|
Microsoft PowerPoint is the software of choice for many when
it comes to making a presentation before students, employees,
project team members and the like. As with other similar presentation
packages, it offers many useful features and functions. The
downside is that in all too many presentations, the technology
takes center stage, shunting the presenter to the role of
supporting act. We have all witnessed presentations that seemed
designed to help us catch up on our sleep and others that
were a whirlwind, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
Over the years of witnessing hundreds of presentations, I
have seen my fair share of yawn promoters and storms in teacups.
As a professional trainer, I thought: Why not condense the
most common errors that I have seen and draw some useful lessons
from which we can all benefit? Here are my top seven PowerPoint
annoyances and what we can learn from each of these to improve
our own performance.
1. Not telling the participants the purpose of the session
You know the kind of presentation I am talking about. From
one slide to the next, you have little to no idea of where
the presentation is going. You wonder whether you should even
have turned up. Eliminate the guessing game by letting your
audience know up front the purpose of your session and how
you plan to achieve it.
2. Overdosing participants with information
Novice presenters often suffer the illusion that some content
is good, so more is better. With this mindset, these presenters
cram as much as possible onto each slide, filling it with
font sizes as small as 10 point. Help your participants avoid
eye strain and to stay interested by using plenty of white
space and font sizes large enough to read from the back row.
Add to your slides tables, charts and other graphics that
will aid understanding your message.
3. Avoiding personal interaction with the audience
Some presenters display discomfort in revealing their personalities.
They hide with their backs turned toward the audience, reading
each word on each slide, and avoid eye contact by burying
themselves in their notes. Hearing the presenter's words and
reading them at the same time not only slows down learning,
it robs the presentation of the presenter's personality. Participants
are yearning to engage with the speaker and not be simply
read to. So, take time to turn off your slide show and put
down your notes to make a connection with your audience. Use
plenty of eye contact and generate interest with your voice
and body language.
4. Showing as many slides as possible
In an effort to get through volumes of material, inexperienced
presenters try to break records for showing the most number
of slides in the shortest possible time. As time starts to
run out, the pace of the presentation increases until each
slide seems to be but a blur. To avoid giving your participants
a headache, allow about five minutes per slide. If time gets
short, eliminate the least important slides.
5. Distributing copies of the slides before the session
You may think it a bonus if the presenter hands you a copy
of their presentation before it starts. In fact, listening
to the presentation whilst trying to follow the sequence in
your handout only impedes your understanding. Avoid handing
out copies of the slides until after the presentation. Giving
participants pen and paper before the session starts will
be of more use to them as they write notes in their own words.
6. Neglecting giving out support materials
Effective slides contain the key messages only, with the presenter
filling in the detail. Presenters that only handout a copy
of the slides may leave many participants bewildered some
days or weeks later as they try to remember what each bulleted
point meant. At the appropriate time during the presentation,
hand out supporting materials that will allow participants
to use the information you presented after they leave. You
could distribute bibliographies, instructions or diagrams,
for example.
7. Using a mishmash of slide transition effects
The technology so enamors some presenters that they feel you
will be a better person through experiencing every "wow" effect
in the package. You find yourself reaching for the motion
sickness tablets after you've seen the slides crash, slide,
twirl, dissolve … Help your participants stay focused on the
message by using just one or two slide transition effects.
Remember, your audience came to see and hear you and not a
special effects show.
How many bloopers did you recognize? How many have you committed?
Now choose the one or two worst bloopers that you have done
and commit to eradicating those in your next presentation.
Once you are satisfied that you have those licked, select
the next one or two practices to improve upon. Ask your participants
how you are doing. In time, by focusing on your key areas
for improvement, you will be regarded as a PowerPoint master.
© Leslie Allan. All rights reserved.
Leslie Allan is Managing Director of Business Performance
Pty Ltd and author of five books on training and change management.
Visit him at www.businessperform.com
and download the free high impact training guide introductory
chapter and other free training resources.
|
