Have you ever been slideswiped? You walk into a meeting and once everyone has arrived, the lights are often dimmed and the show begins. The presenter clicks the mouse again and again, showing you slide after slide until you can take no more. Exasperated, you shut your eyes and doze off. You have just been slideswiped!
Or, have the training classes and presentations at your company become stale and commonplace? Do they tend to look and feel exactly the same regardless of the topic? The only difference is the words have been changed-Few presentations stand out and you begin to wonder if anyone in your company is capable of a creative thought. Maybe most of the presentations you see have started with one of the templates found in PowerPointŪ. Do you need to communicate bad news? Click on the template "Communicating Bad News." Do you need to report progress or status? Click on the template "Reporting Progress or Status." Do you need to create an employee orientation training program? Click on the template "Employee Orientation." Do you need to create a company handbook? Click on the template "Company Handbook." Now, your company looks and sounds like all the others.
If you think these scenarios can't happen, think again. They already are happening in companies across the globe. PowerPointŪ has become so popular it is now a synonym for a presentation. Instead of asking for a copy of the salient points in a training program or company presentation, people are now saying, "Please send me the PowerPointŪ from Wednesday's class." Scott Adams is cartooning about it, too. In the first frame Dilbert is using a pointer and says, "As you can clearly see in slide 397?" In the next frame the audience is tearing their hair out and one of the employees falls over on the floor. In the final frame, Wally looks at him and exclaims, "PowerPointŪ Poisoning!"
Recently, I was speaking at an off-site meeting for a software company and was scheduled to present immediately following the VP of Marketing who was talking about the possibility of downsizing. When I arrived, the room was dark and the VP was reading from the screen. I saw heads nodding and people dozing. He was on slide 23 and had 22 more to go! The audience had a handout on which each of the slides was printed and numbered and those still awake, read along with him. Why bother? There was no interaction and people were discouraged from asking questions. Just pass out the handout and go home.
Given the touchy nature of the subject matter, a "lights on," Q&A would have been much more effective. The handout could have been distributed prior to the meeting so people could prepare their questions. Instead, he simply read to a group of scared employees who were in the dark to begin with and who he ultimately left in the dark.
Many presenters and trainers have become addicted to this technology. It's like drugs are to junkies. The more it's used, the harder it is to stop using it. It becomes a crutch. And, there's a price to pay. Audiences tune out, fall asleep and dread wasting time sitting in a room where slideswiping is the norm. Productivity drops, learning doesn't happen and humans disconnect. It seems presenters and trainers have forgotten how important it is to communicate with a group rather than just read to them, and how important it is to connect with an audience rather than just dazzle them with special effects. General Hugh Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued the following order to our military bases around the world, "Enough with the bells and whistles, just get to the point." (Wall Street Journal, 4/26/00).
Remember, people process information in many ways. Some learn visually, others learn by listening, and the kinesthetic types prefer to learn through movement. It's best to provide something for everyone. Remember, visual learners do not learn from bullet points alone; they learn from pictures, graphs, and images. Auditory learners do not learn from listening to sound effects like bells ringing and typewriters clacking. Instead, they learn from listening to an engaging speaker whose voice is powerful and who captivates their curiosity. And, kinesthetic learners do not learn from the movement of words on a slide. They learn from doing, touching, and moving around. They like to be involved and participate.
Usually, people don't participate because they suffer from low self-esteem or have been humiliated sometime before. Perhaps they learned through early experience that there is a much greater chance of being embarrassed than of being rewarded when they speak up in a meeting or a class. They might be afraid that they have nothing important to contribute or that they will appear foolish in front of others. They may also be disinterested in what's going on; they may feel they don't have a "stake" in the outcome. While there is no one solution to the problem, there are several things that can be done to enhance communication. Start by changing "Are there any questions?" to "What questions do you have?" Invite participation. You just might get it.
(c) Nancy Stern 2004
Through her workshops, seminars and consulting projects, Nancy Stern MA, helps people keep connected through conscious communication because how you say what you say matters?. She can be reached at 800-280-2666 or on the webwww.nancystern.com
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
MAKING INFORMATIVE LESSON PLANS: --The performance objectives should answer this... Read More
THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More
WHEN ONLY A LECTURE WILL DO: Under certain circumstances, of... Read More
First of all, what is a bio sheet and why... Read More
Presenters often tell me that they fear losing their train... Read More
If the mere thought of standing up in front of... Read More
Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More
"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . .... Read More
How many people will need to see the screen? A... Read More
A trade show is an ideal way of showcasing your... Read More
Have you ever been slideswiped? You walk into a meeting... Read More
Audiences around the world are all different. Cultural, social and... Read More
In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a... Read More
Kvetching is the Yiddish word for complaining, hand to the... Read More
8 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills 1. Join Toastmasters.... Read More
Eye contact is mandatory when giving a public presentation.The goal... Read More
Company attire says a lot about your business philosophy to... Read More
You have presentation style habits that automatically appear when you... Read More
No matter what your business is, you will enhance your... Read More
You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations... Read More
Allowing the audience to ask questions after your presentation is... Read More
"Let it be known, no person, thing, or situation... Read More
Did the "Painless" part of the title get your attention?Speaking... Read More
This article will help you to assess and maximise the... Read More
The query letter is simply a business letter that serves... Read More
Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what... Read More
I am of the belief that the majority of people... Read More
Once upon a time????."Yeah right, don't tell us a story,... Read More
I had a chance to go to one of those... Read More
Flip charts are so common that we all think we... Read More
Most of us would agree that having humor in our... Read More
There are four different ways that audience members assimilate information.... Read More
Delivering humorous speeches involves a lot more than simply having... Read More
When its time to give your next sales presentation, here... Read More
Like most good achievements, a magnificent meeting depends on planning... Read More
Exhibiting in a trade show can involve a major investment... Read More
Kvetching is the Yiddish word for complaining, hand to the... Read More
Calling a projector hire company will often get you confused... Read More
How?Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own... Read More
Appealing to emotions is the most powerful way to transfer... Read More
The international flavour of many people's jobs naturally means that... Read More
If the mere thought of standing up in front of... Read More
It is both good planning and considerate to provide auditors... Read More
There are many definitions for presentations. When you present there... Read More
Regardless of what response technique may be convenient in a... Read More
First and foremost, you must deal effectively with your own... Read More
At some point in your presentation you will be expected... Read More
What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly,... Read More
The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More
Company attire says a lot about your business philosophy to... Read More
The quality of your sales presentation will often determine whether... Read More
Communicating Bad News The Right WayIt's the rare executive who... Read More
I am of the belief that the majority of people... Read More
Although there are any number of different networking groups and... Read More
THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More
Ever had that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where to... Read More
Do you ever get frustrated with your marketing? Are you... Read More
Since the events of September 11th and the economy slipping... Read More
"The human brain starts working the moment you are born... Read More
There are four different ways that audience members assimilate information.... Read More
The most important tip...EVER!Make sure that you always think of... Read More
When was the last time you thought about what you... Read More
Conventional wisdom is that the more choices customers have, the... Read More
First of all, what is a bio sheet and why... Read More
Whether you are training preschoolers in the classroom or executives... Read More
I just got back from my whirlwind speaking engagements and... Read More
Presentation |