Podcasts about Adjunct professor

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.In the world's most dangerous working environments it can seem like everything is out to kill you. The equipment you use. The materials you work with. The very air you breathe. Stored energy is a coiled viper waiting for the right moment to lash out. Owners, manufacturers, contractors, and beyond have developed safety protocols to combat STCKY, that is, Stuff That Can Kill You. Gravity, Motion, Mechanical, Electrical, Pressure, Sound, Radiation, Biological, Chemical, Temperature. This season is all about the means of murder as authors put our STCKY detective skills to the test. This is Season 9, Stuff That Can Kill You.This is Episode 14, where heat, pressure, chemical, and mechanical are our STCKY means of death. This is The Rendering of Truth by Chuck BrownmanDELIBERATIONAlone, neither Lena nor Mercer have what it takes to crack the case. But together, and with our help, we can figure out what happened to Eddie Weller and Dale Curtis. Here's the suspect list, in the order we met them:Junior Lattimore, rendering techJohn Reese, plant managerTanya Lowell, accounting clerk and office mateFrank Jackson, rendering foremanDale Curtis, plant foremanHere are the facts that Lena and Mercer have uncovered:• Eddie Weller, newly promoted to Operations Reviewer, went into the rendering pit. The pit was activated and Eddie died from a lethal combination of heat, oxygen deprivation, and mechanical grinding.Eddie was formerly an operating tech and, in his new role, signed off on the maintenance documentation. He knew the paperwork or safety protections he knew was needed to enter the confined space.No one offered an explanation of why Eddie would have entered the pit.Junior Lattimore did not look into the pit before he turned it on. He had no reason to think anyone was in it.A search of Eddie's desk found evidence of falsified invoices for filters. The invoices were signed by Reese. He added a note to check with DC, interpreted as Dale Curtis.Tanya prepares the invoices for Reese's signature. She said he directed her to process the invoices for his approval, saying they were a rush job from a new vendor.Reese said he signs the invoices Tanya prepares, implying he did not scrutinize or even read the documents.A torn piece of bank statement found in the trash in the office Eddie and Tanya shared had a sizable balance but no nameCurtis later heard Eddie in his office talking to someone about stealing, but couldn't see who as the door was closed.Mercer recognized Steam Line #4 was tampered with. The line then failed catastrophically killing Dale Curtis. He was found with a pipe wrench in the vicinity.A drawing of the plant found in Eddie's apartment also highlighted Steam Line #4 as out of compliance on maintenance inspection.Lena and Mercer speculate the person or persons behind the “accidents” had to have an understanding of the plant to orchestrate both deaths.Tanya had knowledge and access to the invoice, but does not have knowledge of the plant. Tanya and Eddie shared an office and were friends. Eddie spent time with her son.Junior had knowledge of the rendering area, but did not have access to accounting. Junior lost out on the promotion to Eddie and was bitter.Junior had no apparent problem with Dale Curtis.Jackson had knowledge of the rendering area. Recently separated, he and Tanya were dating. He often when to her office, and even helped straighten Tanya's desk for her. He was there in the office when Eddie died.Reese claims his knowledge of the plant isn't detailed. He signed off on plant expenditures.Whose greed was paid for with the lives of Eddie Weller and Dale Curtis?MEMBERSHIPS!Mysteries to Die For now has memberships! Three tiers – The Grave Digger's Union (free), The Cadaver Collective ($4 / month) and The Preservationist Society ($8 / month). We are starting memberships to help pay for our real live human authors, to keep the software working and the power flowing, and avoid the dreaded use of ads. If you want to show you love but aren't ready for a commitment, you can now tip us and leave a witting, punny note for us. Links are in the show notes and on our website M2D4podcast.com.ABOUT Chuck BrownmanA mostly-retired (and hopefully recovering) attorney, Chuck Brownman now enjoys writing noir fiction, concentrating on short fiction. His work has been published in several anthologies and on multiple websites, including those listed at the top of this episode. He has also served various times as a judge for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards. When not writing fiction, Chuck continues to advise some of the country's most entrepreneurial energy and natural resource companies. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law, and has spoken at legal seminars for many years. He lives with his wife in Colorado, the peaceful vistas offering a counterbalance to his suspenseful and often bloody crime fiction. A full list of his published fiction can be found at his website, www.chuckbrownman.comWRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, or joining a membership. Check out our website m2d4podcast.com for links to this season's authors and membership options.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. The Rendering of Truth was written by Chuck Brownman. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in two weeks for our next original story where chemical is our STCKY means of murder. It's Gen X by Melinda Di Lorenzo

A strong business presentation should sound and feel as though it could only have been delivered by you. That does not mean ignoring presentation fundamentals or simply behaving on stage exactly as you behave in everyday life. It means combining professional presentation skills with your natural personality, communication style and personal brand. Too many presenters concentrate exclusively on clarity, structure, slides and timing. These elements matter, but technical competence alone rarely makes a speaker memorable. The most effective presenters are authentic, appropriately energetic and confident enough to let the audience see something of the person behind the presentation. What does it mean to make a presentation your own? Making a presentation your own means delivering the content through your professional personality rather than performing an artificial presenter role. Authenticity is frequently discussed in relation to leadership, yet it receives much less attention in presentation training. Speakers are told to be concise, convincing, understandable and memorable, but they are not always encouraged to sound like themselves. This creates a strange situation. A normally engaging executive steps onto a stage and suddenly adopts a stiff voice, unnatural vocabulary and overly formal manner. The audience no longer encounters the person they know. They encounter someone acting as "the presenter". The answer is not to become casual or unprepared. A presentation still requires structure, rehearsal, audience analysis and purposeful delivery. The goal is to combine those disciplines with your own character, convictions and communication strengths. Do now: Identify three qualities people value in your everyday communication and consciously bring those qualities into your next presentation. Does being authentic mean behaving exactly as you normally do? No. Authenticity in a presentation means being your professional self, not bringing every everyday habit onto the stage. Speaking with a friend over coffee and addressing an audience involve different responsibilities. In casual conversation, you can speak quietly, pause without purpose, use unfinished sentences and rely on the other person to ask questions. A formal presentation demands greater discipline. The audience must be able to hear you clearly. Your ideas must be organised. Your energy must reach the back of the room. Even when a microphone is available, you need to know how to hold and use it correctly. Technology cannot compensate for weak projection, poor posture or a lack of engagement. This distinction matters for executives in Japan, where modesty and restraint are often valued. Professional energy does not require shouting, exaggeration or adopting an American-style performance. It means adjusting your delivery sufficiently to meet the needs of the audience. Do now: Think of your stage persona as your best professional self operating at a higher level of concentration, clarity and energy. How much energy should a business presenter use? A presenter needs enough energy to communicate confidence, enthusiasm and belief in the message without becoming theatrical or unnatural. Audiences often judge the importance of a message by the energy with which it is delivered. When a speaker appears uninterested in the content, listeners naturally wonder why they should care. When the speaker projects conviction, the audience becomes more willing to pay attention. This is especially important for presidents, CEOs, senior executives and sales leaders. They are not merely transferring information. They are representing the organisation, strengthening its reputation and giving people confidence in its direction. A naturally quiet person does not need to become a motivational speaker. However, saying "I am naturally low energy" is not a complete excuse. Presentation delivery is a professional skill. Just as leaders learn financial analysis, negotiation or risk management, they can learn vocal variety, purposeful pausing, eye contact and physical presence. Do now: During rehearsal, record one minute of your presentation and assess whether your visible energy matches the importance of your message. Why do technically correct presentations still feel boring? Presentations become boring when speakers deliver every sentence with the same pace, tone, volume and emotional temperature. A presenter can have attractive slides, a clear voice, good grooming and perfectly logical content and still lose the audience. The problem is often vocal monotony. A calm voice can establish credibility, but unchanging calm quickly becomes a "Johnny One Note" performance. Important ideas should sound important. A warning should sound different from an opportunity. A customer success story should carry more warmth than a technical explanation. The conclusion should possess more conviction than a routine transition between slides. Senior leaders face particular risk here. Strong market demand or organisational status may make them believe they do not need to persuade. Markets change, however, and executive reputations travel with the individual. Every presentation contributes to—or detracts from—the speaker's professional brand. Do now: Mark your script for changes in pace, emphasis, volume and pauses instead of delivering every paragraph in exactly the same manner. How can personality make a presenter more memorable? Personality makes a presentation memorable when it is layered onto solid professional skills rather than used as a substitute for preparation. Some speakers bring clarity, logical slides and strong content, but they also allow their natural idiosyncrasies to appear. Their turns of phrase, facial expressions, observations and reactions make the presentation recognisably theirs. This creates a powerful connection between competence and personal brand. The audience remembers not only the information but also the person who delivered it. That is valuable for executives, consultants, salespeople and thought leaders whose credibility influences whether others adopt their ideas. The key is controlled individuality. A speaker can use a personal story, an unexpected analogy, a strong opinion or a distinctive delivery rhythm. None of these requires abandoning professionalism. In fact, audiences are often more receptive when the presentation feels human rather than manufactured by a corporate committee. Do now: Add one relevant story, observation or phrase that reflects how you naturally think and speak. Do business presenters need to be entertaining? Business presenters do not need to become comedians, but they do need to hold attention and create an engaging audience experience. Humour is one of the most difficult presentation tools to use well. Professional comedians devote their careers to timing, phrasing, audience response and delivery. Businesspeople who casually attempt stand-up comedy can quickly discover how unforgiving silence feels. The safer approach is not to force jokes. Allow your natural personality to create moments of warmth, surprise or amusement. A candid observation, a self-aware comment or a well-chosen story can be entertaining without turning the presentation into a comedy routine. Different speakers will achieve engagement differently. Some are naturally humorous. Others are analytical, passionate, calm, provocative or highly energetic. My own authentic presentation style is not built around comedy. It is built around energy, confidence and power. The objective is not to copy another speaker but to find the strongest professional expression of yourself. Do now: Choose an engagement style that matches your personality rather than borrowing a performance style that does not belong to you. How can presenters balance authenticity, skill and professionalism? The best presenters combine disciplined presentation technique with a delivery style that feels natural, credible and personally distinctive. Start with the fundamentals: understand the audience, organise the message, simplify the slides, rehearse the timing and prepare for questions. Then decide how your personality will appear through your voice, stories, gestures, examples and language. Ask yourself: Does this sound like something I would actually say? Does my energy demonstrate belief in the message? Have I varied my delivery enough to maintain attention? Can the audience see something of my personality? Will people remember both the message and the messenger? Authenticity without skill can look unprepared. Skill without authenticity can feel mechanical. The ideal is professional authenticity: presenting at a high level while allowing the qualities that make you distinctive to shine through. Do now: Rehearse until the structure is secure enough that you can stop "performing the script" and start communicating directly with the audience. Conclusion Making the presentation yours is not about ignoring professional standards. It is about mastering those standards so thoroughly that your personality can emerge without damaging the clarity or credibility of the message. Do not fade into the wallpaper by delivering a technically acceptable but completely forgettable presentation. Bring sufficient energy, vocal variety, conviction and individuality to the stage. Be authentic, but be your skilled professional self. The audience should leave with a clear understanding of your message and a strong impression of the person who delivered it. Author Bio 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" in 2018 and 2021 and received the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His books have also been published in Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives and professionals seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.

Sales leaders often blame weak performance on the individual salesperson, but the deeper problem is frequently a mismatch between the company's expectations, hiring system, onboarding process and incentive structure. In Japan, where recruiting experienced salespeople is difficult and replacing an underperformer can take months, leaders cannot afford a revolving door. They need to define the type of salesperson required, establish realistic performance norms, build the right compensation plan and set targets that encourage effort rather than surrender. Are your sales hiring expectations realistic in Japan? Many sales performance problems begin before the salesperson joins, because the company has not clearly defined what success should look like. A founder, country manager or sales director may assume that an experienced hire will arrive, understand the market immediately and start producing revenue. That "plug-and-play" expectation is dangerous in Japan. Relationships, internal approval processes, brand recognition and access to decision-makers all influence how quickly a salesperson can gain traction. Startups face a different challenge from established multinationals: they may offer speed and freedom, but lack leads, systems and market credibility. Before blaming the new hire, leaders should audit the role itself. Is the territory viable? Is the value proposition clear? Are there enough qualified prospects? Is management providing coaching, introductions and sales tools? A salesperson cannot compensate forever for a weak commercial system. Do now: Write down the first 90-, 180- and 365-day outcomes you expect, then confirm that the company is providing the market access, support and resources required to achieve them. Do you need a sales hunter or a sales farmer? A hunter creates new business, while a farmer develops existing accounts; hiring one and expecting the behaviour of the other creates predictable disappointment. Japan has many capable relationship managers who excel at maintaining trust, expanding established accounts and coordinating internal stakeholders. These farmers are valuable, especially in long-cycle B2B sales, professional services and major-account management. Hunters are different. They prospect, open doors, tolerate rejection and create opportunities where none previously existed. During interviews, ask candidates where their current customers came from. Were they inherited from a departing colleague, supplied by marketing, allocated by the boss or already inside the company's client base? That suggests farming experience. Candidates who can explain how they identified targets, gained access, created urgency and won previously unknown buyers are demonstrating hunting behaviour. Neither profile is automatically superior; the question is whether the profile matches the commercial need. Do now: Classify the role as primarily hunting, farming or hybrid, and build interview questions that require candidates to prove where their past revenue actually came from. How long should a new salesperson take to produce revenue? The correct ramp-up period should come from historical performance data, not the leader's personal memories, impatience or hope. Sales leaders often say, "I did it quickly, so they should be able to do it too." That comparison may be unfair. The leader may have joined when the market was stronger, inherited better accounts, possessed deeper networks or benefited from a more experienced manager. A more objective approach is to review every salesperson who joined during the past five to ten years and track monthly revenue from Day One. Calculate the typical production level by quarter, removing extreme top and bottom performers when the sample is large enough. This creates a practical benchmark for onboarding, coaching and forecasting. A complex enterprise sale may require a longer runway than transactional consumer sales, while a recognised brand may shorten the cycle compared with an unknown entrant. Do now: Build a month-by-month ramp-up curve from previous hires and use it as the baseline for coaching conversations, forecasts and probation reviews. How should sales leaders measure new-hire performance? Revenue matters, but early-stage performance should also be measured through controllable activities and pipeline quality. A new salesperson may not close major business immediately, especially where buying decisions involve procurement, legal, finance and multiple executive stakeholders. Leaders should therefore track leading indicators alongside lagging revenue. Useful measures include target-account coverage, qualified meetings, decision-maker access, proposals issued, opportunity value, next-step discipline and movement through the sales pipeline. The aim is not to reward empty activity. Fifty unqualified calls are less useful than five serious conversations with the right buyers. Managers also need to inspect conversion rates: prospect to meeting, meeting to proposal and proposal to close. These measures reveal whether the problem is prospecting, discovery, solution design, credibility, pricing or negotiation. Do now: Create a balanced scorecard combining revenue, qualified pipeline, conversion ratios and agreed weekly prospecting behaviours. Does your sales incentive scheme reward the behaviour you want? Compensation plans shape behaviour, so leaders should not expect aggressive new-business development from a scheme that mainly rewards account maintenance. In Japan, fixed salaries with bonuses are common, while American-style commission-only structures are rare. A high base salary may provide security, but it can also reduce the urgency to prospect in a risk-averse environment. Straight commission on all revenue can also favour farmers, because inherited or repeat business may pay as well as difficult new-account acquisition. A stronger design distinguishes between existing-account revenue, expansion revenue and genuinely new business. It should also be easy to understand. If salespeople need a spreadsheet and a finance specialist to calculate their reward, the plan will not motivate daily behaviour. The company must also avoid creating a scheme designed mainly to protect its own margin while asking the salesperson to carry all the risk. Do now: Test whether the plan pays more for the behaviour the company claims to value, especially new logos, strategic products, margin quality and sustainable account growth. How high should a salesperson's target be? A sales target should stretch performance while remaining credible; an impossible number causes people to disengage rather than accelerate. Leaders sometimes raise quotas because the business plan requires more revenue, not because the territory can realistically produce it. When the gap between the target and the salesperson's own sense of capability becomes too large, motivation can collapse. The salesperson may stop believing that extra effort will matter, protect themselves psychologically and settle into lower performance. Target-setting is therefore both analytical and managerial. Review territory potential, historical conversion rates, average deal size, sales-cycle length, available leads, account concentration and the salesperson's experience. Then explain the logic. A demanding target can energise people when they can see a path to achievement, receive regular coaching and know that exceptional results will be rewarded fairly. Do now: Pressure-test each quota against territory data and pipeline maths, then agree on the specific activities and support required to reach it. What should sales leaders do now? Sales leaders should stop treating every performance failure as proof that they hired the wrong person. Sometimes they did. Often, however, the company recruited a farmer for a hunting role, expected revenue too quickly, measured the wrong indicators, designed an uninspiring incentive scheme or set a target with no credible pathway. In Japan's tight talent market, replacement is not a strategy. The better approach is to define the role precisely, benchmark performance objectively, coach the controllable behaviours and align rewards with the results the business genuinely needs. Check whether the recruiting process is selecting farmers when the business actually needs hunters. Create realistic production norms based on the ramp-up history of previous sales hires. Use leading indicators and conversion ratios to diagnose where performance is breaking down. Redesign incentives so new business, strategic growth and healthy margins are rewarded clearly. Set stretching but credible targets supported by territory data, pipeline maths and coaching. Author Bio 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 leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives seeking practical success strategies in Japan.

Salespeople often think the biggest obstacle to winning business is the buyer, the price or the competition. In reality, the salesperson's lack of self-awareness is often the real problem. When sellers talk too much, miss buying signals, push products that suit their own targets and fail to adapt when a conversation goes wrong, they damage trust and reduce the lifetime value of the client relationship. Why is self-awareness essential in sales? Self-awareness helps salespeople recognise when their behaviour is helping the buyer and when it is quietly destroying the opportunity. A sales conversation can go off course very quickly. The seller may dominate the discussion, miss the client's cues or continue with small talk that has already become awkward. The danger is that many salespeople do not notice the decline because they are concentrating on their own agenda. In consultative selling, the buyer's reactions are data. Facial expression, tone, hesitation, shorter answers and changes in energy all signal whether trust is strengthening or weakening. This matters especially in Japan, where buyers may avoid direct confrontation and communicate discomfort indirectly. A self-aware salesperson notices the shift, pauses and changes direction before the meeting enters a death spiral. The professional question is not, "Am I delivering my pitch?" It is, "Is this conversation creating value for the buyer?" Do now: Monitor the buyer's energy, response length and questions. When engagement drops, stop presenting and ask a useful question. What should a salesperson do when the conversation is going badly? When a sales meeting starts going wrong, the best recovery move is usually to stop talking and start asking questions. Weak sellers often react to a difficult conversation by talking faster, adding more detail and pushing harder. That is the equivalent of leaning on the shovel and digging the hole deeper. Questions give the buyer more control, reveal what has been misunderstood and allow the salesperson to regroup. Useful recovery questions include: "What would be most helpful for us to clarify?", "Have I understood your priority correctly?" and "What would a successful outcome look like for you?" The salesperson normally arrives with a selling plan, while the buyer may not yet have a clear buying plan. This creates an opportunity to guide the discussion, but guidance is not the same as domination. Strong salespeople maintain direction while remaining flexible enough to follow the client's real concerns. Do now: Prepare three recovery questions before every client meeting so you can reset the conversation without becoming defensive. Why is selling the wrong solution so damaging? Selling a product that delivers little or no return for the client may create one small sale, but it can destroy a much larger future relationship. A salesperson may feel successful after persuading a buyer to purchase a slow-moving product or a solution carrying a higher commission. Commercially, however, that first transaction can be a disaster. The buyer eventually discovers that the solution produces limited value, trust collapses and the seller's credibility disappears. In close business communities, the reputational damage can spread through referrals and informal networks. The correct measure is not the revenue from the first order but the client's lifetime value, repeat business, cross-selling potential and willingness to recommend the salesperson. A peanut-sized initial sale can become extremely expensive when it makes the seller radioactive in the market. Ethical selling and long-term profitability therefore point in the same direction: recommend what genuinely advances the client's objectives. Do now: Before proposing anything, state the client's expected return in measurable terms. If the value is unclear, keep diagnosing. How does customisation improve client value? Customising the solution around the client's objectives usually increases relevance, perceived value, satisfaction and return on investment. Off-the-shelf solutions are attractive because they are fast, familiar and operationally efficient. The problem is that the client's needs may not fit the standard package. Trying to force the buyer into the seller's preferred solution creates the classic square-peg-and-round-hole failure. Customisation does not always mean rebuilding the entire offer. It may involve changing the sequence, scope, examples, delivery format, timeline, success measures or support structure. In B2B sales, those adjustments demonstrate that the salesperson has listened carefully and understands the organisation's context. The solution should connect directly to the outcomes discussed during discovery. When that alignment is visible, the buyer can explain the investment internally, decision-makers see a clearer business case and implementation has a better chance of succeeding. Do now: Link every element of the proposal to a stated client need, business outcome or decision criterion. How do commissions and internal pressure distort sales judgement? Commission structures and management pressure can tempt salespeople to prioritise their own short-term interests over the buyer's best outcome. Sales incentives shape behaviour. When one product pays a higher commission, sellers may emphasise it even when another option is better for the client. Managers can create the same distortion by demanding that the team push the solution that benefits the company most. The salesperson may rationalise the recommendation because rapport has already been established and the buyer appears willing to trust the advice. That is precisely why the behaviour is dangerous. Trust gives the seller influence, and using that influence to foist an unsuitable solution on the buyer begins haemorrhaging credibility immediately. Sales leaders should therefore review whether compensation, product campaigns and quarterly targets reward client value or merely product movement. Sustainable sales cultures align incentives with retention, implementation success, repeat business and measurable customer outcomes. Do now: Audit your incentive plan for conflicts between what pays the salesperson and what best serves the client. What does client-centred ROI look like in practice? Client-centred selling focuses first on the buyer's return on investment, not the seller's commission, quota or internal product target. The salesperson's role is to help the client make a sound commercial decision. That means clarifying the problem, defining the desired outcome, identifying constraints and testing whether the proposed solution will produce a worthwhile return. ROI may involve revenue growth, cost reduction, risk avoidance, productivity, retention, speed, quality or strategic capability. The appropriate measure varies by industry and purchase, but the discipline remains the same. Sellers should ask how success will be measured, what happens if nothing changes and which stakeholders must see value. This approach increases trust because the buyer can see that the salesperson is willing to recommend a smaller, different or delayed solution when that is the better decision. Ironically, concentrating on the client's ROI is also the strongest route to the seller's long-term ROI. Do now: Build proposals around the buyer's success metrics and include a clear method for reviewing results after implementation. What should salespeople remember? Sales self-awareness is not a soft or optional capability. It directly affects trust, proposal quality, reputation, repeat business and client lifetime value. Strong salespeople recognise when a conversation is failing, use questions to recover, resist incentives that distort judgement and shape solutions around the buyer's objectives. The central rule is simple: make the solution fit the client rather than making the client fit the solution. Focus on the client's ROI first, and your own commercial results will become more sustainable. Quick actions for salespeople and sales leaders Notice when the buyer's engagement changes and adjust immediately. Replace excessive talking with diagnostic and recovery questions. Refuse to recommend products that do not create credible client value. Customise the solution around the buyer's objectives and constraints. Measure success through client ROI, retention and lifetime value. Author bio 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 leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, hosts six weekly podcasts, and produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews on YouTube.

For this episode, we're joined by Prosanta Chakrabarty, Director of Louisiana State University's Museum of Natural Science, where he is also the Fish Curator and a professor. Also joining us is Bruno Soares, Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the University of Regina in Canada. Dr. Soares holds a Collaborator-Professor appointment at the Federal University of Rio De Janeiro, in Brazil. They were here to talk about their recent publication in BioScience on the concept of type localities, and how their use can help make taxonomic research more equitable and efficient. 

"Listen more than you talk." "Try to be as inclusive as possible." "Transparency at all times, especially in bad times." "The founder is the mood maker." "Leadership is all about providing clarity, providing direction, but also letting the individual get to that endpoint themselves."   Sean Travers is the Founder and Representative Director of MESHD, a Tokyo-based executive search firm specialising in deep technology. The company works extensively with Japanese corporations operating in robotics, industrial automation, mobility, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other advanced engineering fields. Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Travers began his career selling large-scale capital equipment to the mining and resources sector. The work involved multimillion-dollar transactions, extensive travel to remote mining sites and direct negotiations with tough, highly practical decision-makers. This environment shaped his early commercial instincts, resilience and results-oriented leadership style. After marrying his Japanese wife and starting a family, Travers moved to Tokyo more than 20 years ago. With limited Japanese-language ability and few obvious career options for a foreign professional at the time, he entered recruitment. He subsequently built a career in specialist executive search, including establishing the Japan operation of a global energy recruitment company. The 2015 oil and gas downturn became a defining moment. Despite the Japan business performing well, Travers was instructed by overseas headquarters to decide within 24 hours which employees should be terminated. The experience convinced him that even a successful local leader remained vulnerable to decisions made by distant executives. He eventually launched his own company with several long-standing colleagues. Over the following decade, Travers expanded beyond conventional executive search. His businesses have helped establish and incubate specialist recruitment ventures, including firms focused on software, chemicals and hospitality. His leadership journey in Japan has required him to move from a highly directive, perfectionist management style towards a more inclusive approach built on listening, transparency, autonomy, trust and cultural adaptability.   Sean Travers' leadership journey in Japan began far from Tokyo's corporate offices. Raised in Western Australia, he learned to sell multimillion-dollar capital equipment in the mining and resources industry. Success depended on abandoning formal appearances, visiting remote worksites and earning credibility with blunt, experienced equipment operators. It was a demanding commercial education that rewarded toughness, directness and persistence. Those qualities later helped Travers succeed in executive recruitment, but they also created leadership challenges. After moving to Japan more than 20 years ago, he entered the recruitment industry and eventually took responsibility for teams and entire business operations. His initial approach was highly prescriptive. As a perfectionist, he expected employees to follow the methods that had worked for him. Team members with similar personalities often performed well, but many others struggled. Feedback from his manager and trusted friends forced Travers to reconsider his assumptions. Leadership could not be based on expecting everyone to respond to the same instructions, pressure or communication style. He gradually became more attentive to individual differences, emotional reactions and the need to adapt his expectations. This remained compatible with accountability, but it required him to separate high performance standards from unnecessarily militant behaviour. Leading Japanese employees created another layer of complexity. In meetings, employees might nod, indicate understanding and appear to agree, only for Travers to discover later that they did not understand, support or trust the direction. He learned that setting a clear objective was not enough. Leaders must ask questions that confirm understanding, create alternative channels for feedback and consult trusted internal colleagues who can explain how a message was actually received. This awareness also influenced the way he recruited people into his own company. Joining a new boutique recruitment firm involves considerable perceived risk, especially in Japan, where candidates may consult family members and carefully assess a company's stability. Travers found that trust could not be created through a single persuasive interview. Some candidates required regular discussions over 18 to 24 months before they were ready to join. Rather than continually selling the opportunity, he shared honest updates about clients, target industries, business progress and organisational challenges. His commitment to the team was tested during COVID-19. When revenues fell, Travers and his leadership group chose salary deferments rather than headcount reductions. Travers personally went without a salary for approximately two and a half years. The decision reflected both loyalty and commercial logic. Experienced recruiters require considerable time and investment before becoming productive, and rebuilding the team after the recovery would have been expensive and disruptive. Transparency became central to maintaining engagement. However, Travers does not interpret transparency as disclosing every concern to every employee. Leaders must judge which information should be shared across the organisation and which should remain within the leadership team. The purpose is to provide enough truth for employees to understand decisions without creating unnecessary fear or instability. As the company grew, Travers also had to create opportunities for quieter employees to contribute. Weekly all-hands meetings were useful, but the same confident people tended to speak. He therefore began arranging individual lunches and conversations with team members who were less likely to contribute publicly. Anonymous surveys and live digital voting also provided safer channels for candid feedback. The company's culture evolved with its needs. Its early atmosphere was highly sales-driven and dominated by aggressive dealmaking. Travers recognised that a business composed only of competitive "hunters" would struggle to attract the broader mix of people needed for sustainable growth. Team lunches, off-sites, greater financial visibility and discussions about employees' backgrounds and ambitions helped create a more balanced environment. Travers believes the founder's behaviour has a disproportionate impact in a smaller company. The founder becomes the organisation's "mood maker". A leader who arrives visibly discouraged or negative can lower the energy of the entire workplace. Leadership therefore includes the discipline to demonstrate constructive energy even during difficult periods. His advice to new foreign leaders in Japan is grounded in this experience: listen more than they talk, include people without placing them under uncomfortable pressure and remain transparent, particularly when circumstances deteriorate. Japanese-language ability helps, but it does not guarantee success. Character, attitude, discipline and the willingness to understand people matter more. Ultimately, Travers defines leadership as establishing the destination and providing the emotional support, clarity and guardrails that allow others to reach it. Leaders should give employees autonomy, trust them to perform and provide direct feedback when they deviate. The leader sets the endpoint, but the individual must have room to determine the route. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan requires close attention to what is not stated directly. Travers discovered that apparent agreement in a meeting may not represent genuine understanding, commitment or trust. Japanese employees may nod, acknowledge an instruction and avoid openly challenging a senior leader, while privately remaining uncertain or unconvinced. This makes confirmation essential. A leader cannot simply deliver a clear message and assume it has landed. Questions must be used to test understanding without creating embarrassment. Trusted internal supporters can also provide valuable insight into how particular employees interpreted the discussion. Indirect feedback is especially important. Travers has used respected colleagues to speak privately with employees and uncover concerns that might never be raised in a formal meeting. This resembles a practical form of nemawashi: gathering reactions, identifying resistance and building alignment through quieter conversations before expecting visible consensus. Trust also takes time. Employees and candidates may evaluate not only the leader but also the organisation's long-term stability. Consistent behaviour, repeated contact, honest business updates and a willingness to acknowledge mistakes are more persuasive than a polished recruitment pitch or inspirational speech. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they transfer a leadership formula that succeeded elsewhere without adapting it to the people or context in Japan. Travers initially relied on the direct, forceful style he had developed in Western Australia. He assumed that employees would succeed by following the same methods that had produced his own results. This approach worked with a minority of employees who shared his temperament, but it was ineffective for many others. The experience demonstrated that leadership success is not automatically transferable. The leader must adjust communication, coaching and expectations according to the individual. Foreign executives may also misinterpret politeness as commitment. A meeting can appear successful because no one objects, yet employees may leave without believing in the decision. Executives who dominate discussions, speak too quickly or fail to invite quieter voices may unknowingly suppress the information they need. Another common mistake is treating Japanese-language proficiency as the primary solution. Language is useful, but a fluent executive who lacks humility, emotional intelligence or cultural awareness can still fail. Attitude and behaviour determine whether language becomes a bridge or merely another tool for issuing instructions. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Travers' experience suggests that caution in Japan is often rational rather than inherently risk-averse. A candidate considering a boutique recruitment company must evaluate whether the organisation will survive the next economic downturn. Recruitment is cyclical and frequently acts as a canary in the coal mine: hiring freezes arrive early when an industry begins to weaken. Employees may also seek advice from parents, grandparents, former colleagues or trusted senpai before changing jobs. From a Western perspective, this can look excessively conservative. From the candidate's perspective, however, employment decisions affect family stability, professional reputation and long-term security. Travers responded by extending the courtship process. Some potential hires remained in conversation with the company for 18 to 24 months. During that period, he did not merely sell the role. He provided evidence about the company's clients, industries, performance, challenges and direction. The COVID-19 response also demonstrated how leadership can reduce uncertainty. Rather than cutting employees immediately, the company introduced salary deferments and preserved the team. This decision created risk for the founder, who received no salary for approximately two and a half years, but it provided greater security for employees and positioned the organisation to recover without rebuilding its workforce. What leadership style actually works? Travers advocates an adaptive style that combines direction, accountability, empathy and autonomy. His early top-down approach was too rigid. Over time, he learned that empathy does not require abandoning standards and accountability does not require brutality. The leader must first clarify the endpoint. Employees need to understand where the organisation is today, where it intends to be in the future and which outcomes define success. The leader then provides guardrails and emotional support while allowing individuals to determine how they will reach the destination. Inclusion is also essential. Leaders should actively invite participation from people who do not naturally dominate meetings. Travers uses individual lunches, direct questions, anonymous surveys and live voting to gather ideas from a wider cross-section of the company. He also believes that leaders should explain the reasoning behind decisions, especially when acknowledging mistakes. Employees may disagree with the conclusion, but understanding the decision-making process increases respect and trust. Admitting an error does not necessarily diminish authority. When combined with ownership and a credible explanation, it can strengthen leadership credibility. How can technology help? Technology can create safer and more democratic channels for employee input. In traditional meetings, seniority, confidence and communication style can determine whose ideas are heard. The same employees may repeatedly raise their hands, while quieter people remain invisible. MESHD has used anonymous post-event surveys and real-time digital voting to overcome this limitation. Employees can express support or opposition without being identified publicly. This allows the organisation to measure sentiment more accurately and reduces the pressure to follow the most senior or outspoken person. Technology does not replace personal leadership. Travers still values one-to-one lunches, informal conversations and feedback gathered through trusted colleagues. Digital tools are most effective when they complement human relationships and provide additional routes for honest communication. The broader lesson is that decision intelligence improves when leaders diversify their information sources. Formal meetings, private conversations, anonymous data and operational results each reveal different aspects of organisational reality. Leaders who rely on only one channel risk making decisions from incomplete information. Does language proficiency matter? Japanese-language ability helps foreign leaders communicate, form relationships and understand more of what is happening around them. Travers speaks Japanese and considers it an advantage. However, he does not believe that language proficiency guarantees leadership success. Character, attitude and discipline matter more. Employees observe how a leader responds under pressure, whether commitments are honoured, whether mistakes are acknowledged and whether the leader listens sincerely. These behaviours build or destroy trust regardless of vocabulary level. A leader who speaks imperfect Japanese but demonstrates respect, curiosity and consistency may be more effective than a fluent speaker who assumes language ability provides complete cultural understanding. Fluency can help a leader access information, but it cannot substitute for humility or good judgement. Foreign executives should therefore study Japanese while also developing deeper listening skills. They need to notice hesitation, indirect disagreement and the absence of expected follow-through. Communication success should be measured by shared understanding and action, not by the leader's ability to complete a conversation in Japanese. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Travers' central leadership lesson is that the leader provides clarity and direction without controlling every step. The organisation may be at point A today and aiming for point Z in two years. The leader must define Z, explain why it matters and create the conditions in which employees can move towards it. Those conditions include emotional support, trust, autonomy and honest feedback. Employees should know the guardrails and performance measures, but they should also have room to use their judgement. When they make mistakes, the leader must respond directly and constructively rather than taking back all control. Leadership also requires personal accountability. Travers learned to admit when decisions had produced negative consequences and to explain the reasoning that led to them. Employees generally responded with greater understanding than he expected. Finally, leadership is visible. In a smaller organisation, the founder's energy affects everyone. The leader becomes the mood maker, particularly during uncertainty. Listening, inclusion, transparency and constructive energy are therefore not occasional techniques. They are daily responsibilities that shape whether people trust the direction and choose to follow. 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

Austin Campbell draws a parallel between the AI data center backlash and the decades-long collapse of US nuclear power, then Sam Lyman of the Bitcoin Policy Institute puts real odds on whether the Clarity Act passes the Senate before August recess. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern Ram Ahluwalia, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida Chris Perkins, Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto Guest: Sam Lyman - Head of Research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute This clip is from a longer conversation on foreign funded opposition to AI data centers and the odds of the Clarity Act passing. Full episode here: https://youtu.be/-xbSniveaQU  We go live every Monday - subscribe to catch it live. Sponsor Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at https://cape.co/unchained  (use code: UNCHAINED). Chapters:

Leadership success is usually measured through revenue, market share, promotions, productivity and team performance. Those indicators matter, but they do not tell us whether a leader is succeeding in life. A leader can deliver excellent corporate results while gradually damaging their marriage, weakening their relationship with their children, neglecting their health, mishandling their finances and losing touch with their friends. That is not genuine success. It is professional achievement purchased at an unnecessarily high personal price. This risk is especially relevant in Japan, where long working hours, loyalty to the organisation and the demands placed on player-managers can make work the dominant force in a leader's life. The Wheel of Life provides a useful way to examine whether leaders are achieving balanced and sustainable success. Why do Japanese leaders struggle with work-life balance? Many Japanese leaders still operate within a deeply established culture that rewards commitment, endurance and long working hours. Even when official working practices change, the expectation of total dedication can remain. Japan's post-war economic recovery was driven partly by extraordinary levels of personal sacrifice. During the rapid-growth era, many fathers spent most of their waking hours working, commuting or socialising with colleagues. Mothers frequently carried most of the responsibility for raising children and managing the household. Conditions have changed. Most schools and companies no longer operate every Saturday, dual-income households are increasingly common and younger employees often expect more control over their personal lives. However, the old attitudes have not completely disappeared. Middle-management positions have been reduced in many organisations, technology has transferred administrative work back to managers and leaders are often expected to manage teams while delivering their own individual results. These player-managers may supervise people, handle clients, prepare reports and complete routine administration themselves. Do now: Examine whether your working hours reflect genuine strategic necessity or simply an inherited organisational habit. What is the Wheel of Life for leaders? The Wheel of Life is a self-assessment tool that helps leaders evaluate several important areas of life rather than judging success through career achievement alone. The tool is normally presented as a circle divided into categories. The centre represents a score of zero and the outer edge represents ten. Leaders score their level of satisfaction in areas such as career, finances, family, health, friendships, community, personal interests and spirituality or personal meaning. When the points are connected, the resulting shape shows whether life is relatively balanced or heavily distorted. A leader may score nine in career but only three in health, two in family relationships and one in social life. That person may look successful in the office while experiencing a personal life that is increasingly difficult to sustain. The objective is not to achieve a perfect ten in every category. That is unrealistic. The purpose is to identify serious imbalances before they become crises. Do now: Score each area honestly from zero to ten and identify the two categories that require your immediate attention. Can career success damage a leader's family life? Yes. When work consistently receives the leader's best time, energy and attention, the family may be left with whatever is remaining. Over time, this can create distance, resentment and damaged relationships. Many leaders say they are working hard for their families. The intention may be genuine, but the outcome does not always match the explanation. A leader may provide financial security while rarely being emotionally or physically available. For male leaders in Japan, the traditional model of the absent salaryman father can still influence behaviour. He leaves early, returns late and assumes that providing income is his main family responsibility. However, spouses and children may need time, conversation, support and shared experiences more than another late-night meeting or client dinner. As more women develop independent careers and incomes, they may also be less willing to tolerate relationships in which responsibility and emotional connection are consistently one-sided. Working for the family while gradually losing the family does not make sense. Do now: Schedule protected family time with the same seriousness you apply to an executive meeting or major client appointment. Why should leaders take more responsibility for their finances? High income does not automatically create long-term financial security. Leaders still need to manage savings, investment, retirement planning, insurance and household risk. Many people in Japan have traditionally held a large proportion of their wealth in bank deposits. During long periods of deflation and low inflation, holding cash appeared relatively safe. In a more inflationary environment, however, cash can gradually lose purchasing power. Busy leaders often delay financial planning because it does not feel urgent. Retirement seems distant, investment appears complicated and the company pension may seem sufficient. The problem is that financial preparation benefits enormously from time. Delaying ten or twenty years can make the eventual task considerably harder. Japan's ageing population also places continuing pressure on public pension and social security systems. Leaders should not assume that future government benefits alone will provide the lifestyle they expect. This does not mean making reckless investments. It means becoming financially literate, seeking qualified advice where appropriate and preparing rather than hoping. Do now: Review your savings, investments, retirement plan, insurance and household obligations at least once each year. Why do busy leaders lose their friends? Friendships weaken when leaders repeatedly sacrifice social relationships to work. Connection requires time, effort and genuine interest, not occasional promises to catch up later. Social life is often one of the first casualties of overtime. Leaders postpone dinners, cancel weekend plans and stop calling people because the next deadline always seems more important. Remote and hybrid work have also blurred the boundary between professional and personal life. Without a physical commute to mark the end of the day, some leaders continue responding to emails, checking reports and attending online meetings well into the evening. Corporate entertaining should not be confused with friendship. Taking reluctant junior staff out for drinks or attending obligatory client functions may fill the calendar, but it does not necessarily create meaningful social support. Strong relationships are a form of wealth. Friends provide perspective, humour, honesty and support that cannot be replaced by job titles or business contacts. Do now: Contact one person you value but have neglected and arrange a specific time to meet rather than saying, "We should catch up sometime." Why do leaders need interests outside work? Hobbies and personal interests protect leaders from allowing their job to become their entire identity. They provide creativity, renewal and a sense of progress that is independent of corporate performance. Some leaders view personal interests as indulgent or unproductive. They believe every available hour should be used to advance the business. That approach may produce short-term output, but it can also make life increasingly narrow. Personal pursuits can include music, writing, painting, gardening, travel, sport, reading, cooking or learning a language. The activity does not need to generate income, improve a résumé or create a new business opportunity. For me, writing and recording articles on Saturdays can look like another form of work. In practice, writing also serves as a creative outlet. I cannot play a musical instrument, paint or draw particularly well, so writing gives me a way to create something and explore ideas beyond operational business tasks. Leaders need something they enjoy simply because it makes life richer. Do now: Protect regular time for one activity that has no connection to your targets, clients or corporate status. Why is health a leadership responsibility? Health is not separate from leadership performance. Energy, concentration, emotional control and decision-making all become harder when leaders neglect exercise, sleep, nutrition and medical care. Leaders often say they are too busy to exercise, but many of the same people can find time for long client dinners, alcohol and late-night work. The issue is usually not a complete absence of time. It is the priority assigned to health. Weight gain can happen gradually through business meals, entertaining and inactivity. I experienced this myself while working in Nagoya. After attending a work-related geisha party, someone gave me a commemorative photograph. The side-profile image revealed how much weight I had gained. It was an uncomfortable but useful moment of recognition. Losing weight and improving fitness require sustained lifestyle changes, not a few weeks of enthusiasm with a personal trainer. Leaders need systems they can maintain, including realistic exercise routines, better food choices and limits around alcohol. Do now: Choose one measurable health behaviour to improve for the next ninety days and track it consistently. Why should leaders contribute to their communities? Community involvement helps leaders develop perspective, strengthen relationships and contribute beyond the boundaries of their company. It also prevents professional status from becoming their only source of identity. Japan has a strong tradition of community responsibility shaped by cooperation, shared spaces and collective expectations. This could be seen during the pandemic, when many people voluntarily changed their behaviour to reduce risk to others. However, senior leaders can become disconnected from the communities around them. Work absorbs their attention and they spend most of their time with colleagues, clients and people from similar professional backgrounds. Communities need people who can organise, mentor, listen and solve problems. Leaders have useful experience that can support schools, local groups, professional associations, charities and younger generations. Community activity also benefits the leader. It exposes them to different experiences and reminds them that the world is larger than the company's latest spreadsheet, quarterly target or restructuring plan. Do now: Select one community, educational or professional group where your experience could make a practical contribution. What role does reflection or spirituality play in leadership? Leaders need time to consider who they are, what they value and what they intend to do with their lives. Without reflection, they may become highly efficient at pursuing goals they have never consciously chosen. Spirituality is deeply personal and does not need to refer to a particular religion. It can involve faith, philosophy, meditation, service, nature or simply quiet reflection. The underlying questions are universal. Why am I here? What kind of person am I becoming? What will matter when my career is over? What impact am I having on other people? Busy leaders often avoid these questions because financial reports, customer issues and operational problems feel more immediate. Yet a life filled only with targets, meetings and performance reviews can eventually feel empty, regardless of professional success. Reflection helps leaders reconnect daily actions with personal values. It can also expose uncomfortable contradictions between what they say matters and where they actually spend their time. Do now: Create a regular period without screens, meetings or work and use it to reflect on how you are investing your life. Conclusion Leaders have many roles. They are executives, managers, parents, spouses, friends, community members and individuals with physical, emotional and financial needs. Work is one important part of life, but it is not the whole of life. The Wheel of Life is useful because it reveals where professional ambition has created unhealthy imbalance. A leader who produces revenue while losing their family, health, friendships and financial security should not automatically be considered successful. Sustainable leadership means producing strong organisational outcomes without destroying the other areas that give life meaning. As a friend of mine says, "Time is life." The real question for every leader is simple: what are you doing with yours? Author Bio 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" in 2018 and 2021 and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three bestsellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X 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 practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.

Austin Campbell draws a parallel between the AI data center backlash and the decades-long collapse of US nuclear power, then Sam Lyman of the Bitcoin Policy Institute puts real odds on whether the Clarity Act passes the Senate before August recess. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern Ram Ahluwalia, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida Chris Perkins, Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto Guest: Sam Lyman - Head of Research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute This clip is from a longer conversation on foreign funded opposition to AI data centers and the odds of the Clarity Act passing. Full episode here: https://youtu.be/-xbSniveaQU  We go live every Monday - subscribe to catch it live. Sponsor Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at https://cape.co/unchained  (use code: UNCHAINED). Chapters:

Conversation #360:  The Story, Journey and Passion of Shannon Herbert, PhD, RD, CDNToday's conversation is with Shannon Herbert,  a registered dietitian and yoga instructor with Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition + Yoga, as well an Adjunct Professor at New York University Steinhardt School. Her work focuses on eating disorders and hormonal health, blending nutrition science with mind-body approaches. She's the co-host of the Eat Kale & Cupcakes podcast, she is a life long learner and such a lovely guest on the podcast today. Please enjoy my conversation with Shannon. Connect with Shannon:Instagram: @shannonherbertrdWebsite: https://lauracipullo.com/registered-dietitians/shannon-herbert/Podcast: Eat Kale and Cupcakeswww.anneelizabethrd.comCopyright © 2026 AEHC & OPISong: One Of These DaysArtist: The Geminiwww.thegeminimusic.comMusic used by permission. All rights received.© ASCAP OrtmanMusic

People form an initial impression of you remarkably quickly. Whether the precise time is three seconds, seven seconds or slightly longer, the practical lesson for salespeople, executives and client-facing professionals is the same: your first impression begins before you start explaining your credentials, company or solution. In Japan, where professionalism, preparation and attention to detail carry considerable weight, leaving that impression to chance is risky. Your appearance, facial expression, eye contact, voice and opening question all influence whether a buyer initially sees you as credible, trustworthy and worth listening to. Here is how to intentionally engineer a strong first impression when meeting a client. How quickly do clients form a first impression? Clients begin evaluating you almost immediately, often before either person has spoken. Your appearance, posture, facial expression and general composure provide the first available evidence about your professionalism. The exact number of seconds will vary according to the person, situation and research method. However, buyers do make rapid judgements when meeting a salesperson, consultant or executive for the first time. They are subconsciously asking: Does this person look prepared? Are they confident? Can I trust them? Will meeting them be a good use of my time? This matters in both Japanese and international business. A buyer in Tokyo may pay particular attention to formality, punctuality and courtesy, while a buyer in Sydney or New York may respond more strongly to energy and directness. In every market, inconsistency creates doubt. If you claim to offer precision but appear disorganised, the buyer notices the contradiction. Do now: Decide what three qualities you want the client to recognise immediately, and make sure your appearance and behaviour communicate them before the meeting begins. How should a salesperson dress for a first client meeting? Dress so that nothing about your appearance distracts the buyer from your message. Cleanliness, fit, coordination and attention to detail are more important than wearing expensive clothing. Scuffed shoes, food stains, poorly fitting clothes, untidy hair or a worn belt may seem like minor matters. Unfortunately, buyers can interpret these signals as evidence of carelessness. It is difficult to promote a high-quality solution while looking as though quality control does not apply to you. For men wearing business attire, the belt should normally coordinate with the shoes, the tie knot should sit neatly against the collar and the jacket and trousers should fit properly. Women and men should both consider whether their clothing is suitable for the client, industry and level of formality. A technology startup may accept a more relaxed style than a Japanese bank, insurance company or government organisation. The goal is not flamboyance. The goal is visual credibility. Do now: Before leaving for the meeting, check your shoes, clothing, hair, accessories, bag and business materials from the buyer's point of view. Should you smile and bow when meeting a Japanese client? Yes. A natural smile followed by an appropriate bow communicates confidence, warmth and respect before the business conversation begins. Some salespeople become so focused on being formal that their expression becomes severe. Others rush through the greeting because they are nervous or worried about what to say next. A calm smile helps remove tension and tells the client that you are pleased to meet them. In Japan, the bow remains an important part of professional etiquette. The depth and duration will depend on the situation, but a controlled, respectful bow is generally more effective than an exaggerated performance. When exchanging business cards, handle the card carefully, look at it and avoid immediately stuffing it into a pocket. International professionals should adapt without becoming artificial. Japanese buyers do not expect every visitor to behave exactly like a Japanese executive, but they do notice sincere preparation and respect for local business customs. Do now: Practise a simple sequence: make eye contact, smile naturally, greet the person clearly and bow without rushing. How much eye contact is appropriate in Japanese business? Make clear initial eye contact to establish confidence, but avoid staring continuously. In Japan, balanced eye contact is usually more comfortable and culturally appropriate than an unbroken gaze. Eye contact tells the buyer that you are present, composed and interested. At the beginning of the meeting, several seconds of direct eye contact can help establish a connection. After that, allow your gaze to move naturally rather than trying to maintain constant visual contact. Cultural expectations differ. Western sales training often emphasises strong eye contact, while Japanese communication may involve more intermittent eye contact, particularly when showing respect to someone senior. Personality also matters. An assertive buyer may be comfortable with more direct engagement, whereas a quieter or more reflective client may find prolonged eye contact intrusive. The objective is not to follow a mechanical formula. It is to observe the buyer's reaction and adjust. Confident communication should make the other person comfortable, not force them to conform to your preferred style. Do now: Establish eye contact at the greeting, then use relaxed and periodic eye contact throughout the conversation. What should your voice sound like during the first meeting? Your opening voice should sound friendly, clear and confident rather than stiff, rushed or overly rehearsed. The buyer is listening to how you speak as well as what you say. Many salespeople accidentally adopt a cold "business voice". They become formal, lower their energy and sound as though they are reading a corporate announcement. Others mumble, speak too softly, talk too loudly or use a lifeless tone because they are nervous. A professional voice has warmth, clarity and variation. Speak slowly enough to be understood, especially when working across languages or communicating with non-native speakers. Use the buyer's name naturally near the beginning of the conversation. People generally respond positively to hearing their name, but repeating it in every sentence quickly sounds manipulative. Your visual, vocal and verbal messages should support one another. Confidence does not mean volume, and professionalism does not require emotional flatness. Do now: Record your opening greeting and listen for pace, volume, clarity, warmth and whether you sound genuinely pleased to meet the client. What is the best opening question for a sales meeting? The best opening question gets the buyer talking about their business, priorities or recent changes. Your first objective is to understand the client, not to deliver a long explanation about yourself. Instead of beginning with an extended company history, offer a brief, relevant observation and ask an intelligent question. For example: "I noticed your company has been expanding its regional operations. How has that affected the priorities of your team in Japan?" When something has changed in the client's office, organisation or market, do not merely point out the obvious. Ask about the impact. Has the change affected employees, customers, productivity, costs or growth plans? An effective initial sales conversation should normally give the buyer more speaking time than the salesperson. An 80–20 balance will not suit every meeting, but it is a useful reminder to stop talking and start listening. The buyer has the information you need to diagnose the problem and determine whether your solution is relevant. Do now: Prepare three open questions about the client's business, market and current priorities before entering the meeting. How can salespeople read the buyer's communication style? Listen to both the buyer's answers and the way they deliver them. Their pace, level of detail and degree of assertiveness reveal how you should communicate with them. Some buyers want the big picture first. They are interested in outcomes, strategic impact and the future. Others want facts, evidence, implementation details and risk controls before considering a recommendation. Some speak quickly and make decisions decisively, while others pause, reflect and avoid being pressured. A salesperson who ignores these differences may create unnecessary resistance. Giving twenty slides of operational detail to a big-picture executive can lose their attention. Presenting only broad promises to a highly analytical procurement or finance leader can damage credibility. Use the first part of the meeting to observe. Ask questions, listen without interrupting and notice which topics generate interest. Then adapt your language, evidence and pace while remaining authentic. Do now: Identify whether the buyer is primarily big-picture or detail-oriented, and whether they communicate assertively or quietly. Adjust your approach accordingly. Conclusion A strong first impression is not created by one clever phrase. It is the combined effect of your preparation, clothing, expression, eye contact, voice, questions and listening ability. Do not simply walk into a client meeting and hope that everything works out. Decide in advance how you want to be perceived and align every visible and audible signal with that objective. The first few seconds may not determine the entire business relationship, but they can determine how hard you will have to work to earn the buyer's confidence afterward. Author Bio 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" in 2018 and 2021 and received the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the bestsellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, as well as Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His Japanese-language books include Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives and professionals seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.  

Foreign executives often ask whether they should copy the Japanese presentation style when selling to Japanese companies. The short answer is no. Do not become a weak imitation of a Japanese presenter. Instead, deliver a professional, global-standard presentation and support it with a mountain of detailed data. Japanese buyers often want far more information than Western sellers expect. A clean pitch deck may look polished in New York, London, Sydney or Singapore, but in Tokyo it can feel underfed. The solution is not to clutter the main slides. The solution is to separate the performance deck from the due-diligence data pack. Should foreigners copy Japanese presentation style in Japan? Foreign presenters should not copy the weaker habits of Japanese business presentations; they should stay professional, clear and energetic while adapting to Japanese information needs. Copying monotone delivery, dense slides and screen-reading will not make the presentation more persuasive. The old "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" idea sounds logical, but it breaks down here. Japanese business audiences may be used to data-heavy decks, yet that does not mean they love poor delivery. A speaker who maintains eye contact, uses voice variety, gestures well and keeps slides visually clear will stand out. In Japan, being respectful does not require becoming boring. Do now: Keep your delivery global-standard, but adapt your preparation to Japanese buyers' appetite for detail. Why are many Japanese business slides so dense? Japanese business slides are often dense because buyers and internal stakeholders want extensive detail for review, comparison and risk reduction. The deck becomes both a presentation tool and a due-diligence document. Western pitch decks often prize simplicity: one idea per slide, strong visuals and minimal text. In Japan, however, slides may contain multiple fonts, colours, graphs, spreadsheets and large blocks of text. To Western eyes, this can look like Baroque chaos rather than Zen simplicity. The deeper issue is not design taste alone. Japanese companies often need detailed materials to circulate internally through layers of managers, technical specialists, finance teams and decision influencers. Do now: Do not mistake dense slides for best practice. Understand the information hunger behind them and satisfy it separately. Why do Japanese buyers want so much data? Japanese buyers want extensive data because business culture in Japan is highly risk-aware and decision-making depends on careful internal consensus. They are not just listening for interest; they are searching for problems. In Japan, the people attending the presentation may not be the final decision-makers. They may be responsible for gathering evidence, identifying risk and preparing internal recommendations. This is why a slim proposal can leave the buyer feeling hungry. They want specifications, implementation details, costs, risks, case studies, timelines, compliance points and proof. In B2B sales, IT solutions, professional services, manufacturing and training, this data-devouring behaviour is normal. Do now: Prepare for forensic due diligence. Give buyers enough evidence to defend the decision internally. What should the main presentation deck look like? The main deck should follow global best practice: clear, simple slides that can be understood in about two seconds.If the audience has to decode the slide, the speaker has already lost momentum. The presentation deck is for persuasion, not data storage. Use clean headlines, strong visuals, limited text and a logical flow. Then deliver with eye contact, vocal variety, gestures and confidence. This approach works in Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, London and New York because audiences everywhere appreciate clarity. The difference in Japan is that the simple deck alone will rarely be enough. It must be paired with deep supporting material. Do now: Build one concise presentation deck for the room and one detailed data pack for the decision process. What supporting materials should sellers bring to Japanese clients? Sellers should bring a comprehensive supporting compendium packed with the detailed information Japanese clients need after the meeting. Think of it as the evidence vault behind the pitch. This compendium can include case studies, technical specifications, pricing assumptions, project timelines, risk controls, client references, implementation steps, FAQs, comparison tables and relevant compliance information. After the presentation, someone on the Japanese side may be assigned to comb through every page looking for concerns. That is not hostility. That is risk management. The better prepared you are, the easier you make their internal approval process. Do now: Bring the thick supporting pack. No one in a Japanese buying team will complain that you gave them too much useful detail. How can foreign companies win trust in Japanese presentations? Foreign companies win trust by combining professional delivery with deep preparation, cultural sensitivity and abundant evidence. Be yourself, but be smart, organised and fully loaded with data. Japanese buyers do not need you to pretend to be Japanese. They need you to understand the conversation happening inside their organisation: "Is this safe? Can we justify it? What could go wrong? Do we have enough proof?" When you answer those questions before they are asked, you reduce anxiety and build trust. The best approach is global presentation quality plus Japan-specific due-diligence support. Do now: Present simply, speak professionally and come packing heavy with data, lots and lots of data. Final Summary Foreign presenters should not copy poor Japanese presentation habits when doing business in Japan. Do not read dense slides, speak in a monotone or bury the audience under spreadsheets during the live presentation. That reduces your impact and wastes the chance to persuade. Instead, use two tools. First, deliver a clean, professional, global-standard presentation that highlights the key message. Second, provide a detailed supporting compendium that satisfies the Japanese buyer's need for data, proof and risk reduction. In Japan, the winning formula is clarity in the room and depth after the room. Author Bio 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). 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.

My friend Alisha Anderson (graduate degrees in Environmental Humanities and Masters of Fine Arts, Artist, Writer, Adjunct Professor, mid-30s), joins us to share her queer story center around four main themes: Love is easy when it's based on sameness. The true test of love is difference. Time is one of God's greatest tools. I've come to believe in a God who does not wish to sacrifice me, but grow me. We need each other—in both our suffering and our joy. As part of these themes, Alisha shares unique and powerful insights are deeply moving—and even after 900+ episodes are unique. Insights that I believe will help other queer Latter-day Saints find hope as they bravely move forward—and insights that help allies/parents better support/love our queer friends. Thank you, Alisha, for being on the podcast. I learned so much from you! You are so emotional/spiritual/intellectually mature and thoughtful. You are a gift to our community. Honored to have you on the podcast! Links: Instagram: @_a_anderson Website: alishaanderson.org

Persuasion starts with being concise and clear. If the audience cannot follow the speaker quickly, they will not be persuaded, no matter how clever the message may be. In this Age of Distraction, speakers are competing with mobile phones, email, LinkedIn, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, and every other digital escape route. Leaders, executives, salespeople, trainers, consultants, and presenters in Japan, Australia, the United States, Europe, and across Asia-Pacific need structure, evidence, timing, and strong openings and closes. Persuasion is not a lucky accident. It is designed. Why must persuasive speakers be concise and clear first? Persuasive speakers must be concise and clear because audiences will not accept a message they cannot follow.Rambling kills attention, and confusion kills trust. Many speakers want to be more persuasive, but persuasion is impossible when the audience is lost. In business presentations, sales pitches, investor briefings, training sessions, and leadership town halls, listeners decide quickly whether the speaker is worth their attention. If the speaker rambles, they reach for their phones. If the message is mystifying, they escape into digital safety. Conciseness and clarity create the foundation for influence. Do now: Before trying to persuade, ask whether your audience can explain your main point in one sentence. How should speakers open a persuasive presentation? A persuasive presentation needs a strong opening that wakes the audience up and tells them why they should listen now. The opening is the dynamite, the nitro, and the fuse. The first moments of a talk must break through complacency, sloth, and slumber. A weak opening wastes the audience's best attention. A strong opening may use a provocative statement, a sharp question, a surprising statistic, a customer story, or a vivid problem. In Japan, where business presentations can sometimes begin slowly and formally, a crisp opening helps both local and international audiences understand the value immediately. Do now: Design the opening separately. Do not drift into the talk and hope the audience comes with you. Why should presentations be organised in five-minute blocks? Five-minute blocks help speakers keep the audience attached to the message by regularly changing the rhythm.Every few minutes, the audience needs a fresh reason to stay engaged. A persuasive talk should not run as one long stream of explanation. Around every five minutes, the speaker should switch it up with a story, a strong slide, a quotation, a question, a demonstration, or an example. This prevents the presentation from becoming predictable. In executive briefings, sales presentations, board updates, and training programs, five-minute blocks create momentum and make the message easier to remember. Do now: Map your next presentation into five-minute sections, each with a clear purpose and engagement device. How does evidence make a speaker more persuasive? Evidence makes a speaker more persuasive because it proves the claim and reduces audience doubt. Strong opinions need credible support. When speakers make provocative claims, they must bolt on proof. Data, statistics, survey results, testimonials, case studies, customer feedback, and benchmark comparisons all increase credibility. In B2B sales, leadership communication, consulting, and training, unsupported assertions sound like opinion. Supported assertions sound like business logic. The speaker's job is to make it easy for the audience to believe the point without working too hard. Do now: For every major claim, add one proof point: data, example, testimonial, or result. What structure makes a persuasive talk easy to follow? A persuasive talk becomes easier to follow when the speaker chooses a clear structure and stays with it. Logical flow prevents the audience from getting lost. The structure may be thematic, chronological, micro to macro, problem-solution-result, past-present-future, or challenge-action-outcome. The exact model matters less than the discipline of choosing one. Speakers get into trouble when they let the muse take them on a scenic journey without direction. Audiences are lazy escape artists. If they have to work too hard to follow the thread, they leave mentally. Do now: Choose one organising structure before building slides or writing the script. Why are bridges important in persuasive presentations? Bridges are important because they guide the audience from one section to the next without making them work.They stitch the whole presentation together. Useful bridges sound simple: "We have covered XYZ, now let me explore ABC." "In a moment, let's look at how the economy may affect our projections." "There are three key things we must be vigilant for; the first is…" These verbal signposts help listeners understand where they are and where the speaker is taking them. In cross-cultural presentations, especially when English is a second language for some audience members, bridges reduce confusion and increase trust. Do now: Write transition lines between sections before rehearsing the full talk. How does rehearsal improve persuasion? Rehearsal improves persuasion by forcing the speaker to tighten language, control timing, and remove excess. The stopwatch is the speaker's weapon of choice. Unrehearsed speakers often discover too late that they are running out of time. Then they "whip through" the final slides and cheat the audience out of important information. Rehearsal with a stopwatch exposes rambling, weak sentences, unnecessary detail, and poor pacing. It helps the speaker sharpen the prose, focus on the essentials, and give the strongest points the time they deserve. Do now: Rehearse with a stopwatch and cut anything that does not support the main persuasive point. How should speakers close a persuasive presentation? A persuasive presentation needs two closes: one before Q&A and one at the very end. Both should reinforce the main message and leave the audience with a memorable conclusion. The pre-Q&A close protects the core message before the discussion begins. The final close after Q&A puts the bow on the whole enterprise. These closes are opportunities to hammer the main conclusion, underscore the punch line, and make the key idea stick. A weak close lets the message fade. A strong close leaves a thought pounding in the audience's ears long after they leave. Do now: Write both closes in advance. Never improvise the final impression. Final summary Persuasion is built on concise language, clear structure, credible evidence, and disciplined rehearsal. Speakers who ramble or confuse the audience lose the chance to influence them. A persuasive talk needs a strong opening, five-minute content blocks, logical flow, verbal bridges, proof for major claims, stopwatch rehearsal, and two strong closes. In the Age of Distraction, audiences will not work hard to follow the speaker. The speaker must make the journey easy. Quick actions for speakers Plot the talk in five-minute brackets. Create bridges that lead the audience into each next section. Use a stopwatch to tighten the delivery. Support major claims with evidence. Spend proper time designing the opening and both closes. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）, and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. 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.

"I'm here to be part of the team." "The longer you are somewhere, the more you realise you know nothing." "If your intention is positive, people will support you." "We want to be an international company in Japan." "It really starts by asking what is my impact? What can I do?" Jasper Westerink is the CEO of Philips Japan and a Dutch executive whose career has been shaped by international leadership, adaptability, and a deep commitment to learning from local cultures. After completing university in the Netherlands, where he studied marketing, management, and business, he joined Philips with the initial idea of building a career in the Netherlands. Instead, an early opportunity to work in Thailand opened the door to a global career that would take him and his family across Thailand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece, Indonesia, South Africa again, and ultimately Japan. Over many years with Philips, Westerink built a broad leadership perspective across emerging markets, developed markets, complex organisations, and highly diverse cultural environments. His Japan assignment brought together his global Philips experience, his interest in Japanese culture, and the company's need to connect Japan more closely with global Philips capabilities. In Japan, he has focused on trust-building, engagement, accountability, recognition, and helping Japanese teams share their world-class ideas more confidently with the global organisation. Jasper Westerink's leadership story in Japan begins with a global career that gave him both confidence and humility. As CEO of Philips Japan, he arrived not as someone assuming he already understood the market, but as a guest who needed to listen, observe, and learn. Having worked across Thailand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece, Indonesia, and other markets, he brought a rare breadth of experience to Japan. Yet his most important leadership insight is that the more time one spends in a country, the more one realises how much remains beneath the surface. Japan struck Westerink as extraordinarily organised, harmonious, and safe. He noticed this first in daily life, from the punctuality of trains to the quiet consideration shown by people in public spaces. These visible behaviours pointed to deeper cultural systems. In business, he observed a strong preference for harmony, pre-alignment, and consensus. Unlike more confrontational management cultures, where executives may debate passionately in the room and make decisions on the spot, Japan often relies on nemawashi, informal pre-discussion, careful preparation, and the quiet work that happens before the formal meeting. By the time a decision reaches the table, much of the ringi-sho-style alignment has already occurred. For a foreign CEO, this can feel slow or even passive at first. Westerink admits that he likes visible passion and energetic debate, but he came to understand that Japanese passion often sits below the surface. It may not appear in a formal meeting, yet it emerges in trusted settings, peer groups, customer discussions, informal conversations, and carefully structured opportunities to contribute. One of his strongest methods for drawing out ideas is friendly peer competition. Philips Japan encourages doctors, physicians, and internal teams to share ideas around quality, AI, better patient outcomes, reduced workload, and operational improvement. Rather than making innovation a top-down CEO initiative, Westerink has found that peer recognition, team-based contribution, and "Made in Japan" pride help unlock ideas. Japanese employees may be modest, but many of their solutions are globally competitive. His job is to create safe structures that make it easier for them to speak up. Trust-building has been central. Westerink made it clear from the beginning that he was not above the team, but part of it. He visited teams at different levels, spent time with people outside the office, joined informal social and sports activities, asked questions, listened carefully, and showed genuine curiosity about how work was done. He also recognised his own physical presence and high-energy style. As a very tall foreign CEO with a serious face when concentrating, he learned to smile more, keep appropriate distance, use humour, and turn his height into an icebreaker rather than a barrier. His leadership philosophy also centres on accountability. Using the Japanese concept of jiseki, or starting with oneself, he encourages people to ask, "What can I do? What did I do wrong? What can I improve?" In a culture where fear of failure and loss of face can be strong, he tries to create an environment where mistakes are not hidden but owned, discussed, and learned from. Ultimately, Westerink's Japan leadership lesson is not about importing a foreign management model. It is about combining Philips' global culture with Japanese strengths and his own leadership character. He wants Philips Japan to remain deeply Japanese while also becoming more confident internationally. That balance — respect for local culture, openness to global standards, and the courage to ask better questions — defines his approach. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is unique because much of the real work happens before the meeting. Westerink observes that Japanese business culture places a high value on harmony, preparation, respect, and careful pre-alignment. In many Western or international contexts, management meetings can be lively, direct, and even confrontational. People interrupt, challenge, debate, show visible passion, and make decisions in the room. In Japan, the formal meeting is often the final stage of a longer process. Nemawashi, consensus-building, and quiet coordination help protect relationships and reduce open conflict. This does not mean people lack passion. It means passion is expressed differently, often in smaller groups, trusted settings, or after the formal meeting has ended. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they misread the absence of visible debate as a lack of engagement. Westerink initially missed the open passion he had seen in other markets. He had to learn that Japanese colleagues may be deeply committed but less likely to challenge publicly until trust has been built. Foreign executives can also underestimate the importance of timing, silence, hierarchy, and indirect communication. They may become impatient when progress appears slow, not realising that a great deal is happening behind the scenes. Japan requires leaders to develop patience, curiosity, and the ability to read context rather than relying only on explicit statements. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is often described as risk-averse, but Westerink's experience suggests a more nuanced picture. The issue is not that Japanese people lack ideas or ambition. Rather, there is strong uncertainty avoidance around failure, loss of face, and public mistakes. People want to deliver perfect work, and that can slow action when speed and learning are required. Westerink addresses this by making failure discussable. He calls out mistakes, but not to punish people. Instead, he asks what can be learned, what will be done differently, and whether others can benefit from the lesson. This reframes risk from personal embarrassment into collective improvement. What leadership style actually works? The leadership style that works in Japan is humble, consistent, curious, and relationship-based. Westerink emphasises that he is a guest in Japan and part of the team. He asks many questions, visits people where the work happens, joins informal activities, and spends time with employees outside formal meetings. He also leads by example. If budgets are tight, he stays in the same type of hotel as others. If the company expects people to be accountable, he models accountability himself. He also adapts recognition to the culture. Instead of always singling out one heroic individual, he recognises the importance of team contribution, because public individual praise can sometimes create discomfort in Japan. How can technology help? Technology helps when it is connected to real clinical, operational, and customer value. Philips Japan works in health technology, including advanced medical equipment such as MRI systems. Westerink describes initiatives where doctors and physicians submit research on how to improve procedures, increase accuracy, reduce workload, and create better outcomes. Internally, Philips Japan also invites teams to explore AI, quality improvement, billing processes, service efficiency, and better patient outcomes. This reflects a form of decision intelligence: using data, expertise, frontline insight, and structured evaluation to improve decisions. In health care, technologies such as AI, digital twins, and advanced imaging can only create value when leaders understand the clinical reality, the customer's challenge, and the human workflow around the technology. Does language proficiency matter? Language matters, but Westerink's experience shows that leadership in Japan is not only about speaking Japanese. He uses translators when needed, allows questions in Japanese, and encourages teams to prepare and present in English when appropriate for an international company. The key is not linguistic perfection, but communication design.  Leaders must create channels where people can speak safely, ask questions, and contribute. Westerink sometimes asks for critical questions and waits until the team provides them. At first, this was uncomfortable. Over time, people learned that constructive challenge was expected and welcome. What's the ultimate leadership lesson?The ultimate lesson is that positive intent, humility, and connection matter most. Westerink advises new leaders in Japan to find trusted people who will tell them when things are going well and when their behaviour may not be landing as intended. They should be transparent about why they are in Japan, what they hope to contribute, and what they hope to learn. They should connect with people through work, food, informal time, customer visits, and genuine curiosity. His advice is simple but profound: the longer leaders are in a place, the more they realise they know nothing. That mindset keeps them learning. 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.He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

Beijing has unveiled a sweeping new package of measures to strengthen Hong Kong's role as the world's leading offshore renminbi hub and an international financial center. But why now? From expanding Bond Connect and offshore RMB liquidity to developing gold trading and new risk-management tools, are these measures simply deepening Hong Kong's financial markets or redefining its role in the global financial system? Host TU Yun joins Dr. Sean Chang, Academic Assessor, HKU SPACE, the University of Hong Kong, Dr. Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Dr. Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology to unpack what's new, why it matters, and whether Hong Kong is on track to become a global pricing center for RMB-denominated assets.

For years, Michael Saylor's Strategy was the market's most dependable Bitcoin buyer. Recently, it has done the opposite. Strategy just sold 3,588 Bitcoin for roughly $216 million, its largest single tranche yet, deepening the question of whether Michael Saylor has become a structural seller instead of a buyer. Ram Ahluwalia, Austin Campbell, and Chris Perkins break down the STRC dividend mechanics behind the sale, the bull case for a catch-up trade, and the bear case if Bitcoin never rallies back. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern Ram Ahluwalia, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida Chris Perkins, Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto This clip is from a longer conversation on Strategy's Bitcoin sale, the stablecoin wars, and the token versus equity debate. Full episode here: https://youtube.com/live/H3z68SYty0k  We go live every Monday at 4:30pm ET. Subscribe to catch it live. Sponsor:

Dr. Janelle K. St. Louis is a pharmacist, educator, ministry leader, community advocate, and candidate for Chesapeake City Council who is passionate about serving God by serving people. She currently serves as a Clinical Pharmacist serving our active duty, veterans, and their families. She is also an Adjunct Professor, helping to educate and mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals.Beyond her professional career, Dr. St. Louis has dedicated her life to community service and faith-based leadership. She serves as Director of the Health and Wellness Ministry at The Mount Chesapeake, where she helps advance the church's mission to Care, Connect, and Cover God's people through health education, outreach, and advocacy. Under her leadership, the ministry has expanded its impact through community health fairs, wellness initiatives, health screenings, and partnerships that address health disparities throughout Hampton Roads.In 2026, Dr. St. Louis answered the call to public service by running for Chesapeake City Council. Her campaign is rooted in the belief that leadership is stewardship and that elected officials should put people before politics. Guided by her experience as a healthcare professional, educator, and woman of faith, she is committed to improving public health, supporting small businesses, strengthening neighborhoods, addressing flooding and environmental challenges, and ensuring every resident has a voice in local government.Above all, Dr. St. Louis is a woman of faith who believes her purpose is found in serving others and glorifying God through her work. Her life verse, Philippians 4:13, reminds her daily that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Whether caring for patients, mentoring young leaders, serving her church, or advocating for her community, Dr. St. Louis strives to live out the words of Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see yourgood works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”Her mission is simple: to use her gifts, knowledge, and faith to make a lasting difference in the lives of others and to leave every community she serves better than she found it.

Western and Japanese meetings often look similar on the calendar, but they operate on very different assumptions. Both may involve reporting, planning, problem-solving and innovation, yet the real work happens in different places. In many Western companies, the meeting room is where people debate, confront, push, defend and decide. In Japan, the meeting is often only one stage in a broader process. Much of the real alignment happens before the meeting through nemawashi, the groundwork that smooths disagreement and builds consensus. Leaders who miss this difference can become frustrated, confused and ineffective when running meetings in Japan. Why do Western and Japanese meetings feel different? Western meetings often treat the room as the decision arena, while Japanese meetings often treat the room as a confirmation stage. The difference is not cosmetic; it changes how leaders should prepare, participate and follow up. In the West, especially in US, Australian and European business cultures, people may expect direct debate during the meeting. They "duke it out," test ideas, challenge assumptions and make decisions in the room. In Japan, open conflict inside the meeting can feel disruptive or embarrassing. The Japanese approach often relies on conversations before the meeting to understand concerns, reduce friction and avoid public confrontation. Do now: Do not assume silence in a Japanese meeting means agreement. Check views privately before and after the meeting. What communication problems appear in Western-style meetings? Western-style meetings often expose communication extremes: passive wishing, aggressive demands, direct debate, hidden stress and power plays. Leaders need a toolbox to manage these behaviours. Some people express desires as vague wishes, while others make blunt demands. Some bulldoze through barriers, while others read the air, or kuki wo yomu, to avoid offending anyone. Stress can show up as aggression, silence or controlled professionalism. In cross-cultural teams, direct communicators may dominate while quieter or more indirect contributors self-censor. This can rob the meeting of valuable perspectives and distort the quality of the decision. Do now: Watch for both over-speaking and under-speaking. The loudest voice is not always the best insight. How do power and accountability affect meetings? Meetings become dysfunctional when people use them to elevate themselves, deflate others or dodge accountability.The leader's job is to stop meetings becoming internal combat arenas. Strong individuals may jockey for position by depressing the status of others. A salesperson belittling an administration colleague as a "cost centre" versus a "profit centre" is a classic example of destructive status play. Accountability can also become uneven. Dominant people may hold everyone else to strict standards while granting themselves a free pass because they are "major producers." In Japanese organisations, these tensions may be less visible in the room, but they still exist under the surface. Do now: Make accountability universal. No one gets a special exemption because of title, ego or results. Why is confrontation handled differently in Japan? Confrontation is handled differently in Japan because preserving harmony, face and decorum often matters more than winning a public argument. Directness is acceptable only when it remains polite, considerate and relationship-aware. In many Western environments, confrontation can be seen as honest, passionate or necessary. In Japan, blunt confrontation may shut people down, damage trust or push disagreement underground. Some people will hide valid concerns rather than risk tension. Others may communicate indirectly, expecting the leader to read between the lines. This does not mean Japanese meetings lack conflict. It means conflict is often managed through timing, setting and private discussion. Do now: Move sensitive disagreement out of the public meeting and into respectful one-on-one conversations. What is nemawashi and why does it matter? Nemawashi is the Japanese practice of doing groundwork before a decision so disagreement can be handled privately and consensus can form before the meeting. It files down the rough edges before everyone gathers. The word originally comes from preparing tree roots before transplanting, and in business it means consulting stakeholders, testing reactions, lobbying for support and solving objections early. Loud people, quiet people, supporters and sceptics should all be contacted before the formal meeting. By the time the meeting occurs, the decision may already be broadly agreed. To Western leaders, this can look slow or overly political. In Japan, it often creates smoother implementation. Do now: Before the meeting, identify stakeholders, consult them privately and resolve objections early. How should Western leaders run meetings in Japan? Western leaders should adapt by combining their meeting discipline with Japanese-style groundwork. Keep clarity, accountability and timing, but do not rely on public debate alone to reveal the truth. Use pre-meeting consultation to uncover hidden concerns. Invite quieter team members to share views privately before the group session. Clarify who supports the proposal, who is worried and what must change before approval. Then use the meeting to confirm direction, summarise commitments and maintain decorum. This approach works well in Japan-based multinationals, local subsidiaries, joint ventures and cross-cultural leadership teams. Do now: Build the meeting before the meeting. Then use the formal meeting to align, confirm and assign action. Final Summary Western and Japanese meetings differ because they place the centre of gravity in different locations. Western leaders often expect debate and decision-making to happen inside the meeting room. Japanese organisations often use the meeting as one step in a broader consensus-building process, with nemawashi doing much of the heavy lifting beforehand. Leaders in Japan should not abandon all Western meeting tools. Clear purpose, participation, accountability and follow-up still matter. But they must add pre-meeting groundwork, private consultation and sensitivity to indirect communication. Do that and many of the usual meeting problems are circumvented before they can explode in public. Author Bio 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). 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.

Salespeople in Japan often face a delicate balancing act. Push too little and they become passive farmers who protect the client but fail to grow the business. Push too hard and they risk looking aggressive, annoying, or culturally tone-deaf. The real answer sits in the middle: become a trusted partner who helps the buyer succeed while still representing your own company's commercial interests. In Japan, professional selling is not about being timid. It is about being appropriately persistent, value-focused, and visibly committed to helping the client improve. When is sales persistence too much in Japan? Sales persistence becomes too much in Japan when the buyer feels pressured, disrespected, or treated like a target rather than a partner. The goal is not to copy an American-style hard sell; the goal is to build trust while still moving the business forward. Japanese buyers often value patience, relationship continuity, risk reduction, and internal consensus. That does not mean salespeople should collapse at the first sign of hesitation. It means they need to read the room, ask better questions, and keep the conversation focused on value. In B2B sales, professional services, training, technology, and recruitment, the best salesperson is not passive and not pushy. They are persistent with purpose. Do now: Push for clarity, not pressure. Keep advancing the conversation, but make every follow-up useful to the buyer. Why are some Japanese sales teams too passive? Many Japanese sales teams become too passive because they prioritise keeping the buyer happy over creating value for both sides. They are good farmers, but weak hunters. Clients often tell sales leaders that their teams bend over backwards for customers and behave almost as if they work for the buyer. That sounds noble, but it can damage revenue, margins, account growth, and new business development. Farming existing accounts matters, but hunting for new buyers and expanding current relationships matter too. Post-pandemic Japan has made prospecting harder, with fewer spontaneous networking opportunities and more digital gatekeeping. Passive salespeople cannot simply wait for the phone to ring. Do now: Train salespeople to protect relationships while still asking for introductions, proposing next steps, and expanding the account. Why is discounting dangerous in Japanese sales? Discounting is dangerous in Japanese sales because a low opening price often becomes the ceiling, not the floor.Once buyers secure a discount, they may expect that price as the new baseline. Weak salespeople discount because they cannot explain value. They would rather win the client at a painful price than risk losing the deal and having to find a new buyer. The problem is that Japan's B2B buyers, procurement teams, and corporate decision-makers remember concessions. A "special one-time price" may not be treated as special next time. It becomes the anchor for future negotiations. Australian, American, and European suppliers entering Japan often make this mistake by offering their "best price" too early and then spending the rest of the negotiation defending it. Do now: Sell value before price. Explain outcomes, risk reduction, implementation support, and long-term impact before discussing concessions. How should salespeople network without damaging their reputation? Salespeople should network with energy and discipline, but never with desperation, deception, or disrespect. In Japan's close business community, especially among foreign executives in Tokyo, reputation travels fast. Networking at chambers of commerce, industry associations, embassy events, trade groups, and professional gatherings can produce valuable leads. It can also produce bruising moments. Some people reject business cards, complain about follow-up emails, or accuse active networkers of being too visible. Salespeople need thick skin. Most critics are not responsible for finding new clients and may not understand how difficult prospecting really is. Still, there is a line. Integrity, relevance, and respect must guide every approach. Do now: Network consistently, but make it buyer-centred. Follow up with relevance, not spam. Be memorable for value, not volume. Should sales leaders personally prospect? Sales leaders should personally prospect because they cannot credibly demand hunting behaviour from their team if they refuse to do it themselves. Leading from the front builds trust, accountability, and standards. A sales leader who attends events, starts conversations, asks for meetings, follows up, and handles rejection demonstrates the behaviour expected from the team. This matters in Japan, where hierarchy and role modelling influence organisational behaviour. If the boss hides behind dashboards and only lectures the sales team about pipeline, credibility collapses. When the leader shows grit, the team has fewer excuses. Prospecting is hard. Rejection stings. But nothing happens until someone sells something. Do now: Model the behaviour. Make calls, attend events, ask for introductions, and show your team what professional persistence looks like. How can salespeople protect the brand while being persistent? Salespeople protect the brand by operating with integrity, helping clients succeed, and avoiding patterns of behaviour that many people would describe as aggressive or annoying. One critic is noise; repeated complaints are a warning signal. In Japan, bad news moves quickly. Among multinational executives in Tokyo, the community can feel like a small village. A damaged reputation can follow a person, company, or sales team for years. That is why persistence must be anchored in values. If the market sees you as passionate, helpful, and commercially serious, occasional criticism will bounce off. If many people describe you as pushy, rude, or unreasonable, the brand has a problem. The difference is intent and behaviour. Do now: Track market feedback. Stay bold, but watch for repeated complaints about tone, pressure, or follow-up frequency. Conclusion: what is the right level of sales pressure? The right level of sales pressure in Japan is professional persistence built on trust. Too little pressure produces passive account managers who avoid difficult conversations, discount too quickly, and fail to grow business. Too much pressure damages the relationship, reputation, and brand. The sweet spot is disciplined, value-based selling. Salespeople should be proud to hunt for new buyers, expand existing accounts, and keep the wheels of industry turning. The key is to do it with integrity. Help the buyer succeed, protect your company's commercial interests, and keep showing up. Critics will always exist. Clients who value your work are the audience that matters most. FAQs Is hard selling effective in Japan? Hard selling is rarely effective in Japan because it can damage trust and create resistance. Japanese buyers usually prefer professional persistence, clear value, patience, and relationship-building. Are Japanese salespeople too passive? Some salespeople in Japan can become too passive when they over-focus on keeping the client happy. Good salespeople protect the relationship while still asking for growth, next steps, and decisions. Why should salespeople avoid heavy discounting? Heavy discounting weakens value perception and can reset the buyer's expected price permanently. In Japan, a low price can become the ceiling for future negotiations. How do I know if my prospecting is too aggressive? Your prospecting may be too aggressive if multiple people complain about your tone, frequency, or lack of relevance. One critic may not matter; repeated feedback deserves attention. What should sales leaders do to encourage hunting? Sales leaders should model hunting behaviour themselves. Attend events, prospect visibly, follow up professionally, and show the team how to be persistent without being pushy. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）, and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. 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, followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.In the world's most dangerous working environments it can seem like everything is out to kill you. The equipment you use. The materials you work with. The very air you breathe. Stored energy is a coiled viper waiting for the right moment to lash out. Owners, manufacturers, contractors, and beyond have developed safety protocols to combat STCKY, that is, Stuff That Can Kill You. Gravity, Motion, Mechanical, Electrical, Pressure, Sound, Radiation, Biological, Chemical, Temperature. This season is all about the means of murder as authors put our STCKY detective skills to the test. This is Season 9, Stuff That Can Kill You.This is Episode 13, where chemical is our STCKY means of death. This is Speed Kills by Chuck Brownman, a re-broadcast of the Season 5 episode first dropped on February 3, 2023MEMBERSHIPS!Mysteries to Die For now has memberships! Three tiers – The Grave Digger's Union (free), The Cadaver Collective ($4 / month) and The Preservationist Society ($8 / month). We are starting memberships to help pay for our real live human authors, to keep the software working and the power flowing, and avoid the dreaded use of ads. If you want to show you love but aren't ready for a commitment, you can now tip us and leave a witting, punny note for us. Links are in the show notes and on our website M2D4podcast.com.Today's author, Chuck Brownman, is certainly racking up the body count. First Alastair Stubbins and Quentin Ballinger are gassed, then Sergei Ivanov gets singed. Here is a list of everything with a heartbeat in the house…• Alastair Stubbins, a victim, but also an inventor who controlled the world from his little corner. He liked making people dance to his tune. He had a great vision for QN-7 but needed a financial partner to make it reality.• Quentin Ballinger, a victim, the chosen financial partner but a man who had money issues. Living in Monaco didn't stop his company from being on the brink of bankruptcy. He had a reputation for building cheaply.• Sergei Ivanov, an almost victim, but a man who wouldn't accept coming in second. He had a reputation for top quality.• Mrs. Ashley Stubbins, a trophy wife with a pre-nup who loved her hubby. Really, she did.• Regan Stubbins, the mechanical engineering daughter and heir apparent who didn't like the deal her father was rigging.• Paul Stubbins, the artist in residence who didn't like anything about his father except his moneyNow that we have the heartbeats straight…here's a summary of what we know.• Quentin Ballinger and Sergei Ivanov were staying at the Stubbins' estate, one of them would close on a deal with Alastair Stubbins to complete the design and produce the QN-7.• The QN-7 was outfitted with next generation artificial intelligence that would let it learn to the point of making its own decisions. It was a top-secret operation. Only two key fobs existed. One Stubbins had and the other he gave to his wife.• Security information showed the door to the garage opened at eleven fifty at night. This is assumed to be Stubbins and Ballinger.• Stubbins and Ballinger died of carbon dioxide poisoning that came from the QN-7. There are signs of some sort of struggle, but there was no damage to either body and both were found next to the QN-7. The times of death was pinned between eleven pm and 2 am.• Security information showed the door to the garage opened again at twelve forty-seven. This is assumed to be the killer.• All the doors were closed – man doors and garage doors. There is no explanation for why the two able-bodied men didn't open a door and walk out.• Sergei Ivanov reports being in his bedroom all night. This was neither confirmed nor denied.• Ashley Stebbins was in her bedroom all night. This was neither confirmed nor denied.• Paul Stebbins was alone in his room in the carriage house all night. This was confirmed only by Regan.• Regan Stebbins was alone in her room in the carriage house all night. Only Paul confirmed this.ABOUT Chuck BrownmanA mostly-retired (and hopefully recovering) attorney, Chuck Brownman now enjoys writing noir fiction, concentrating on short fiction. His work has been published in several anthologies and on multiple websites, including those listed at the top of this episode. He has also served various times as a judge for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards. When not writing fiction, Chuck continues to advise some of the country's most entrepreneurial energy and natural resource companies. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law, and has spoken at legal seminars for many years. He lives with his wife in Colorado, the peaceful vistas offering a counterbalance to his suspenseful and often bloody crime fiction. A full list of his published fiction can be found at his website, www.chuckbrownman.comWRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, or joining our membership. Check out our website m2d4podcast.com for links to this season's authors.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Speed Kills was written by Chuck Brownman. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in for our next original story, also by Chuck Brownman where chemical, mechanical, heat, pretty much everything is our STCKY means of murder in Rendering the Truth.

Business storytelling is one of the great untapped advantages in professional presenting. Most executives compete in crowded markets, red oceans and data-heavy meetings, yet very few use stories well. That creates a blue ocean opportunity for leaders, salespeople and professionals who want to be remembered. Data, statistics and charts matter, but they rarely stay in the audience's mind by themselves. When information is wrapped inside a clear story, it becomes easier to understand, easier to remember and far more persuasive. In Japan, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US, business audiences still respond to a good story because persuasion has never gone out of fashion. Why does storytelling matter in business presentations? Storytelling matters because it turns dry information into memorable, persuasive communication. Data can inform an audience, but stories help people remember, feel and act. Many business leaders still treat presentation delivery as fluff, smoke and mirrors. They believe the audience only wants facts, numbers and the latest update. Wrong. A presentation full of statistics can become crusty and dry, like week-old bread left outside. In boardrooms, sales meetings, investor updates and leadership town halls, the speaker must help the audience connect the dots. Stories create that connection by giving the facts a human shape. Do now: Do not just deliver data. Wrap the key information in a story so the audience can remember the message. What is the first step in building a business story? The first step is choosing the main characters because audiences need people to picture in their minds. A story without recognisable characters quickly becomes an abstract explanation. The characters might be the founder, CEO, CFO, senior leadership team, researchers, scientists, clients, suppliers or customers. If the audience already knows the person, even better. Mentioning Elon Musk, Akio Toyoda or a well-known internal executive immediately gives listeners a face to imagine. In a Japanese company, the founder's story or a client's struggle can carry strong emotional weight because relationships and reputation matter. Do now: Choose one or two main characters the audience can clearly visualise before building the rest of the story. How do presenters create context in a business story? Presenters create context by describing when, where and why the story is happening. The goal is to transport listeners into the scene so they can see what the speaker saw. Context needs guideposts. Was it last month or two years ago? Was it a snowy February morning in Sapporo, a brutal August day in Tokyo, a boardroom at headquarters, a hotel restaurant in Osaka, a convention in Singapore or a research lab in Yokohama? These details are not decoration. They paint word pictures. Without context, the audience hears information. With context, they enter the story. Do now: Add time, place, season and situation so the audience can mentally step into the business moment. Why do business stories need conflict or opportunity? Business stories need conflict or opportunity because tension is what keeps people listening. Every strong drama has stakes, obstacles and pressure, and business is full of all three. The antagonist may be the market, currency movement, competition, regulator, bank, supplier, customer, government policy or a technology shift. Supply chain disruption, Covid, the war in Ukraine, inflation, AI adoption and digital transformation all create business tension. Nokia facing the iPhone is a classic example of technological disruption changing the rules. In Japan, a shrinking labour force or slow digital transformation can also become the conflict driving the story. Do now: Identify the pressure point. Show what is at stake and why the audience should care now. How should a business story end? A business story needs an outcome because audiences feel unsatisfied when the story is left hanging. The ending may be positive, negative or unresolved, but it must give the listener closure. The outcome could be a win, a loss, a warning, a turning point or a current situation with an expected next step. In sales presentations, the ending may show how a client improved results. In leadership talks, it may show what the organisation learned. In investor briefings, it may explain what management expects next. The speaker must tie a ribbon around the story so the audience knows what the point was. Do now: Give every story a clear finish. Do not leave the audience wondering, "So what happened?" What insight should follow a business story? The insight is the business lesson the audience should take away and apply. A story without insight is entertainment; a story with insight becomes leadership communication. Audiences love learning from business disasters because failure reveals what to avoid. "How I lost $100 million" often sounds more compelling than "How I made $100 million" because people want the juicy train wreck and the warning signs. This does not mean leaders should be negative. It means they should extract practical lessons from both success and failure. The best business stories move from characters to context, conflict, outcome and insight. Do now: End by stating the lesson clearly. Tell executives, leaders or salespeople what they should do differently now. Final Summary Successful business storytelling is not mysterious. It has structure. Choose memorable characters, create vivid context, introduce conflict or opportunity, explain the outcome and finish with a practical insight. This structure helps presenters make data easier to remember and messages easier to act on. Every executive, salesperson and professional already has business stories inside them. Client wins, missed opportunities, market shocks, supply chain problems, leadership decisions and competitor moves all provide material. The key is not waiting for a perfect story. The key is learning how to structure the stories already sitting in front of you. Author Bio 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). 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.

"Leadership is probably the ability to influence in a positive way." "There is no the right way or the wrong way; there is the best way." "What I do not accept is people not trying." "Status quo is a no-go." "A good leader would be able to grow not just a company, but also grow the people." Christian Baudat is Country General Manager Japan for The Ascott Limited, one of the world's leading serviced residence and hospitality groups. A graduate of the École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, he began his international hotel career with Hilton in Tokyo in 1985. His career has included senior leadership and general management roles in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and across the wider Middle East and North Africa region. Baudat has led hotel openings, major rebranding projects, operational turnarounds and large-scale teams, including roles at Hilton Tokyo, Hilton Tokyo Bay, Hilton Nagoya, Hilton Tokyo, Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk and Hilton Tokyo Odaiba. Before joining Oakwood and subsequently leading Ascott's Japan operations, he served as a regional vice president for Rotana, overseeing more than twenty properties across several countries. His long career in Japan has given him a practical understanding of how to combine global hospitality standards with Japanese expectations around respect, harmony, communication and customer service. Christian Baudat's leadership journey began with a desire to leave his small Swiss hometown and see the world. After graduating from the École hôtelière de Lausanne, he entered the Hilton management trainee programme and arrived in Tokyo in 1985. His first assignment in Shinjuku placed him immediately inside one of the world's most demanding hospitality markets. Over the following decades, he built an unusually broad career across hotel openings, restaurant operations, rebranding assignments, general management roles and regional leadership responsibilities in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the Middle East. His leadership philosophy has been shaped by the realities of working across cultures and by the particular communication dynamics of Japan. One of his earliest lessons was that agreement cannot be assumed simply because someone says "yes". In Japanese business, "hai" can mean that a message has been heard, rather than that it has been accepted or that action will follow. Baudat therefore places great importance on validation. For him, leadership requires checking whether people truly understand the intent behind a message, whether they believe in it and whether the message has travelled accurately through the organisation. This is especially important in hierarchical organisations, where messages can become diluted as they pass through middle management. Baudat avoids relying solely on formal reporting lines. He spends time close to the operational frontline, speaks directly with associates, observes service delivery and confirms whether leadership messages remain alive at lower levels of the organisation. This approach is not intended to undermine managers. Rather, it is a way of ensuring that leaders understand what is happening in reality, not merely what appears in reports or formal meetings. Baudat also emphasises that directness must be balanced with humility and respect. Early in his career, he encountered experienced colleagues who regarded a young foreign manager as a possible threat. He learned that authority alone would not create commitment. Respecting experience, acknowledging expertise and demonstrating a willingness to learn were essential. Even when disagreement occurred, he found it important to return to the conversation, restore working relationships and avoid allowing conflict to become permanent. His experience also highlights the changing nature of work in Japan. In the past, employees in hospitality often had fewer career alternatives and might have accepted traditional expectations more readily. Today, employees are more likely to assess whether a role fits their aspirations, lifestyle and values. Talent shortages have also shifted the balance of power. Leaders can no longer assume that staff are easily replaceable. Instead, they need to understand why people are struggling, whether a role suits their strengths and how coaching, support or reassignment may unlock their potential. This creates a new leadership imperative. Rather than dismissing employees who do not immediately fit a conventional model, leaders must be curious. They need to diagnose whether a problem comes from poor instructions, insufficient training, unclear expectations, different personal values or an unsuitable role. Baudat sees this as a central responsibility of contemporary leadership: giving people a genuine chance to improve while maintaining clear standards. Innovation is another key theme in his approach. Baudat encourages people to look beyond their own industry, observe trends in fashion, retail, technology and food, and bring fresh ideas into hospitality. He believes that leaders must create an environment in which experimentation is protected. In Japan, uncertainty avoidance can make people reluctant to suggest ideas that might fail. Effective leaders must provide air cover, take responsibility for sensible experiments and ensure that people receive credit when their ideas succeed. Leadership, in Baudat's view, is not about being the source of every answer. It is about creating the conditions in which people can contribute, learn and grow. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan requires a high level of sensitivity to indirect communication, hierarchy and harmony. Baudat's central lesson is that apparent agreement should be checked rather than assumed. A response of "yes" may indicate that someone has heard a message, not that they support it or intend to act on it. Leaders must validate understanding through follow-up conversations, observation and direct contact with the people responsible for execution. The Japanese emphasis on consensus can make nemawashi especially important. Before a major decision is formally announced, informal groundwork often helps leaders understand concerns, identify resistance and build alignment. Formal processes such as ringi-sho may represent the visible decision process, but the real work of consensus-building often happens earlier through respectful discussion and relationship management. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives can struggle when they arrive with strong assumptions, immediate solutions and little patience for local context. Baudat believes that leaders entering Japan should not assume the organisation is broken or that overseas experience automatically provides the correct answer. His preferred approach is a structured ninety-day process: the first month is spent absorbing information, the second month processing what has been learned and the third month communicating direction and beginning execution. The mistake is to act before understanding the people, the history and the operating culture. Leaders need to recognise what existing employees have already achieved and respect the systems that have kept the organisation functioning. Change is sometimes necessary, but change imposed without listening can create resistance, confusion and disengagement. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan has a strong preference for reliability, quality and avoiding visible errors. This can make people reluctant to experiment, particularly when mistakes may affect reputation or create embarrassment. However, Baudat does not believe that this means Japanese organisations cannot innovate. The issue is not an absence of ideas. It is the need for leaders to create psychological safety around testing, learning and adjusting. He makes a clear distinction between failure and not trying. Experiments may not always succeed, but standing still is not acceptable. Leaders must demonstrate that responsible attempts will be supported. When an innovation does not work, the response should be to examine the learning, refine the idea or move on, rather than punish the person who took the initiative. What leadership style actually works? Baudat advocates a leadership style built on visibility, respect, personal credibility and practical support. He does not believe leaders should remain in an office and manage only through reports. He prefers to walk the operation, speak with people, recognise good work and identify issues quickly. When serious matters arise, he handles them privately and respectfully rather than publicly embarrassing someone. His style also includes being mindful of personal presence. A senior leader's authority, physical presence, tone of voice and communication style can all be intimidating. Baudat has learned to reduce unnecessary barriers by sitting with people rather than speaking down to them, moving away from a formal desk setting and creating a calmer environment for important conversations. How can technology help? Technology can strengthen decision intelligence by helping leaders see patterns, identify operational issues and make better-informed choices. Data, AI tools and digital twins may enable hospitality organisations to test service flows, anticipate demand, model staffing needs and evaluate guest preferences. However, Baudat's experience suggests that technology cannot replace human judgement, frontline observation or emotional intelligence. Hospitality remains a people business. Technology may improve speed, consistency and insight, but leaders still need to understand staff, guests and the human realities behind operational data. The strongest use of technology is therefore to support better conversations and better decisions, not to remove leaders from the people they lead. Does language proficiency matter? Japanese language ability is valuable, particularly for leaders who intend to remain in Japan for the long term. It signals commitment, reduces communication distance and helps leaders pick up nuance. Baudat learned Japanese out of necessity when he was responsible for large teams with limited English ability. He acknowledges that language skills need not be perfect to be useful. The important point is whether the message can be understood. At the same time, language proficiency is not the first requirement for success. A leader without strong Japanese can still listen carefully, observe body language, work with trusted interpreters and remain alert to tone, silence and context. The most important ability is not speaking every word perfectly. It is understanding what is really being communicated. What is the ultimate leadership lesson? For Baudat, leadership is the ability to influence people and the environment in a positive way. It requires trust, growth and humanity. A good leader grows the company, but also grows the people within it. High intelligence alone is not enough. Leaders with low emotional intelligence may achieve results temporarily, but they risk becoming isolated and losing the confidence of the people around them. The ultimate leadership lesson is that influence is earned. It is earned through listening, keeping promises, supporting people when they face obstacles, recognising their contribution and having the courage to make difficult decisions when necessary. 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

Laura Shin has reported on crypto scams since the early days and wrote one of the first stories on sim swaps. That did not stop a spear-phishing attempt from getting her to download software and run a terminal command before she caught it. Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins turn her near miss into a practical defense playbook, then debate whether self-custody still makes sense for anyone with a public crypto profile. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern Ram Ahluwalia, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida Chris Perkins, Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto Guest: Laura Shin - Founder and Host of Unchained This clip is from a longer conversation on crypto security and social engineering. Full episode here: https://youtube.com/live/yKHaE6xMZsE  We go live every Monday - subscribe to catch it live. Sponsors:

Becoming a new leader is one of the most dangerous promotions in business. The person who was promoted for hard work, strong KPIs, early starts, late finishes and personal accountability suddenly becomes responsible for other people's performance. That sounds like career progress, but it can become a trap. Many new managers in Japan, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US receive little or no formal leadership training. They are expected to work it out alone. The problem is that the skills that earned the promotion are not the same skills needed to succeed as a leader. The new game is leverage, coaching, persuasion and building capability through the team. Why do new leaders struggle after promotion? New leaders struggle because they keep doing the work that got them promoted instead of learning how to lead others. They remain top performers, but they fail to multiply performance through the team. This is common in sales, finance, operations, technology and professional services. A strong individual contributor becomes a team leader and still tries to personally save the numbers. That works for a while, until the organisation raises the target and individual output hits its limit. A leader with ten people has access to eighty hours of team effort in a single day, while one heroic manager has only sixteen hours at most. The leverage is obvious, but many new leaders miss it. Do now: Stop measuring your value only by your personal output. Measure how much better the team performs because of your leadership. How can new leaders stop doing and start leading? New leaders must deliberately shift time from personal production to team development, coaching and performance management. The goal is not to be the busiest player; it is to become the conductor of the orchestra. The orchestra conductor does not play the violin, trumpet or drums. The conductor studies the musicians, aligns timing, manages egos, draws out potential and lifts the whole performance. New managers must do the same. Yes, some may still carry clients or operational responsibilities, especially in SMEs and lean organisations. But over time, they should move those tasks to capable team members and invest more time in developing people. Do now: Audit your week. Reduce low-leverage personal tasks and increase time spent coaching, delegating and improving team capability. How should new leaders balance people and process? New leaders need enough process to protect the organisation and enough freedom to allow creativity, ownership and experimentation. Too many rules kill initiative; too few controls create risk. Compliance matters. Rules protect companies from legal, financial and reputational disaster. We have all seen finance-world examples where weak controls and adrenaline-fuelled risk-taking damaged or destroyed firms. But if every action requires permission, the team stops thinking. In Japanese companies, where stability and process discipline are often strong, leaders must create safe space for ideas while respecting governance. In startups, the danger may be the opposite: too much freedom and not enough control. Do now: Clarify non-negotiable rules, then invite the team to find better paths within those boundaries. Why should leaders encourage ideas from the team? Leaders should encourage team ideas because creativity, ownership and engagement grow when people help shape the solution. If every answer comes from the boss, the team becomes passive. New leaders often let ego get in the way. They think, "I am the boss, so the best ideas should come from me." Or worse, they fear that a talented team member might replace them. That is small thinking. Organisations everywhere are crying out for leaders who create more leaders. A manager known as a "leader creating machine" becomes more valuable, not less. If nobody can replace you, you may be trapped in the same role forever. Do now: Ask the team for options before giving your answer. Build people who can eventually replace you. Why is coaching essential for first-time managers? Coaching is essential because the leader's job is to help people become better than they already are. If everyone keeps working the same way, the team will keep getting the same results. Many new leaders were self-sufficient high achievers. They did not need much help, so they underestimate how much coaching others require. But people do not automatically change because the boss wants better numbers. They may want the company, market, customers or boss to change while they stay exactly as they are. That is where coaching, listening and persuasion become core leadership skills. Dale Carnegie-style leadership is not command and control; it is influence, trust and development. Do now: Schedule regular coaching conversations and focus on behaviour change, not just task updates. What should new leaders study to keep succeeding? New leaders should study leadership deliberately because management skill does not arrive through osmosis.Promotion gives authority, but study builds capability. First-time managers should study delegation, coaching, listening, persuasion, conflict management, motivation and performance accountability. In Japan's consensus-oriented business culture, persuasion and listening are especially important because blunt orders often create surface agreement without real commitment. In Western organisations, speed and directness may be valued, but influence still matters. The Darwinian "up or out" business world does not forgive leaders who refuse to grow. Do now: Treat leadership as a discipline. Study it, practise it and get feedback before small mistakes become career-limiting habits. Final Summary New leaders succeed when they understand that promotion changes the job. What worked before will not be enough now. The leader must stop being only the best player and start building the whole team's performance. Three priorities matter most. First, stop doing everything yourself and start gaining leverage through others. Second, balance process with people so the organisation stays safe while creativity survives. Third, become a genius coach who listens, persuades and develops capability. Study the new role seriously. In leadership, survival and success belong to the people who learn fastest. Author Bio 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). 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.

Many companies complain that their salespeople cannot sell, but the real problem is often poor sales management, weak onboarding, unrealistic targets, and almost no proper coaching. In Japan, where hiring English-speaking, globally minded salespeople has become harder, wasting sales talent is not just inefficient. It is expensive, avoidable, and strategically dangerous. Salespeople do not magically become productive. They need realistic targets, consistent sales training, active coaching, and managers who know how to build capability rather than just demand numbers. Why do companies waste salespeople? Companies waste salespeople when they hire them, pressure them, under-train them, and then blame them when they fail. The salesperson may look useless, but the system around them may be the real culprit. In industries such as recruitment, real estate, insurance, technology, and professional services, the "up or out" mentality is common. Throw enough people into the machine, set high targets, and keep the few who survive. That approach may have worked when there were plenty of candidates available, but Japan's labour market is tighter, younger talent is scarcer, and bilingual salespeople are harder to find. As of the post-pandemic period, companies cannot afford to treat salespeople like disposable parts. They need a development model, not a meat grinder. Do now: Audit your sales exits. Before calling people failures, check whether onboarding, coaching, target-setting, and manager support failed first. Why is hiring salespeople in Japan becoming harder? Hiring salespeople in Japan is harder because the supply of internationally exposed, English-speaking young talent has shrunk and domestic Japanese firms now compete for the same people. Multinationals no longer have the bilingual talent field to themselves. Japanese students studying overseas, especially in the United States, declined significantly from earlier peaks, and COVID-19 disrupted international mobility even further. The pattern also changed: fewer students completed long, four-year immersion experiences, while more chose shorter overseas programmes. That matters because multinational firms in Japan often seek candidates who can speak English, understand Western business culture, and operate confidently across borders. Meanwhile, Japanese domestic companies have become more attractive and more aggressive in hiring these same people. So, if you want a bilingual salesperson in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, or Fukuoka, brace for impact. Do now: Stop assuming talent is plentiful. Build a sales development engine that turns promising people into productive producers. What is broken about sales training in Japanese companies? Sales training in many Japanese companies is broken because On-the-Job Training exists in name, but not in real coaching practice. The company may believe development is happening, while the salesperson receives little meaningful guidance. The old OJT model relied on bosses having time to observe, coach, correct, and demonstrate. Today, many sales managers are drowning in email, meetings, CRM updates, forecasting, internal reporting, and their own player-manager targets. Coaching gets squeezed out. Nobody wants to admit that reality, so the organisation maintains a tatemae — the polite surface story — that young salespeople are being trained. Meanwhile, the honne — the actual truth — is that they are often left to struggle alone. In sales, that gap becomes missed revenue, low morale, and higher turnover. Do now: Measure actual coaching hours, not training slogans. If managers are not coaching weekly, the OJT system is probably fiction. How should sales targets be set fairly? Sales targets should be set using evidence, tenure, sales cycle length, market conditions, and comparable performance data — not numbers pulled out of the ether. Unrealistic targets crush confidence and accelerate resignations. A first-year salesperson, a veteran account manager, and a newly hired bilingual sales rep cannot be judged by the same blunt target logic. Leaders need a "Day One" view: when did the person start, what pipeline stage are they at, what territory did they inherit, and how are they performing compared with colleagues at the same stage? This approach is far more scientific than the wet-finger-in-the-air method. In Japan, where trust-building and decision cycles can be slower, target-setting must reflect reality. Pressure matters, but fantasy numbers create despair, not performance. Do now: Build a Ground Zero-style performance tracker. Compare people by stage, role, market, and ramp-up time before setting targets. Why does regular sales training improve revenue quickly? Regular sales training improves revenue quickly because sales is one of the few training areas where better behaviour can directly affect pipeline, conversion, deal size, and repeat business. When salespeople ask better questions, handle objections better, and follow a better process, results can move fast. Even experienced salespeople collect bad habits like barnacles on an oil tanker. They cut corners, talk too much, skip discovery, rush proposals, forget follow-up discipline, or assume they know what the customer wants. New salespeople need core skills; veterans need recalibration. In Japan, where buyers value trust, detail, patience, and relationship continuity, weak sales habits are especially costly. Training should not be a one-off event. It should be repeated, observed, coached, and reinforced in the field. Do now: Train regularly, then coach application. Knowledge in a classroom is not enough; changed behaviour in front of clients is the point. Why don't more companies train their salespeople properly? Many companies avoid proper sales training because sales managers fear exposure, Learning and Development teams protect their turf, and leaders underestimate the cost of mediocre training. The result is false economy. Sales managers may resist external training because they are supposed to be developing their people already. Admitting the need for help can feel like admitting failure. Some Learning and Development teams prefer to run training internally to justify their role or save budget. The problem is that bad training, generic training, or mediocre training is expensive because it fails to change behaviour. The bigger cost sits elsewhere: lost deals, wasted salaries, low productivity, recruitment fees, management time, and damaged morale. Training looks expensive only when leaders ignore the cost of not training. Do now: Calculate the real cost of sales turnover and underperformance. Then compare that number with the cost of serious training. Conclusion: how do leaders stop wasting salespeople? The answer is not rocket science: train them. Japan's shrinking bilingual talent pool, tougher hiring market, and weakening OJT habits mean companies cannot afford to burn through salespeople and pretend the problem is individual weakness. Some people may not be suited to sales, certainly. But many so-called "rejects" have simply been failed by poor systems, absent coaching, and fantasy targets. Leaders who rescue these salespeople, give them proper tools, set realistic expectations, and coach them consistently can build a serious competitive advantage. While rivals keep firing, replacing, and complaining, disciplined companies can train, retain, and win. FAQs Are bad salespeople always the real problem? No, poor sales performance often reflects weak management, poor onboarding, unrealistic targets, or lack of training. Leaders should examine the system before blaming the individual salesperson. Why is recruiting bilingual salespeople in Japan difficult? Recruiting bilingual salespeople in Japan is difficult because internationally exposed talent is scarcer and domestic firms now compete strongly for those candidates. Multinationals need to invest more seriously in development and retention. Does OJT still work for sales training? OJT only works when managers actually coach, observe, correct, and reinforce skills. If managers are too busy to coach, OJT becomes a slogan rather than a development method. How often should salespeople receive training? Salespeople should receive regular training and ongoing coaching, not a one-off workshop. New salespeople need fundamentals, while veterans need refreshers to remove bad habits. What is the fastest way to stop wasting sales talent? The fastest way is to combine realistic targets, structured training, weekly coaching, and better manager accountability. This gives salespeople a fair chance to become productive. Author bio 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" and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）, and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. 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, followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special edition of DOC Updates, Neil Skolnik speaks with Dr. Juan Frias, who catalogues the latest cardiometabolic medications, emphasizing the distinguishing characteristics of each. This special episode is sponsored with support from Lilly. Presented by: Neil Skolnik, MD, Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Abington Jefferson Health Juan Pablo Frias, MD, Medical Director and Principal Investigator, Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

Does the flare up in recent AUKUS debates represent the perspectives of the broader Australian public? Does Australia have a credible Plan B if part of AUKUS falters? Can Australia sustain the political will and strategic patience needed for a multi-decade defence project? In this episode, Justin Burke speaks with Jennifer Parker and Peter Dean about what the latest developments mean for AUKUS, the US alliance and Australia's long-term maritime strategy. Dr Peter Dean is Professor of Strategic Studies at The Australian National University (ANU).Jennifer Parker is an Expert Associate at the ANU National Security College (NSC) and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia.Justin Burke is Senior Policy Advisor at NSC. TRANSCRIPTShow notes:· NSC academic programs – find out more· AUKUS poll, by the Lowy Institute· Defence's Collins Class Submarines Life of Type Extension — Planning and Implementation, by the Australian National Audit Office We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three years ago, Chris Perkins sat across from Terry Duffy in Congress and made the case for perpetuals. Duffy pushed back — hard. Now Duffy's CME is suing the very regulator that finally allowed them. The CME argues Bitcoin perpetual futures are really swaps and should carry far more collateral. Chris traces the Dodd-Frank history that created the swap-versus-future divide, and Austin Campbell lays out why picking this fight in a post-Chevron court could backfire on the incumbent. Is a perpetual a swap or a future, and who gets to decide? Hosts: Austin Campbell - Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Group, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern Ram Ahluwalia - Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida Chris Perkins - Co-host of Bits + Bips and Head of Franklin Crypto This clip is from a longer conversation on tokenization, the AI trade, and the CME's lawsuit against the CFTC. Full episode here: https://youtube.com/live/oSiOeWq_pKE  We go live every Monday at 4:30pm ET - subscribe to catch it live.  Sponsor Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at https://cape.co/unchained (use code: UNCHAINED). Chapters ⚖️ 00:00 The incumbent sues its own regulator: what the CME is actually claiming

Business meetings have become one of the great productivity sinkholes of modern organisations. Mention the word "meeting" and people's eyes often roll because they expect too many attendees, too much waffle and too little value. Not all meetings are the same. Some are simple information-sharing sessions that could have been an email, a short video or an audio message. Others are strategic, high-stakes discussions that shape the company's future for the next decade. The problem is that many organisations treat all meetings as if they deserve the same one-hour block, the same crowd and the same vague agenda. That is ridiculous, expensive and fixable. Why are so many business meetings ineffective? Business meetings are ineffective because companies often fail to match the meeting format to the actual purpose.A simple update does not need the same time, people or structure as a major strategic decision. In Japan, the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, meetings often become default behaviour rather than deliberate business tools. Parkinson's Law tells us that work expands to fill the time available, and the same disease infects meetings. Give people one hour and the discussion mysteriously grows to one hour. Leaders need to ask whether the meeting exists to inform, decide, solve, align or create. If the purpose is unclear, the meeting becomes a hotchpotch and everyone pays the price. Do now: Before scheduling, ask: "Is this really a meeting, or could it be an email, video or audio update?" How should leaders clarify the purpose of a meeting? Leaders should define the meeting purpose before inviting anyone, booking a room or setting a time. Without a clear purpose, the agenda becomes a dumping ground for unrelated topics. A good meeting has a primary job. It might be to share information, make a decision, solve a client issue, review performance, manage risk or align a project team. In Japanese companies, where broad attendance can feel polite or politically safe, the purpose becomes even more important. If the meeting is only informational, send a written update. If a decision is needed, invite only the people who can contribute to that decision. Do now: Write the meeting purpose in one sentence and rank agenda items by priority before sending the invitation. Who really needs to attend a business meeting? Only people who are genuinely required for the purpose of the meeting should attend. Everyone else can receive the minutes, a summary or the action list. Japan often loves to invite everyone, but every extra person adds cost. A ten-person meeting lasting one hour consumes ten working hours before any follow-up work even begins. In global companies using Outlook, Google Calendar, Teams or Zoom, it is far too easy to add names casually. That creates calendar congestion and hidden waste. Smaller meetings are usually sharper, faster and more accountable. Do now: Separate required decision-makers and contributors from people who only need to be informed afterward. How long should a business meeting be? Business meetings should be as short as the purpose allows, not automatically one hour. Many meetings can be cut to 40 minutes, 25 minutes or replaced entirely. The one-hour default is a dangerous habit. Shaving 20 minutes off multiple daily meetings creates enormous time savings across a department, branch or region. Standing meetings can also shorten discussion because physical discomfort discourages rambling. In startups, speed may be normal. In large Japanese corporations and multinationals, the bigger opportunity is disciplined meeting design: fewer attendees, tighter timing and stronger facilitation. Do now: Default to shorter meetings. Try 40 minutes instead of one hour and protect the recovered time. What should meeting organisers prepare before the meeting? Meeting organisers should prepare the agenda, room, technology, materials and likely objections before people arrive. A meeting starts failing before it begins if the basics are not ready. Send the agenda early so participants can think before entering the room. Reserve the space, confirm the room layout, test screens, microphones, online links and any hybrid meeting technology. In large companies, meeting rooms are often scarce, so finishing slightly early is both professional and gracious. Anticipate questions and resistance as if preparing for a presentation. Do not wait for the Q&A to discover the obvious objections. Do now: Arrive early, check the setup and demolish predictable resistance with evidence before it derails the meeting. How should leaders run meetings during the session? Leaders should start and end on time, control participation, enforce respectful rules and capture decisions clearly.Meeting discipline is not harsh; it protects everyone's time. Do not wait for habitual latecomers strolling in with coffee. Start on time. Nominate someone to take minutes before the meeting begins, because nobody wants to volunteer once the room fills. Encourage quieter people to speak so the same three confident voices do not dominate. Set rules: no interruptions, disagree agreeably and summarise decisions before moving to the next item. Otherwise meetings become gladiatorial spectacles for ambitious show-offs. Do now: State the rules at the start, draw out silent contributors and record who agreed to do what by when. Final Summary Meetings will happen anyway, so leaders must decide whether they will remain a ridiculous waste of time or become engines for organisational growth. Better meetings begin before the meeting: clarify the purpose, invite the right people, shorten the time, send the agenda, prepare the room and anticipate resistance. During the meeting, start on time, manage participation, take minutes and assign clear accountability. After the meeting, distribute the minutes quickly, track deadlines and evaluate whether the meeting was worth the time. Do this consistently and become known as the Master of Meetings, not the villain of everyone's calendar. Author Bio 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. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). 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.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dave Acosta and Austin Branch discuss IPA's APEX conference which will be September 8–9, 2026 at the CARASOFT facility in Reston VA. As governments, militaries, industries, and societies confront increasingly sophisticated influence operations, disinformation campaigns, and cognitive warfare activities, the need for cognitive security education, research, and professional development has never been greater. APEX 2026 is a two-day educational forum dedicated to advancing the emerging field of cognitive security. Bringing together educators, researchers, students, practitioners, government representatives, and industry leaders, APEX seeks to foster collaboration, strengthen professional expertise, and contribute to the development of future approaches to Operations in the Information Environment (OIE). Recording Date: 19 June 2026 Resources: APEX Conference Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Austin Branch is a nationally recognized leader in cognitive security, strategic influence, and information operations. A retired Army Officer and senior U.S. government executive, he pioneered the Army's Information Operations career field and served as the first Senior Director for IO in the Office of Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. He is the co-founder of the Information Professionals Association and Managing Partner of Crescent Bridge Corporation, advancing cross-sector solutions to achieve cognitive advantage. He also serves as Professor of Practice at the University of Maryland's Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security and as an Adjunct Professor at The Citadel, where he teaches Cognitive Security. A contributor to The Cipher Brief, Austin also designs college-level curricula on intelligence and gray zone competition, blending operational insight with academic rigor to mentor the next generation of strategic thinkers. David Acosta is a Board Member of the Information Professionals Association and focuses on the Association's education portfolio. Additionally, Dave serves as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, currently commanding the 2nd Brigade, 91st Training Division, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He served at various levels throughout his career from the company/battery level to the Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7. He commanded the 303d Information Operations (IO) Battalion, 151st Theater IO Group at Camp Parks CA and served as the G3 Information Operations (IO) Chief for the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). He also served as the Assistant Deputy Director for Joint Warfighting Development, Joint Staff J-7 in Suffolk, Virginia. His operational tours include deployments to Kosovo in 1999, Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2002, and Iraq in 2007 and 2009. Additionally, Dave is a Professor of Practice of Technical Operations in the Information Environment at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Dave holds a Bachelors of Science in History (Russian Area) from the US Air Force Academy, a Master of Science in Joint Information Operations from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College. He is a PhD student of International Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren is joined by Stanford design leader and life design pioneer Bill Burnett for a conversation about what it means to build a meaningful life, and why that question is bigger than work alone.Bill brings a design thinking lens to the topic meaning: how do we move beyond transactional living and create a life that feels psychologically rich, connected, and fully alive? Together, he and Andrew explore a set of practical mindsets that can help us approach our lives with more curiosity, flexibility, and intention.They also talk about an important tension in the meaning conversation: while meaningful work can be a powerful source of energy and purpose, it can also tip into obsession, burnout, and exploitation when our identities become too tightly wrapped around it. Bill offers a refreshing alternative that expands meaning beyond career success and into community, experimentation, and the relationships that shape who we become.Key TakeawaysMeaningful work matters, but a meaningful life cannot rest on work alone.Design thinking offers a practical way to approach life: stay curious, prototype, and learn by trying things.Mindsets like wonder, radical acceptance, and availability can help us move out of purely transactional living and into richer experiences of meaning.The healthiest way to pursue meaningful work may be to stay fully engaged and calmly attached, committed, but not consumed.Formative communities play a critical role in a good life by helping us become the kinds of people we want to be.Too much meaning in work can have a dark side, including burnout, blurred boundaries, and vulnerability to exploitation.Why This Episode MattersA lot of conversations about meaning focus on finding the right job, the right purpose, or the right passion. This episode broadens that frame. Bill Burnett reminds us that meaning is not just something we discover once and secure forever. It is something we design over time through our attention, our relationships, our habits, and our willingness to stay open to what life is asking of us.For listeners who want meaningful work but also want a sustainable, psychologically rich life, this conversation offers both language and tools.About Our GuestBill Burnett is an Adjunct Professor and Executive Director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford, where he has helped thousands of students and professionals apply design thinking to life and career decisions. Trained as a product designer, he has worked in both startups and Fortune 100 companies, including Apple, where he designed award-winning laptops, and in the toy industry, where he worked on Star Wars action toys. He is the co-author of Designing Your Life and Designing Your New Work Life, and his work bridges design, meaning, and human flourishing in ways that are both practical and deeply resonant.Mentioned in This EpisodeDesigning Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansDesigning Your New Work Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansFully Alive by Design newsletterFree Life Design worksheets and tools

What happens when the very things that make you different become your greatest strengths?For Fitzann “Fitz” Reid, showing up fully, taking calculated risks, and creating opportunities where none existed before have been defining themes throughout her career.A lawyer, investor, entrepreneur, sports owner, and leader, Fitz has built a career that defies traditional expectations. From growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, as the daughter of Jamaican immigrants to serving at the highest levels of the SEC, helping launch Hunterbrook, and investing in professional sports, she has consistently chosen growth over comfort and possibility over convention.In this episode of Branding Room Only, Fitz and Paula explore what it means to build a career intentionally rather than simply following the path laid out for you. They discuss the power of sponsorship, the leadership lessons learned through sports, the responsibility that comes with visibility, and the confidence required to remain authentic in spaces that were not always designed with you in mind. Fitz also shares her experiences as a Black queer woman and a first-generation Jamaican-American, and how those experiences have informed her perspective while never limiting the scope of who she is or what she can accomplish.The conversation covers career pivots, entrepreneurship, investing, leadership, and personal branding through the lens of someone who has repeatedly stepped into unfamiliar spaces and found ways to succeed. Fitz's story is a reminder that growth often requires courage, that visibility creates possibility for others, and that some of the most meaningful opportunities appear long before there is certainty about the outcome. Her approach to life and work demonstrates the value of trusting yourself, staying open to possibility, and being willing to take the first step before you have every answer.1:26 – Fitzann's personal brand definition and why she describes herself as authentic, relentless, and empathetic4:20 – Why a Bryan Stevenson (director of Equal Justice Initiative) quote that hangs on Fitz's wall made such an impression7:43 – How Fitz learned independence and resilience as a kid growing up in South Jamaica, Queens 10:25 – How being a first-generation Jamaican American has influenced Fitz's leadership and ambition13:02 – The weight of responsibility often facing children of immigrants and how Paula conveyed that to her kids14:25 – How Fitz has navigated her career and assumed leadership positions as a Black, queer woman in industries often lacking diversity19:05 – How her background in sports has played a major role in Fitz's leadership style22:38 – How Fitz stood her ground against conforming in law school and grew her confidence over time31:45 – Fitz outlines her career trajectory, from an early interest in politics and law school to buying an Italian basketball team and building Hunterbrook39:02 – How that initial sports investment opened up bigger doors of opportunity41:00 – How Fitz has been intentional about building her brand while navigating her career44:32 – The root of Fitz's personal and strategic interest in women's sports, and investment opportunities still available48:10 – Why advocacy through the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association is so important to Fitz51:48 – Why Fitz will never compromise on how she shows up, and the magic she offers to others53:41 – The importance of treating your difference from others as a superpower, not a disadvantageConnect With Fitzann ReidFitzann “Fitz” Reid is a partner, general counsel, and chief compliance officer at Hunterbook, a startup media company and hedge fund. She's also an avid sports investor and co-founder of Vera West Sports and Entertainment. Before Hunterbrook, she spent the bulk of her career in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at the highest levels, serving across Examinations and Enforcement as well as Senior Counsel to Commissioner Allison Lee. Then she moved on to become the Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel at impact-focused hedge fund Engine No 1. Her work spanned rulemaking, enforcement, litigation, whistleblowers, and on-site examinations of registrants, including broker-dealers, investment advisers, private fund advisers, and mutual funds.Fitzann has a BBA from Pace University, an MBA from Wharton at UPenn, and a JD from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, where she later taught federal regulations and enforcement as an Adjunct Professor. Off the clock, she serves on several boards, including the National LGBTQ Plus Bar Association, and is registered with the state bar in D.C. and New York.Fitzann Reid on LinkedInHunterbrook | Instagram | X | TikTok | YouTubeMentioned In Authenticity, Ambition, and Betting on Yourself with Fitzann ReidEqual Justice InitiativeNational LGBTQ+ Bar AssociationCurated Resources from PaulaSign up for Paula's Upcoming Events Learn More About Paula's Personal Branding Strategy Session OfferSubscribe to The Branding Room Only podcast on YouTubeCall to ActionFollow & Review: Help others find the podcast. Subscribe and leave a quick review.Want more branding insights? Join Paula's newsletter for expert tips and exclusive content! Subscribe HereConferences are an investment—make sure you maximize yours. My Engage Your Hustle™ Conference Playbook gives you the strategies to prepare, stand out, and follow up with impact. Get your copy today.Sponsor for this episodeThis episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.PGE Consulting Group LLC empowers individuals and organizations to lead with purpose, presence, and impact. Specializing in leadership development and personal branding, we offer keynotes, custom programming, consulting, and strategic advising—all designed to elevate influence and performance at every level.Founded and led by Paula Edgar, our work centers on practical strategies that enhance professional development, strengthen workplace culture, and drive meaningful, measurable change.To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at info@paulaedgar.com, and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

In this conversation, John Anderson sits down with Prof. Simon Haines and Dr. Fiona Mueller to examine how Australia's schools and universities stopped teaching children how to think, and what a genuine restoration of education would look like. The results are measurable in falling literacy, rising school refusal, and a curriculum that has prioritised ideological formation at the expense of knowledge.From the classical roots of Western education and the Trivium to the ideological capture of teacher training and university management, Haines and Mueller expose the ideas driving the decline and the institutions already proving a better model is possible. What is at stake is not just educational outcomes, but the capacity of the next generation to reason clearly, to govern themselves wisely, and to pass on what they have inherited.Prof. Simon Haines is the Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts at Campion College Australia, Adjunct Professor at the Australian Catholic University, and a founding Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities. He previously served as the inaugural CEO of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation and is a Director of Humanities for Life.Dr. Fiona Mueller served as Head of ANU College at the Australian National University and as Director of Curriculum at the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), and was named among the five most influential people in Australian education by the Australian Financial Review in 2019. She is an Adjunct Fellow with the Centre for Independent Studies, a Senior Fellow with Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy), and currently serves as Director of Research at the Page Research Centre.

The US government issued a Friday-night export control directive against Anthropic's Fable 5, citing a jailbreak that could expose advanced cyber capabilities built into the underlying Mythos model. No statutory authority was publicly disclosed. No comment period was given. Sam Enzer, Partner and CahillNXT Co-Chair at Cahill Gordon & Reindel, joins Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins to assess the directive's legal standing. Enzer draws a parallel to Gensler-era regulation by enforcement: familiar government power applied to new technology, with no transparent framework. His central question: if export controls can reach an AI model's API, can the same authority reach a US-based DeFi protocol serving foreign nationals? Austin raises the Choke Point parallel and asks where the limiting principle actually is. Ram argues that restricting software is restricting speech under the First Amendment. Chris warns that national security will always be the trump card unless the industry makes a credible counter-argument. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Host of Bits + Bips, Founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting, and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern - https://x.com/austincampbell Ram Ahluwalia, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of Lumida - https://x.com/ramahluwalia Chris Perkins, Co-host of Bits + Bips and CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management - https://x.com/perkinscr97 Guest: Sam Enzer, Partner and CahillNXT Co-Chair at Cahill Gordon & Reindel This clip is from a longer conversation on AI export controls, national security, and the First Amendment. Full episode here: https://youtube.com/live/pEh1zr1pj90  We go live every Monday at 4:30pm ET - subscribe to catch it live. Sponsors

Free course: Improve your metabolic healthGet our free email course on how glucose, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and measurement can help you build habits that support better energy and long-term health: ⁠⁠⁠https://levels.link/wnl⁠High cholesterol. Elevated ApoB. A positive CAC score. Now what?Most people quickly find themselves trapped between two extremes: simplistic advice to “cut saturated fat” and online influencers insisting cholesterol doesn't matter at all.In this episode of A Whole New Level, Mike Haney sits down with clinical research scientist Dr. Kevin Maki to cut through the confusion.Drawing on more than 35 years of cardiovascular research, Maki explains why heart disease risk is about much more than LDL cholesterol alone. He breaks down the roles of inflammation, blood sugar, family history, kidney function, and lipoproteins, while also making a clear case for something many people resist: LDL and ApoB still matter. A lot.The evidence increasingly suggests that when it comes to atherosclerosis, lower for longer is better. That has important implications for diet, statins, and how early we should intervene.Mike and Dr. Maki also tackle saturated fat, seed oils, red meat, industry-funded research, and how to separate evidence from online nutrition debates.

 In this special live-recorded episode of Tales from the 10th, a panel of legal experts, landowners, and state officials examines the Tenth Circuit's landmark decision in Iron Bar Holdings v. Cape, the case that brought national attention to "corner crossing." While the court held that crossing between federal public lands without touching private property is lawful under specific circumstances, the discussion explores the many practical, legal, and policy questions the decision left unresolved from state trust lands and damaged survey markers to trespass liability and future legislative action. Moderator: Professor Alan Romero, Senior Associate Dean at the University of Wyoming College of Law and Director of the Rural Law Center. Presenters: David Willms, Associate Vice President, Public Lands at the National Wildlife Federation, and Adjunct Professor at the University of WyomingJim Magagna, with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association David Dewald, Deputy Attorney General, Water & Natural Resources Division.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Ben Orthlieb of Blue Moon Seth Levine of Foundry Steve Blank is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford We asked guests to tell the most important lesson they've learned in their career. The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

For three years, a counterfeiting bug sat live inside Zcash's shielded pool, and no one noticed. Then Taylor Hornby pointed a custom Claude Opus 4.8 agent at the code, and it surfaced the flaw in Orchard that had gone undetected since 2022. Austin Campbell, Ram Ahluwalia, and Chris Perkins debate what that means for privacy protocols, the rotation away from dead-protocol alts, and why Bitcoin's simplicity may be its strongest security argument yet. The conversation closes on quantum risk and whether the Lindy effect holds up under the new threat environment. Hosts: Austin Campbell, Founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern - https://x.com/austincampbell Ram Ahluwalia, CEO of Lumida - https://x.com/ramahluwalia Chris Perkins, President of CoinFund - https://x.com/perkinscr97 This clip is from a longer conversation on AI, security, and the Zcash counterfeiting bug. Full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/live/oSUVTmC3wZo?si=zTopwWKi3ETPD5Rz  We go live every Monday at 4:30pm ET - subscribe to catch it live. Sponsors Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at cape.co/unchained (use code: UNCHAINED). Chapters

Support the Institute today. https://givenow.nova.edu/the-institute-for-neuro-immune-medicine-inim-2025   In today's episode, Haylie Pomroy is joined by Dr. Theoharis Theoharides, one of the world's leading authorities on mast cell biology and neuroimmunology, to reframe multiple chemical sensitivity as a measurable, physiological immune response rooted in mast cell activation. Dr. Theoharides explains how mast cells throughout the body and brain respond to environmental chemicals, stress hormones, fragrances, mold toxins, and other triggers by releasing hundreds of chemical mediators that can affect every organ system simultaneously. He outlines the specific labs and biomarkers worth requesting, why standard diagnostic pathways frequently miss this condition, and what patients can do right now to reduce mast cell reactivity through natural compounds, environmental modifications, and targeted testing. This is a conversation that gives patients the clinical language and tools they need to stop being dismissed and start getting answers. Tune in to Hope and Help For Fatigue and Chronic Illness. Dr. Theoharis Theoharides is a Professor, Vice Chair of Clinical Immunology, and Director at the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine-Clearwater, an Adjunct Professor of Immunology at Tufts School of Medicine, where he was a Professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, and also the  Director of Molecular Immunopharmacology & Drug Discovery, and Clinical Pharmacologist at the Massachusetts Drug Formulary Commission (1983-2022). He received his BA, MS, MPhil, PhD, and MD degrees and the Winternitz Price in Pathology from Yale University and received a Certificate in Global Leadership from Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy  School of Government. He trained in internal medicine at New England Medical Center, which awarded him the Oliver Smith Award, "recognizing excellence, compassion, and service." Dr. Theoharides has 485 publications (46,491 citations; h-index 106), placing him in the world's top 2% of most cited authors, and he was rated the worldwide expert on mast cells by Expertscape. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, the Rare Diseases Hall of Fame, and the World Academy of Sciences.   Website: https://www.drtheoharides.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theoharis-theoharides-ms-phd-md-faaaai-67123735 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.theoharides/   Haylie Pomroy, Founder and CEO of The Haylie Pomroy Group, is a leading health strategist specializing in metabolism, weight loss, and integrative wellness. With over 25 years of experience, she has worked with top medical institutions and high-profile clients, developing targeted programs and supplements rooted in the "Food is Medicine" philosophy. Inspired by her own autoimmune journey, she combines expertise in nutrition, biochemistry, and patient advocacy to help others reclaim their health. She is a New York Times bestselling author of The Fast Metabolism Diet.   Learn more about Haylie Pomroy's approach to wellness through her website: https://hayliepomroy.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayliepomroy  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hayliepomroy/videos  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayliepomroy/  X: https://x.com/hayliepomroy    Thank you for tuning in to the Hope and Help For Fatigue and Chronic Illness Podcast. Sign up today for our newsletter.

Autonomous vehicles may be the closest real-world example of AI operating in life-and-death situations at scale. Justin Norden believes healthcare has a lot to learn from how that industry approached safety, testing, adoption, and trust. This week, Michael and Halle sit down with the founder and CEO of Qualified Health, fresh off the company's $125 million Series B, to discuss why healthcare organizations need to think differently about deploying AI. Justin shares how his experience at Stanford, Apple, Waymo, and in healthcare investing shaped his view that health systems need AI infrastructure, governance, and workforce buy-in, not just another point solution.We cover:What healthcare can learn from Waymo's approach to safe AI deploymentWhat founders need to understand about building around EpicWhy health systems need to treat AI as a CEO-level priority, not an innovation projectHow Qualified Health is helping systems deploy, monitor, and measure AI workflowsWhy governance, safety, and ROI matter as much as model performanceWhy clinicians are right to be skeptical about AI liabilityAbout our guest:Justin Norden, MD is Co-Founder and CEO of Qualified Health building the trusted platform for health system AI. Additionally, he has been an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Medicine in the Department of Biomedical Informatics Research where his research and teaching focused on AI in medicine and digital health where he founded and still teaches courses on digital health and generative AI in medicine. Previously, Dr. Norden was Co-Founder and CEO of Trustworthy AI, a company focused on algorithm safety and trust, which was acquired by Waymo (Google Self-Driving). He was a Partner at GSR Ventures leading investments in healthcare and AI, worked on the healthcare team at Apple, and helped start the Stanford Center for Digital Health. Dr. Justin Norden received an MD and MBA from Stanford University, an MPhil in Computational Biology from the University of Cambridge, and a BA in Computer Science from Carleton College.—

Strategy sold BTC. Can its preferred dividend stack survive without Bitcoin growing at least 11.5% year? Plus, they cover Jamie Dimon calling Brian Armstrong “full of shit.” --- Heads up! If you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to Bits + Bips, since the show will migrate there in a few weeks. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unchained⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and wherever you get your podcasts. ---- Strategy sold Bitcoin for the first time since 2022 — 32 BTC to cover preferred stock dividends. Ram, Austin, and Chris discuss whether that small sale signals a deeper structural tension between equity holders, preferred holders, and Bitcoin itself. They also covered the news that Anthropic filed for an IPO at a valuation approaching $1 trillion. The hosts lay out the bull and bear cases  and ask whether retail investors can realistically get a 10x out of a company already priced like a finished product. Unpacking a spicier moment, they also discussed the moment when JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon called Coinbase's Brian Armstrong “full of shit” on live TV over the Clarity Act. Ram says crypto's window of peak political power is closing fast, while Austin gives crypto lobbyists a great idea for how to turn the banks' stablecoin yield crusade against them. Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Austin Campbell — Founder, Zero Knowledge Consulting; Adjunct Professor, NYU Stern ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ram Ahluwalia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Co-Host, CEO of Lumida ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Perkins⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Co-Host, CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may think of allergies as causing sniffly noses and congestion in the spring or fall. But allergies can go far beyond that. As Dr. Kari Nadeau points out in this episode, allergies can affect us from head to toe, including eyes, nose, throat, lungs, sinuses, skin and gut. In the most dangerous instances, the whole body is threatened with an anaphylactic reaction. That's a medical emergency! One in three Americans will develop allergies at some point in our lives, so it's important to know what works to control them. At The People's Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up to date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, June 6, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org).  Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. (Welcome, Huntsville, Alabama!) If you can't listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on June 8, 2026. What Are Allergies? We begin our discussion of your allergy survival guide with an explanation of what is happening during an allergic reaction. The immune system perceives some foreign compound, usually a protein, as dangerous even though normally it would not be. So it reacts by trying to flush the invader out by producing extra mucus. The turbinate sinuses can make one to two gallons of mucus a day, and naturally, it has to go somewhere. That's why you might be congested. Having all that mucus in the sinuses can also encourage bacterial growth, so if the allergic reaction persists, some people have to deal with sinus infections. Emergency Treatment In determining what works, you need to know the nature of the reaction. If you have two or more organs involved, if you are having trouble breathing or if you feel dizzy, you may be in the midst of an anaphylactic reaction. What works for that is an epinephrine injection and immediate medical attention. This is potentially life-threatening, so you will want to figure out what triggered the reaction so you can avoid it in the future. Once someone has suffered one anaphylactic reaction, they should keep epinephrine with them at all times in case of another episode. Epinephrine comes as a self-injector pen or a nasal spray (neffy). Can You Spot Drug Allergies? In the warnings that are rattled off as part of a TV ad for a pricey new drug, we often hear viewers cautioned not to take the medicine if they are allergic to it. That sounds like simple common sense, but it also has a Catch 22 quality. How do you know you are allergic to a medication unless you take it–and experience an allergic reaction for which you might need treatment. Most of these presumably are immune system-mediated reactions, in which the body produces IgE. That is how allergies to penicillin or sulfa drugs work. Some drugs cause a different type of reaction, not IgE-mediated but dangerous nonetheless. Lisinopril is the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medicine in this country. Like other ACE (ACE is short for angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor medications, lisinopril can trigger angioedema. This swelling can affect the face, lips, tongue and throat, where it can compromise breathing. The most insidious aspect of this reaction is that it can occur after the person has been taking the drug without problems for weeks, months or even years. “Red man syndrome” or infusion reactions in people taking vancomycin can likewise occur without warning. The last type of drug reaction is not actually an allergy at all, although people occasionally use that terminology. It is better described as sensitivity. For example, a stomachache is a common reaction to the antibiotic erythromycin. Some people are disabled by this abdominal pain and try to limit their exposure to erythromycin thereafter. What Works and What Doesn't? Since the immune system is acting inappropriately to cause allergic reactions, treatment should involve immunotherapy. Eye drops can help eyes feel less itchy and irritated. Likewise, OTC nose drops or nasal sprays can often help the nose. The corticosteroid Flonase (fluticasone) and the antihistamine Astepro (azelastine) are good examples. During allergy season, some people find that a daily nasal wash (with a neti pot or NeilMed device) can help reduce the mucus and remove the allergens such as pollen causing the reaction. There are also oral antihistamines and inhalers for asthma. For decades now, allergists have offered their patients shots to help desensitize them to the allergen causing their trouble. Joe had these as a child and teenager and has been largely free of allergies since. Not everyone gets such lasting relief. Complications from Current Therapies Medications have side effects, and that is true of allergy medicines as with other drugs. Antihistamines, especially the older ones like Benadryl (diphenhydramine), are notorious for causing drowsiness. That's one reason it is often included in nighttime pain relievers as the “PM” in drugs like Advil PM. We worry about regular use of such antihistamines because it has been linked to a greater risk for dementia. A second-generation antihistamine such as Allegra (fexofenadine) is much less likely to make someone feel sleepy. However, Dr. Nadeau has seen patients on antihistamines suffer worse allergies if they stop suddenly. The People's Pharmacy has received hundreds of reports from people who experienced unbearable itching upon discontinuing Zyrtec (cetirizine) or Xyzal (levocetirizine). This can last for weeks. Doctors don't usually worry much about steroid nasal sprays like Flonase because they are topical. Presumably, nasal tissues pick up most of the dose. Just the same, using such a nose spray day after day for a long time could result in systemic steroid exposure that is not trivial. Stronger Medicine Dr. Nadeau is enthusiastic about the benefits of two potent prescription medicines. One is Xolair (omalizumab). It was originally developed to prevent asthma, but is now approved for chronic sinusitis, food allergies and chronic hives. Paradoxically, Xolair is one of those medicines that could cause a severe allergic reaction even on the first dose, so the FDA warns that the initial injection should be given in a healthcare setting prepared to treat anaphylaxis. This is uncommon, though, occurring in 0.1 to 0.2% of patients. The other medication Dr. Nadeau is prescribing for allergy patients who don't respond well to other treatments is Dupixent (dupilumab). The FDA has approved this medicine to treat a wide range of conditions, including eczema, asthma, chronic sinusitis, allergic reactions affecting the esophagus and chronic hives, among other things. Most insurance companies will not cover this pricey injection unless the patient has failed all other therapies. Fighting Air Pollution: What Works Air pollution makes allergy symptoms worse, so using an effective air filter inside the home is a good step. A HEPA (high-efficiency particulate-arresting) filter is ideal, especially as part of the air-handling system. If that's not possible, utilizing a MERV 13 in the part of the home where you spend the most time is a good second choice. Sonu One new option for treating allergies is acoustic resonance therapy with the SoundHealth Sonu headband. It uses vibration from sound to loosen mucus from the sinuses so that they can clear. The FDA has approved its use for children as well as adults. New research was just published demonstrating its helpfulness in treating children with nasal congestion (Oto-Open, April-June 2026). SoundHealth has underwritten The People's Pharmacy podcast. Dr. Nadeau has also been compensated for her role in conducting studies of this device (International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, Dec. 2025). Since it does not employ medications, there are no drug side effects. This Week’s Guest Kari C. Nadeau, M.D., Ph.D., is Dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health ( starting July 1 2026). Until then, she holds many other positions. At Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health she is: John Rock Professor of Climate and Population Studies; Chair of the Department of Environmental Health; and Director of the Allergy, Extreme Weather, and Exposomics Lab. Dr. Nadeau is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and serves in the Division of Allergy and Inflammation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Medical School. Dr. Nadeau is also the co-author of The End of Food Allergy, which provides strategies for treating and preventing food allergies in children. Here is a link to the research underway in her Harvard laboratory. PHOTO CREDIT: STACY GEIKENTaken in April 2017 at Kari Nadeau’s professorship dinner The End of Food Allergy: The Science-Based Plan That Turns Food into Medicine The People's Pharmacy is reader supported. When you buy through links in this post, we may earn a small affiliate commission (at no cost to you). Listen to the Podcast The podcast of this program will be available Monday, June 8, 2026, after broadcast on June 6. You can stream the show from this site and download the podcast for free. This episode has additional information about Nasalcrom (cromolyn sodium nasal spray) and its effect on mast cells; alpha gal allergy to red meat; and the latest thinking on preventing peanut allergy among young children. Download the mp3