So you have an awesome presentation. But what can you do to impress your Japanese audience? Try these:
- Create a “story.” As you are designing your presentation, conceive of it as a story. In your mind think, “Once upon a time there was...” and begin laying out all the contextual information.
- Start with the big, BIG picture. Never start with the point of the presentation. That's confusing. The Japanese will be thinking, "Is she trying to trick us?" "Does he think he can just spoon-feed us the conclusion?" Instead, start with the background (way back), the full context, your methodology, the theory behind your reasoning, the "why" behind everything. In other words, lay the foundation for the conclusions you will give later -- much later.
- Send materials in advance. You should have bilingual materials that you can give in advance of the presentation so they have a chance to process the information.
- Be formal. The type of presentation will shape many of its features, but chances are a little more decorum would be usual in Japan. For example, you might consider having another person set up for you and a high-level person introduce you. Japanese also prefer that your materials be handed with care, rather than plopping them in a lump for attendees to "Take one and pass them on."
- Lose the hype - keep the data. Slick presentations designed to "wow" or "woo" do not generally impress a Japanese audience. Japanese want to have everything necessary to come to a conclusion for themselves. If your conclusion is correct, the data should prove it. Convincing facts, with lots of supporting data, and zero pressure are your best bets.
- Skip the joke. You’re not a standup comic, and you don’t need to “break the ice.” They’re ready to hear the “story” and understand the information because they are going to have to convince others.
- Emphasize visuals. Japanese appreciate graphic illustrations to clarify, amplify, and connect the contents. Slides that they design will often be packed with information and visuals, making it hard to "see the forest for the trees." For Japanese, however, this helps to show the relationship between different facets of a project and provide a more complete picture.
- Show alternatives. Yes, you have your desired approach, but they want to see that you have explored options and can show the pros and cons of each. You can let your passion and dedication show through. Passion, but not prejudice.
- Leave room for questions. Talk slowly and take "breathing" breaks to allow your audience to interrupt without being impolite. Practice your listening skills and your comfort with silent pauses. Be ready answers to questions that might seem to be far on the periphery to you, but to them, holistically connected to the subject.
- Keep in mind that Japanese will rarely raise their hands. If you ask for questions, those without questions will generally just look down. Those with questions, on the other hand, will look directly at you. It's up to the presenter to notice this and ask those persons, "Would you like to ask something?" This is very important for getting feedback and supplying the information they need before they can support what you're presenting.
In some countries, we’re trained to get straight to the point and to wow our audience with a killer presentation. But in Japan, a better approach would be to think of your audience as partners to whom you want to present something solid.
by Diana Rowland, author Japanese Business: Rules of Engagement
