This keeps feedback specific, actionable, and survivable. Then rehearse in layers: content, timing, and delivery (voice, gestures, eye line). Dale Carnegie advice on rehearsal commonly emphasises practising for timing and delivery — not just slide polishing. [3] Dale Carnegie dalecarnegie.com
Here’s a simple rehearsal loop:
Rehearsal round
Focus
Output
1
Message + structure
Clear beginning, middle, end
2
Timing + transitions
Fits the slot, smooth flow
3
Delivery under pressure
Voice, pauses, gestures, presence
Do now: Book 3 rehearsals in your calendar before the event — and collect feedback using the two-part prompt above.
Final wrap
Persuasion power isn’t decoration — it’s leverage. The people who rise fastest aren’t always the smartest or the busiest; they’re the ones who can make others see it, feel it, and back it. If you want the bigger role, the bigger client, and the bigger stage, don’t wait for promotion to “learn speaking”. Build the skill first — then let it pull you upward.
FAQs
Yes — rehearsal beats talent for most business speaking. Talent helps, but rehearsal makes you reliable under pressure.
Yes — technical experts can become persuasive speakers. With structure, practice, and feedback, “engine room” people can lead the room.
Yes — you can self-promote without being arrogant. Make it outcome-based and useful: lessons, impact, and what you’d do next.
Yes — online talks raise the stakes. Recordings scale credibility or embarrassment, so design and rehearse accordingly.
Next steps for leaders and executives
Audit your next 3 presentations: where do you need a decision, not applause? Build a “talk ladder”: small internal talks → customer updates → industry events. Rehearse in three rounds (structure, timing, delivery) and capture feedback each time. Train the top team — your brand is on stage every time they open their mouths.Author Credentials
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.
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.
