Don't Be a Presentation Tool

Of the countless valuable workplace lessons gifted to us by the television show “The Office,” this is a personal favorite:

Michael:  “We’ll ask PowerPoint.”

Oscar:  “Michael, this is a presentation tool.”

Michael: “You’re a presentation tool!”

Oscar is correct. PowerPoint is simply a tool like any other. And just as we wouldn’t hire a plumber based on the tools in their truck, nobody tunes in to a presenter for their slide deck.

What audiences want are the insights, ideas and solutions the speaker offers.

So don’t be a presentation tool. Put your PowerPoint in its proper place as a supplement, not a substitute, for your own knowledge and expertise. Here’s how.

Avoid the multipurpose deck.

A Swiss Army knife is a handy tool that can slice, open or uncork practically anything. But a professional chef isn’t going to rely on it in their kitchen. They have specialized tools for different purposes.

But too often we force our slide deck to be multifunctional. It’s a preview document! It’s a handout! It’s a leave-behind! It’s a floor wax!

It can’t be all those things and be the right accompaniment to a presentation. Because if all the necessary information is on the screen, then your presence is superfluous.

For presentations, I create a modern, minimalist deck containing mostly images and headlines. For the handout, I create a simple outline of the key points.

Another approach is to put most of the verbiage and details in the notes section then print the presentation using the “notes” layout. You can give them a printout or send a PDF afterward.

Of course, fewer words means you really have to know your material — which you should, anyway!

Make the slides a backdrop.

To mix metaphors, think of your slides as the supporting player and you as the star. The focus and attention should be on you, not the screen.

But when audiences are reading a bunch of words (and when speakers themselves turn to face the screen and read those very same words aloud) you’ve ceded your position in the spotlight.

Seth Godin once said, “Talking about pollution in Houston? Instead of giving me four bullet points of EPA data, why not read the stats but show me a picture of a bunch of dead birds, some smog and even a diseased lung?”

All you need for most slides is a short headline and an evocative image that illustrates your point or provides an emotional underscore.

Now this may pose a challenge for highly technical content, but there is a solution: Present just one idea at a time. Whether it’s bullet points, columns of information or trendlines on a graph, build them one-by-one.

Because your audience can read much faster than you can speak. And if you have seven ideas on your slide, then they’re reading ahead instead of listening to what you’re saying. The message gets muddled.

Talk like a human.

Refusing to be a presentation tool is about more than what’s on your slides; it’s about what you say.

Speak in normal conversational terms. That means rounding off numbers: If the slide says 32.74%, then say “nearly a third” or “about a third.” And scale your data: “the length of three football fields,” not “951 feet.” 

For dates, approximate them: “about a decade ago” instead of “February 22, 2014.” Call things what they are instead of how they’re labeled: “purchasing” instead of “Enterprise Procurement & Contract Management Department.”

Finally, showcase your expertise. I compare it to the color commentator in a sports broadcast. They’re typically a former player or coach who provides the inside scoop, the texture, the stories.

So give them the color they’re looking for:

• “Here’s how this plays out in the real world…”
• “Of the five steps, I’ve found No. 3 to be the most critical…”
• “This reminds me of another company that had this same problem…”

Remember: You’re the expert. You’ve earned your place at the podium. Don’t settle for being a presentation tool!