Last Saturday, the final session of the Women’s Presentation Essentials program was intense.
My co-coach (Heather) and I intentionally pushed the participants.
Each participant had just 10 minutes to create an entirely new presentation.
They had to deliver it clearly and confidently to the group.
Then they faced spontaneous questions.
No scripts.
No slides prepared in advance.
Not even time to practice.
This meant taking into consideration everything they’d learned in the 3-month program, including
- navigating nerves
- analyzing the audience
- structuring the story
- boosting body language
- vitalizing the voice
- confident Q&A
We made this hard—specifically so they could grow.
But Isn’t “Less Effort” About Making Things Easier?
If you’ve been following my work, you may be thinking, “Helen, what about that concept of ‘less effort, more impact’ you’re always talking about?”
Well, less effort doesn’t mean avoiding hard things.
It means using the minimum physical, mental, and emotional energy to get the maximum result.
Optimization.
Growth doesn’t come from comfort.
But it also doesn’t come from chronic stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm.
If you step too far out of your comfort zone, you land in the terror zone—and then you’re in survival mode.
That’s when your mind goes blank.
You freeze.
Or you want to escape.
Believe me, I’ve experienced that many times throughout my 3-decade career here in Japan.
And I can assure you: that was not the fast track to professional excellence.
Instead, it was a slow road to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion—what’s known today as burnout.
I really learned the hard way.
Why Leaders Need Deliberate Discomfort (But Not Too Much)
So what’s the sweet spot for growth and greater confidence as a business professional?
It’s narrower than you might think:
Uncomfortable…
But doable.
That’s where competence and confidence emerge.
If you want to grow as a leader, experiment with small, deliberate stretches:
- Ask a question in a meeting—even if your heart is pounding
- Have a conversation you’ve been postponing
- Say no to an event you were attending out of obligation or FOMO
- Take an afternoon off if overworking is your default (that’s hard for busy people!)
- Alternate a hot bath and cold shower (or sauna and cold plunge) for clarity and energy
What feels difficult is different for everyone.
The key is not going to extremes.
The key is growing gradually.
Each time you stretch slightly beyond comfort and survive, you build evidence for your reptilian brain:
“I can do this.”
“I handled that.”
“I’m stronger than I thought.”
That evidence compounds.
Why This Matters More Now
In a world where AI can generate text in seconds, written expertise alone is no longer enough to differentiate us.
Leadership presence, clarity of thinking, and confident communication are essential to be seen, heard, and make a positive contribution in our work.
When the Women’s Presentation Essentials participants delivered their 10-minute presentations, they didn’t feel ready.
But they did it anyway.
And every single one delivered a well-structured, engaging presentation.
Not because they felt fearless.
But because they had trained repeatedly just outside their comfort zone.
That’s where transformation happens.
So here’s a question:
What are you deliberately training for?
If you’re a woman in business in Japan and want to communicate with more clarity, confidence, and impact in meetings and presentations, the Sasuga! Women’s Presentation Workshop is designed to create exactly this kind of growth space for you.
✔️ One focused hour of presentation practice and coaching.
✔️ Maximum five participants.
✔️ Live online.
You only need to join once to see a significant difference.
Find out details & upcoming dates here.