The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show Podcast Por Dr. Greg Story arte de portada

The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

De: 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.copyright 2022 Economía Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Sports Lessons Which Instruct Leaders

    Sports Lessons Which Instruct Leaders
    Mar 8 2026
    What has changed in coaching, and why should business leaders care? The classic image of a coach delivering a half-time, Churchillian speech to whip the team into a frenzy is fading. The most successful modern coaches rely less on mass emotional rallies and more on human psychology, insight, and superb communication skills. Because motivation is personal, therefore leadership methods that treat everyone the same often fail to lift performance. Business leaders keep inviting sports coaches to conferences, off-sites, and retreats to learn motivation. People return to work energised, but they frequently do not adopt what they heard because they are not clear on how to do it in daily leadership. The missing link is practical application: what a leader actually does with each person, in real conversations, at work. Mini-summary: Modern coaching is less "rah rah" and more psychology and communication. Because the "how" is unclear, therefore inspiration often does not turn into action. What leadership lesson comes from competitive sport and coaching experience? The narrator's background adds weight to the message: arriving in Japan in 1979 to study karate, competing internationally, and later serving as a national coach for Australia. That experience creates a comparison point between different leadership cultures. The core lesson is that motivating and coaching people is a craft. It is not just intensity, authority, or toughness. It is the ability to understand what moves each individual and to communicate in a way that helps them perform. Mini-summary: High-level sport reveals that performance depends on how people are motivated and coached. Because motivation varies, therefore leaders must learn to lead individuals, not crowds. What is "gaman," and what does it reveal about leadership patterns in Japan? The Japanese sports leadership model is described as antiquated, with one standout strength: "gaman" (perseverance). The Japanese really know how to gaman. At the same time, there is a love of technology, which shows up as lots of equipment in sports training. But leadership soft skills are still underdeveloped. This matters for business because leadership habits transfer. If the dominant leadership approach in sport relies on endurance and hierarchy, leaders may carry those patterns into organisations, especially when those leaders grew up inside that system. Mini-summary: "Gaman" highlights perseverance as a strength, but soft skills lag. Because leadership patterns spill over, therefore business can inherit outdated methods. How do university "clubs" reinforce hierarchy-based leadership behaviours? University "club" members are said to learn leadership lessons built on age seniority, group dominance, rigid hierarchy, and suppression of the individual. That is presented as a feudal, militaristic approach spilling over from domestic sports into business. In modern business, where talent engagement, communication, and initiative matter, this blueprint is not described as "sparkling." The risk is that organisations end up with leaders who default to command-and-control, and teams who learn to comply rather than contribute. Mini-summary: University clubs can teach hierarchy and conformity. Because modern business needs initiative and communication, therefore this leadership blueprint can become a liability. What did John Ribot say in 1988 that reframed motivation? In 1988, the narrator attended a luncheon speech by John Ribot, CEO of the new Brisbane Broncos rugby league club. Ribot contrasted old-style coaching technology with a psychology-based approach. The key point: in the modern era, leaders coach each player individually, and the big "rah rah rally" style is gone. Ribot's example makes the principle concrete. One player responds to accountability framed through money and consequences: remind him of his big salary package and that he better perform or else. Another player needs the opposite: remove pressure, and say, "it's a beautiful day to play football, go out there and enjoy yourself." The content changes because the person changes. Mini-summary: Ribot's insight is individualised coaching. Because different people respond to different cues, therefore leaders must tailor motivation person by person. How does individualised motivation translate into day-to-day business leadership in Japan? The lesson for business in Japan is to train leaders to motivate teams one person at a time, based on what that person finds motivational. It sounds obvious, but many people have little experience being led this way or leading others this way. Instead, leaders often do whatever they want and others have to fit in. Many leaders act like "Driver" personality types, living by "my way or the highway." That approach can be fast, but it can also crush engagement, learning, and discretionary effort, especially when people feel unseen or misunderstood. Motivating others requires understanding their interests and ...
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    12 m
  • Why There Are Few Sale's Case Studies In Japan

    Why There Are Few Sale's Case Studies In Japan
    Mar 1 2026
    Why are case studies so hard to publish with Japanese clients? Case studies are supposed to make selling easier. We are told to show a prospective buyer that "someone like you" succeeded, and that proof builds confidence. The problem is that in Japan, getting client cooperation is hard because many Japanese companies tightly control what information leaves the firm. That is not a minor obstacle; it changes what "credibility" looks like in the field. Instead of expecting public permission, we have to design proof that respects confidentiality while still feeling real and specific. This is why case studies in Japan often feel scarce compared to what overseas sales textbooks assume. If the client will not approve a named story, the seller must still communicate outcomes, the problem that created urgency, and what changed after the solution. We can do that, but we need a format that works inside the constraints. Mini-summary: Japanese companies often restrict external information, so sellers must build credibility without relying on public, named case studies. What can we do when the client will not allow a published case study? We can create two types of case studies: verbal and print. The key is not the medium; it is the discipline. People are time poor, so clarity and brevity matter in both formats. A verbal case study is what we say in meetings, in a tight narrative that helps the buyer picture themselves. A print case study can be a one-page story we bring into the room, written in a way that does not require the client name to be effective. The practical aim is to give enough detail to feel credible, while keeping the organisation anonymous. This is not about hiding; it is about focusing. We choose details that explain the business pressure and the human reality, without exposing confidential data. When we do that consistently, the story becomes a reusable sales tool, even in a market where public testimonials are difficult. Mini-summary: Use verbal and print case studies that are short, clear, and designed to work even when the client name cannot be revealed. Why should we start a case study with the outcome instead of the problem? We should start with the outcome, the result, because attention is scarce. If we begin with background and mechanics, we lose the listener to competing distractions. When we lead with the "wonderful and extensive outcomes" of the solution, we create curiosity. The buyer wants to know: could that happen here? That is the moment when credibility starts to form. Outcome-first also helps the buyer mentally extrapolate. If the result is relevant, the listener can map the story onto their own organisation. That mental transfer is the whole point. If the outcome is not something the buyer can imagine achieving, then the case study has no meaning for them. The result is not decoration; it is the gateway to relevance. Mini-summary: Outcome-first case studies keep attention and help the buyer translate the result into their own context. How do we make the problem section persuasive instead of boring? After we put the "goodies" in front of the buyer, we explain the issue we solved. The best way is a story, not a technical breakdown. Mechanics alone are boring and they rarely motivate action. What motivates is the human and organisational cost of the problem: the pressure, the stakes, the fear of failure, and the impact on real people. That is why the example of a stressed section manager works. When we describe a manager under intense senior pressure, losing sleep, developing health problems, and worrying their team will miss deadlines and lose face, we create emotional connection. Now the buyer sees more than a spreadsheet; they picture the scene in their own frame of reference. This makes the problem feel urgent and real, and it sets up the solution as relief, not merely a process change. Mini-summary: Storytelling makes the problem feel real by showing human stakes, which is more persuasive than a mechanical explanation. How should we describe the solution so buyers believe it and remember it? The solution section is the "how we did it" part, but it should not read like a sterile checklist. We need to combine the solution description with the impact it had on individuals and the team. We can explain the features, but we must link them to benefits: what changed for the company, how time was saved, how deadlines were met, and what the team did differently because of those benefits. The example of software that isolates critical steps and saves hundreds of hours works because it connects capability to outcome. It then closes the loop with human impact: stress reduced, health stabilised, and the team recognised as heroes. The celebration is not fluff; it is proof of emotional resolution and social recognition. That is memorable, and memory helps sales because buyers recall stories, not lists. Mini-summary: Describe features only as a bridge to benefits and human impact, so the buyer ...
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    15 m
  • 386 Pitchpeople vs Salespeople: Why Pitching Doesn't Work

    386 Pitchpeople vs Salespeople: Why Pitching Doesn't Work
    Feb 23 2026
    Why are annual sales targets "irrelevant" once they are set? Annual sales targets often feel like the main event, but this script argues they are already decided: "The targets for the year are already set or will be set shortly". Because the number is locked in, therefore obsessing over it does not change your daily behaviour, your sales conversations, or your results. What matters is what you will do to improve yourself this year so hitting those targets becomes "more certain and easier to do". The practical warning is about momentum without reflection. We "roll one year into the next" and keep operating without "interventions to recalibrate what we are doing and why we are doing it". Because habits drive behaviour, therefore bad habits become "the enemy of progress". The next step is to identify the habits that reduce results and ditch them on purpose. Mini-summary: Targets do not create results. Habits and interventions create results. How does a "victim mentality" form in sales, and why does it hold people back? The script frames a common pathway into sales: "Sales is the refuge of failures from other jobs." People lose a job, companies always need salespeople, and they "find themselves in a sales job". Because they "get no training", therefore "the job is horrible", and confidence takes a hit. That is where mindset collapses into identity. The text describes "chains of low esteem and low self confidence", and says it becomes hard to break free. This matters because sales is a communication profession. If you approach buyers with low self-belief, therefore you will avoid control, accept poor meeting structures, and fall back on pitching instead of diagnosing needs. The intervention is simple and direct: "Decide you will become a professional." Mini-summary: No training creates pain, pain creates low confidence, and low confidence keeps you unskilled. Decide to be professional to interrupt the cycle. What does "study sales and communication" actually mean in practice? The script is specific: if you cannot read, "listen to audio or watch videos". Because there is "so much free content marketing pieces available out there today", therefore access is not the barrier. The barrier is the decision to take learning seriously and make it routine. It then pushes beyond free learning to paid training: "Get yourself on a sales training course and even if you have to borrow money to go on that course, do it". The reason is outcome-based: "the investment will repay you a hundred fold and more". The text even offers a named option: "Naturally I recommend a Dale Carnegie sales course for you, but at least get training." Because training upgrades skill and confidence, therefore the "difference is night and day" and so is the "money flow" that comes back as a result. Mini-summary: Use any learning format you can sustain, then commit to structured training because skills change outcomes fast. What is "kokorogame" and why does "true intention" change sales results? "Kokorogame" is translated as "true intention" and is treated as pre-performance preparation. The script uses Japanese cultural examples: in martial arts "we meditate", in flower arranging "the master strips the flower stems", and in shodo "the calligraphy expert rubs the ink stone". Because these rituals set the mind for the task, therefore they improve the quality of what follows. Sales is framed the same way. Before you sell, the fundamental question is: "Why are we selling? Is it to make ourselves money or make the client money?" Because your intention shapes your behaviour, therefore the answer triggers "a chain reaction of further decisions and actions". That chain defines whether you are "professionals or transients in the world of selling". If your intention is client-centred, therefore your questions, pacing, and recommendations become more useful and more credible. Mini-summary: "Kokorogame" is mental set-up. Intention drives decisions, and decisions drive behaviour in sales conversations. Why is buyer-controlled selling "ridiculous" in Japan, and what should replace it? The script makes a strong claim: "In Japan, in 99% of cases, the buyer controls the sales conversation and this is just ridiculous." The reason is role clarity. "The salesperson's job is to help the buyer make the best decision to advance their business." Because buyers are busy and have blind spots, therefore leaving them to "self-service" produces weak decisions and weak outcomes. The corrective is also direct: "Decide to control the sale conversation." That does not mean dominating the buyer. It means structuring the conversation so the buyer reaches a better decision faster. If the salesperson does not lead, the script says it "only happens when the salesperson is inadequate and untrained". Training and professionalism therefore show up as meeting control: the ability to guide, clarify, and then present the right solution. Mini-summary: Buyer control leads to self-service...
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    10 m
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