Power Corrupts

Power corrupts and powerpoint corrupts absolutely. I’ve literally heard the air go out of a previously enthused audience the moment a projector hummed to life and a template-driven powerpoint presentation began. It’s a confidence killer for the presenter to look around and know that the unspoken collective chorus is “oh jeez, not one of these again, what errands do I have to run on my way home…” When the guy in the back row starts playing Tetris on his iphone it’s time to accept that nobody really wants to sit through a powerpoint presentation, however neat the graphs may be. I can understand why people use powerpoint, it’s a visual aid, and blah blah. It’s basically very easy to use, but therein lies the problem. It’s so easy to use, that most office-working adults have seen so many PPPs that they’re basically tapped out by 30 and they instinctively tune out the moment they recognize the tell tale signs.

In Lieu of powerpoint may I recommend using custom props. A person in a furry suit never fails to elicit attention and genuine interest. A stick with a bright furry ball on a string may get better results. Have a cute young child recite your prepared statements for you. Critics will remain silent for fear of censure by the ‘good’ people, who will fawn over the wee lad or gal while completely forgetting the original purpose of your presentation. If hand gestures aren’t your thing, you could bring in a sign language expert to confuse your hearing colleagues. You could always use a white board and several colorful markers, they were cool in kindergarten and nostalgia is a very powerful thing.