Ten Considerations if You Must Use PowerPoint
by Les Wallace, Ph.D.
The ubiquitous PowerPoint is both boon and bane. An extraordinary means of organizing material and creating custom, visually engaging visuals, it’s helped many a person—from fourth graders to executives—piece together their messages. Yet, who among us has not suffered through the wrong application of this dynamic organizing tool misused in a presentation—prisoner of the PowerPoint.
It is not being a Luddite to ask each of us to think twice before using PowerPoint in our presentations. At least, think seriously about the mis-steps you may be about to make.
1. Think again. If you’re planning to read it to us, please email it instead, cancel the meeting, and save you embarrassment and us boredom and wasted time. Nothing is less credible and disengaging than the oral reading of PowerPoint.
2. Cut it back. Complex diagrams, data comparisons, graphs, and charts are always helped by a visual. Cut out the narrative and the ten bullet slides and simply talk to us using the graphs and charts to amplify you’re message. Don’t allow critical information to be hidden deep in a busy slide.
3. Talk to me. Please don’t turn your back and talk to the screen. Also, don’t turn out the lights. Leave enough light that we can actually see you. You want us to see the star communicator of the show: is that you, or the PowerPoint?
4. Give us a no PowerPoint intro. Build rapport with the group; let us see your personality before you glaze over our eyes with your dynamic pictures, cartoons, and outlines. We might even remember that you were there.
5. Don’t simply refer to the slides. Tell me a story. Weave a message with your passion and crisp explanation while letting the slides amplify your messages. It’s called a “visual aid,” a supporter of your messages not a substitute for them.
6. Simple please. Cut the cute graphics from your kid’s computer. Dump those middle school motivational pictures of mountain climbing, rapids kayaking, and eagles soaring with geese. This is business. And please, only a few points and no narratives per slide. If I can’t catch it with a glance then you’re taking attention away from you.
7. Interact with Me as We Go. Prisoners of the PowerPoint chafe leaving questions to the end. No interaction with the audience makes Jack and Jill and the presentation a dull bore. If you’ve ever briefed an executive you have learned you won’t make it three minutes anyway without being interrupted. By engaging us as you go you can read our reaction to your message and better gauge how to amplify the on screen content.
8. Direct the Slides Yourself. Adding insult to injury is the “next slide,” “no, go back a slide please” interactions with your joystick partner bent over the computer. Please learn to use the technology so you don’t look like a circus act.
9. Treat this like a real presentation not an informational memo. These tactics are still valuable: clear thesis and purpose, overview introduction, crisp organizational flow with distinct points easily gleaned from all the content and a powerful summation and call to action. Get out that old speech book.
10. My Copy Please. There are few things worse than having to ask for a copy of your slides. Active listeners like to take notes, have a record, and feel you cared enough to really share. We also want all those references you tossed around while you spoke. And, should you mis-use the technology we like to fast forward through the slides and decide whether to stay to hear you babble on or leave and use our time more wisely.
Les Wallace, Ph.D. is President of Signature Resources, an international leadership development and strategy firm. He is co-author of Speak With Credibility,™ (2006), Influence in the Workplace (1992), and A Legacy of 21st Century Leadership (2007). He can be reached at les@signatureresources.com.
