[Held on July 14 (Tue)] In-Person Seminar: Transforming Workplaces Where Disagreements Are Perceived as Attacks

Background and Objectives

This is an interactive seminar designed for managers in human resource development, business divisions, and new business development departments. Participants will experience how training utilizing debate can contribute to achieving goals such as hierarchical training, meeting reform, strengthening proposal capabilities, and executing visions.

Recommended for the Following Individuals

Heads of Human Resource Development / Training Administrators: ┗ Those in charge of planning training for new hires, junior employees, mid-career employees, and managers, as well as next-generation leader development, and initiatives to enhance proposal and thinking skills.

Managers in Business and Administrative Divisions: ┗ Individuals responsible for departmental results, human resource development, meeting operations, and organizational problem-solving.

Managers in New Business Development Divisions: ┗ Those aiming to improve their ability to set issues, verify hypotheses, make proposals, and pitch ideas.

Notes Regarding Applications This seminar is intended for corporate executives and operational staff. Therefore, we sincerely apologize, but the organizer reserves the right to cancel (refuse) tickets based on their judgment for the following individuals. Thank you for your understanding: ・ Individuals (including sole proprietors) ・ Individuals from the same industry or competing companies ・ Those whose purpose is contrary to the seminar's objectives, such as sales activities, solicitations, or purely networking. * We cannot answer inquiries regarding the reasons for cancellation. * Even if multiple participants are from the same company, please apply individually using the form below.

What You Will Gain from This Webinar

In the first half, we will clarify why questions and objections are rarely raised in meetings and introduce the three effects of debate:

1 Separating opinions from people, 2 Creating immersion and perspective shifts through roles, 3 Refining proposals by focusing on evidence and logic.

In the second half, to ensure that even participants meeting for the first time can work on the same foundation, we will conduct an exercise using a mini-case prepared by the organizers to identify structures that hinder deep discussion and to refine proposals through questions and objections.

Event Overview

Date

July 14, 2026 (Tuesday) 17:00-18:30

Format

In-person seminar (no online streaming planned)

Venue

Sophia Co., Ltd.

Address: 4F, Tōshō Kyōdō Bldg., 1-8-4 Nihonbashi Ningyōchō, Chūō-ku, Tokyo

Program

0. Opening / Today's Question

"Are opinions, questions, and objections being raised in your organization's meetings?"

1. Current Problems

Clarifying the background behind why opinions are not expressed in meetings, objections are perceived as attacks, and reasons for decisions become ambiguous.

Confirming that in Japan, there are few opportunities to learn a common framework for safely handling questions and objections, leading to ad-hoc discussion etiquette.

2. Why Debate is Effective

Separating people from opinions through roles, order of speaking, time limits, judges, and reasons for judgment, and focusing on evidence and logic.

The game-like nature of winning and losing fosters immersion, and taking on different roles broadens perspectives and viewpoints.

3. Case Studies of Debate Utilization Training

Introducing four stages: the "Assertion and Evidence Framework" for new and junior employees, the "Question and Objection Framework" for junior leaders, the "Proposal Refinement Framework" for mid-career leaders, and "Consensus Building Using Real Issues" for managers and executives.

Day 2 of the BA Management Training will be introduced as an applied case study for management layers to build common understanding.

4. Experience Through Mini-Exercises and Mini-Cases

"Techniques to Make Objections Strengthen Proposals, Not Attacks"

Participants will read a short meeting case prepared by the organizers and discuss in small groups:

(1) What is not being discussed? (2) What are the proposal's assertions, facts, and grounds? (3) What questions and objections would strengthen the proposal?

Using statements from the prepared case, participants will experience "evidence verification" and "opposition role-playing," which are parts of debate.

5. Reflection and Connection to Your Company's Issues

Explaining how the topics covered in the exercise are applied in actual training to develop "new hires' logical communication skills," "junior leaders' questioning skills," "mid-career leaders' proposal skills," and "managers' ability to discuss management issues."

Each participant will write down meeting, proposal, and training themes they wish to address in their own company.

6. Q&A / Individual Consultation Information

Lecturer

Sophia Co., Ltd. Toyokazu Hirai

Apply Here

Reference Materials

"Organizational Development Program Using 'Debate' to Enhance Employees' 'Change Capabilities'"

Free Material Download

We hope this report will be of assistance in improving communication within your organization.

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Company Profile

Sophia Co., Ltd. https://www.sofia-inc.com/

We offer a wide range of services, including organizational reform and development consulting, internal branding support, planning and operation of training and workshops, media and content planning/production, business process reform support, and ICT system development/utilization support. For details, please visit our official website.

● Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter

Sophia Co., Ltd. Contact: Kondo/Hirai

TEL: 03-5574-7031 FAX: 03-5574-7034 e-mail: [email protected]

4F, Tōshō Kyōdō Bldg., 1-8-4 Nihonbashi Ningyōchō, Chūō-ku, Tokyo https://www.sofia-inc.com/