How to evaluate your slides

Here is a presentation on how to evaluate your slides in simple and easy to remember steps...

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4 deadly communication mistakes

The 4 deadly mistakes...

1, Start a presentation by opening PowerPoint or the mail by typing into Outlook/ Lotus notes
2. Merge bits and pieces from presentations/ notes made by others
3. Expect the presentation/ communication to be bad
4. Use complex charts, tables, words wherever possible

Why are we calling these common preparation steps - mistakes?

Preparation Step: PowerPoint or Outlook are not software that aid thinking. You are busy adjusting font sizes and colours - not thinking about what needs to be actually said.
Even worse than this is merging presentations or others work. This is like trying to create the best car in the world by merging engine from BMW, doors from Renault, windows from Hyundai. It just does not work!

Expectation Step: Your expectation that the communication will be bad reflects in your words, body language and voice. After that, you can’t blame your audience for believing you!

Delivery Step: Complexity is a great way to turn off audiences. No one who sees a 10 X 10 table is interested in reading it, even if their lives depend on it. Straining the brain is hard work! Keep your words as well as charts/ graphs simple enough for audience to understand easily.

In brief, it is best to prepare your material separately in a notepad (by hand or software) and keep things simple. With all that preparation, you will be convinced yourself that your communication is good and your audience will believe you too!

Is your communication sharp enough to boost your career? Test yourself here

There is a well known story about a junior executive at IBM.

His senior manager who attended his presentation was impressed by his sharp communication skills. The junior executive was “noticed” and immediately promoted over higher-ranking people in the audience.

What this story highlights very clearly is the importance of sharp communication skills at the workplace. Think of what a great advantage sharp communication skills present, if you polished up your natural speaking and thinking style!

How sharp are your communication skills and are you on the right track to get “noticed”? Here is a 5-question quiz to evaluate your self...

1. When I am in a meeting and say something…
a) I speak a lot since I know the subject quite well
b) I speak little and others stop and listen to what I am saying
c) I speak little and prefer to observe

2. When a meeting is being held
a) I am always there. I love meetings
b) People always request me to be present
c) I hate meetings

3. When there is a presentation to be made
a) By my position in the company, I am usually asked to say something
b) People usually ask me to make it
c) I don’t like talking to large groups and avoid it as much as possible.

4. I love making presentations to groups…
a) Audiences adore me and allow me to talk for hours.
b) I enjoy the way my talk influences audiences and touches their lives.
c) When they keep quiet and don’t ask questions

5. Preparing for a presentation…
a) …is very easy. I just say everything I know about the subject.
b) …takes a lot of planning for presenting since I give a lot of insights.
c) …takes a lot of time to put together and edit slides especially from other presentations.

So how do you score on this quiz, what type of communicator are you?

· More of As: "Jagged communicator" : You are self-assured and use communicating as a means of impressing others. You will be noticed anywhere but are you sure you are making the right kind of impression?

· More of Bs: "Sharp communicator": You are absolutely on the right track. You enjoy communicating with people. You put thought into what you say and are on the fast track to be being established and noticed.

· More of Cs: "Blunt communicator": If you would rather be shot with a bullet than take the stage, then don’t worry. 90% of the world is with you.

Those in “Blunt” category take note… most people at your workplace judge you by your communication skills including your senior management. They spend most of their day in meetings and presentations and end up making judgments about others right there. They infer that good and clear communication skills are backed by a clear thought process. They mentally “earmark” these people. When the next meaty project or tempting assignment comes up, the “earmarked” sharp communicators get these assignments. So if you are in the ‘jagged’ or ‘blunt’ communicator category, don’t forget the importance of communication skills as you plan your career moves.