Episode #80: Being Persuasive In Business In Japan

Business schools are teaching put up your conclusion first in the Executive Summary and then the evidence and argument follows in the main body. If we are writing something for others to read, then this is absolutely terrific. If it is a report on a market’s potential or how the product launch fared, this makes a lot of logical sense. Busy people want the punch line delivered quickly, so they can allow themselves the opportunity to move on to more pressing needs. If we are talking to people, trying to win them over to our way of thinking, then this is rubbish. Don’t ever do this, because you are setting yourself up for trouble.

We do it though, don’t we. We offer up our conclusion at the start and wonder why that didn’t go according to plan. We don’t get immediate acceptance, as we had expected. Here is the problem in the real world. When we tell people our conclusion, we are now up against a wall of critics, one-uppers, debaters and dilettantes. We have exposed our argument to the world, but we have left it to hang out there with nothing to defend it. You might be thinking, “no, the defence comes straight after, as we get into the evidence”. You are so optimistic!

In fact, as soon as the opening conclusion is stated, the audience has stopped listening to you completely. They are thinking they are smarter than you and don’t need to hear anymore. They are fully concentrated on the clever thing they are going to say, to demolish your recommendations. Their minds are buzzing with their counter arguments, their views, how to make themselves look good and alternative proposals. They can hear white noise in the background, which is actually you speaking, but they are not focused on your content, because they believe what they have to say is much more important.

To avoid this scenario dump the business school model and reverse gears. When you want to persuade someone of some recommendation you are making, start with the evidence first. Do it in the form of a short story. It shouldn’t be too long and you are forbidden to start rambling. Keep it tight, taut and on point.

The story needs to be rich in word pictures. We need to be able to see the scene you are describing in our mind’s eye. We need to bring in people they will know, describe locations they are familiar with and create a time sequence through reference to seasons or business milestones during the year. They cannot intervene or tune you out, because they have no idea where this story is taking us and they are forced listen to you.

We need to promote the context behind the recommendation we are making. By creating the scene, the audience will be coming to their own conclusions about what needs to happen. The context is telling them that logically XYZ should happen. This is the same conclusion you came to, based on the same evidence you are giving them and you tell them XYZ should occur. Immediately we have done that, we go into the outcome or benefit that your proposal will generate. So the order runs this way: context, recommendation then benefit.

Because it is short, we won’t lose the audience and that is why we have to practice this delivery. In any short presentation each word becomes very important, so we have to trim the talk of all fluff and surplus words. If you try to make it too involved and go down a number of rabbit holes, you will lose the audience, who will become impatient and tune you out. So we have to give enough powerful evidence, without getting bogged down in the gritty details. Those gritty details can come later, but the key driver initially, is to get people to agree with your general direction.

The context first approach is great because while people can disagree with your conclusions they can’t disagree with your context. Usually they won’t have as much command of the context as you have, so it is hard to debate with you over the background details. They also have to wait until they get all the relevant information before they know what you are proposing. They can’t cut you off because they don’t know if this is going to positive, negative, or about the past, present or future. They have to hear you out before they can say anything. Genius! Actually it is magical and this is why this construct of context-recommendation-benefit is called The Magic Formula.

Engaged employees are self-motivated. The self-motivated are inspired. Inspired staff grow your business but are you inspiring them? We teach leaders and organisations how to inspire their people. Want to know how we do that? Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com

If you enjoy these articles, then head over to dalecarnegie.com and check out our "Free Stuff" offerings - whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. Take a look at our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules.

About The Author

Dr. Greg Story: President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan

Author of Japan Sales Mastery, the Amazon #1 Bestseller on selling in Japan and the first book on the subject in the last thirty years.

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 and become a 30 year veteran of Japan.

A committed lifelong learner, through his published articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, his videos and podcasts “THE Leadership Japan Series”, "THE Sales Japan series", THE Presentations Japan Series", he is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate 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.