How NOT to Let PowerPoint Kill Your Presentation

Written by Susan Dunn, MA, Personal and Professional Development Coach


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BEFORE AND AFTER

PP can be used effectively for “befores” and “afters”. If you’re proposing a new greenspace for your complex, perhaps a habitat (which can save your corporation lots of money, BTW), consider photographs.

It works emotionally inrepparttar other direction as well. The Russians will never forget whatrepparttar 104610 Germans did to St. Petersburg and there are plenty of “before” and “after” photos inrepparttar 104611 museums to remindrepparttar 104612 tourists. Did I mention EMOTIONAL IMPACT?

CONCEPT

Photographs and metaphoric graphics (money falling fromrepparttar 104613 skies, women leaping over obstacles,repparttar 104614 scales of justice) are excellent for illustrating concepts. If you use photographs, userepparttar 104615 best. Sites such as www.comstock.com offer excellent royalty-free photographs. If you are talking about team work, put a picture up there of a crisp photo of a team that appears to be organized, getting along, and positive in attitude. You could call it “suggestive” or “subliminal”.

I give a presentation on innate Strengths, a la StrengthsFinder® profile from Buckingham and Clifton. They have names such as Focus, Activator, Analytic, Strategic, Relator, and Connectedness. I’ve found photographs of people who illustrate these concepts that are pure Eye Candy. They have been well-received. I talkrepparttar 104616 concept, but I let them stare atrepparttar 104617 photograph.

What gets intorepparttar 104618 right brain stays there (see The EQ Foundation Course on my website.) www.gettyimages.com is a great source for images. If you use graphics, use excellent ones. It’s worth paying for them. If you only have 3rd generation graphics, blurred and cheap-looking, you’re better off not using any at all. They make exactlyrepparttar 104619 wrong impression, whatever impression you’re trying to make.

GIVE SOME RELIEF

In any presentation it’s good to change style because it wakes your audience up. You can count of many different learning styles in your audience, and it’s good to give each group something. There are different categorizations of learning styles, but consider listening, reading, moving around and touching things, interacting, and creating something.

TWO REASONS WHY IT DOESN’T WORK

When Baby Boomers were in school, they listened to a teacher/lecturer and either looked at him or her, or took notes. For this group, PowerPoint can be “overstimulating.”

Another large group in today’s work place grew up with Sesame Street and treat instructors like a television set, much less PowerPoint. As Askrepparttar 104620 Expert for ActiveProNews, I’ve received more than one letter from college professors who sayrepparttar 104621 students talk, eat, relax and socialize while they try to lecture, as if they were stretched out at home in front ofrepparttar 104622 television set. For this group, PowerPoint is way “understimulating.” They don’t give it any respect.

IN SUM, don’t use PowerPoint just because everyone always does. Have a reason.

If you use it, use it judiciously, and well, and use first-class art. Visual images can be as effective as stories, in their impact, and are an emotionally intelligent way to present.

Try varying your presentation and make absolutely sure you could give your whole presentation withoutrepparttar 104623 PowerPoint. Otherwise you’re faking it, and your audience will know it.

Lastly, here’s a word from someone who’s been inrepparttar 104624 trenches. Another good reason not to automatically rely on PowerPoint is that at least once in your lifetime you'll show up andrepparttar 104625 equipment you need won't be there or won't work.

©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I offer coaching, distance learning courses, and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your continued personal and professional development. For free ezine, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc. I train and certify EQ coaches. Get in this field, dubbed “white hot” by the press, now, before it’s crowded, and offer your clients something of exceptional value. Email for prospectus.


Is Your Career Your Calling or Just a 9 to 5?

Written by Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman


Continued from page 1

In conclusion, take a few moments to ponder over what is going on in your life today and figure out if it compensates towards your calling. Listen to your mind, body and soul. Don't worry about what others will think or even if they will agree to whatever calling you move towards. Live your life as if tomorrow is your last day on Earth. Enjoy today because tomorrow isn't definite.

This article was written by Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman, Lifestyle Entrepreneur Coach and owner of The Brownstone Workshop located in Cary, NC. (www.thebrownstoneworkshop.bigstep.com) If you would like to copy this article, please includerepparttar author's credentials. If you are interested in a full, detailed description of lifestyle entrepreneur coaching™, kindly go to http://www.thebrownstoneworkshop.bigstep

Yasmeen is a Lifestyle Entrepreneur Coach & Virtual Assistant. The Brownstone Workshop was started in 1993.


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