There was recently an article* that made an interesting point.
It seems that when executives use war- or battle-related metaphors, it can negatively impact how they are evaluated by external analysts. According to the research, when such language is frequently used in presentations, the likelihood of receiving a negative analyst report increases by as much as 20%.
In Japan as well, especially among older executives, war and combat metaphors are quite common.
Phrases like:
“This year’s summer sale will be a tough battlefield,”
or
“Our battle with Company A is a do-or-die situation.”
Many people use expressions like these, and some even quote The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
This tendency isn’t limited to external presentations, it also happens internally.
While these metaphors are often meant to convey just how tough the situation is, it’s likely that more people end up feeling discouraged rather than motivated by them.
Something like “Let’s give it our all!” is still fairly neutral, but saying “Sales is a life-or-death battle” really doesn’t suit the tone of today’s workplace.
Of course, this doesn’t apply only to executives. Even department heads and team leaders can fall into the same habit. If the goal is to encourage the team, it may be better to choose metaphors that are more uplifting and approachable.
(*Harvard Business Review, May–June 2025)
