PowerPoint. Why you’re still abusing audiences with it, and what to do about it

The date was 20 April 1987.

That was the day Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin unearthed a monster – PowerPoint.

I’m sure Gaskins and Austin had no intention of  reeking havoc with their new software creation. They’re probably nice guys, and good on them for making $14 million when they sold PowerPoint to Microsoft.

Leaving aside all the pejorative statements about PowerPoint. For example, death by PowerPoint, why – why, are you still using PowerPoint, so ineffectively? (If you’re using the software well, apologies).

More importantly, what should you do about it?

Continue reading

Why you shouldn’t present like Steve Jobs

Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

I received an email the other day entitled, How to present like Steve Jobs.  I have nothing against Jobs or his presentation style.Continue reading