To PPT or not to PPT
Over the last few months, I’ve done a number of presentations and I’m asked the same question: “Will you have a PowerPoint to present?” My answer (so far) is always, “yes.” But, it was a discussion with my wife about a PowerPoint presentation that really got me thinking.
She asked after my most recent talk, “What if you DID NOT have one?” I shuddered and thought, “I can’t just NOT have one. What would I refer to?” But, she made a great point: Do we really need to use PowerPoint during a talk and is it always effective? So, I was officially conflicted.
I decided to reach out to trusted colleague Deirdre Breakenridge; she’s done a few presentations (understatement). I wanted to get her opinion on which way to go. Deirdre stressed the importance of knowing the audience and to have the resources prepared that will get their attention.
With larger groups such as professional associations and training session with businesses, the PowerPoint can be very helpful. “Once again, it’s important for me to use visuals that I can speak to, rather than a lot of bulleted information,” Deirdre said. “Sometimes large, colorful visuals or charts specifically calling out numbers are a great way to get attention and to get a point across.” Deirdre made certain to stress that PowerPoint should not be the sole discussion, but rather a helpful reference (or jumping of point) to aid the speaker to deliver more compelling information.If you could speak at commencement…
“Members of the Class of 2012…” Those words are going to be uttered by college presidents and deans, and commencement speakers over the next few weeks. It has been 15 years since I graduated college. It’s a day I remember like it was yesterday, though. Bill Cosby’s wife, Camille, spoke at Temple University’s commencement ceremony at the Spectrum in Philadelphia that day. It was inspiring. Mr. Cosby even got up to say a few things.
After seeing blog posts and tweets about student friends that were graduating, I began to think. So I posted this on Facebook on Thursday.
I didn’t initially plan to make a blog post out of these, but the responses were wonderful. So, I share with you what friends in the social space would tell a graduating class.
@MattLaCasse- Your profession is likely practiced in every state in America, and most everywhere else in the world. Your happiness will be more dictated by where you are than what your job is. Do your job someplace that makes you happy.
@JBMHR (Jeannine Brown Miller)- ”Listen” to the direction that you are intended to be going..if you keep running into obstacles..stop and reassess where you are, what you are doing and determine change necessary to remove some of them. If we keep doing the same thing that isn’t working, we will get the same results (the old insanity thing). Embrace change, recognize that challenges bring lessons and blessings, and be open enough to be able to find the good in all that comes your way!
@JoshfromMaine (Josh Morris)- You don’t choose a life, you live one. There are no such thing as limitations, only fears. Pursue a position based on people, profession and location, and paychecks will come. Don’t get cable.
@BigGreenPen (Paula Kiger)- Don’t fool yourself into thinking you have all the time in the world/don’t think you are above doing the unnoticed little work to get familiar with an environment you want to be a part of.
courtesy: Temple U. Col. of Liberal Arts
@PaigeHolden- Stay in your own lane. You only start to doubt yourself when you worry about what everyone else is doing. True success has nothing to do with conventional measurements like position, wealth or winning thing. It has to do with finding a balance that works for you, and only you.
(I liked the honesty with Rachel Donner’s answer) @RMiriam- The next 6-8 years are pretty much going to suck. You’ll be at a frustrating entry-level job with lots of work and no authority. You’ll likely drift away from most of your college friends, and have to establish new relationships. Don’t let it get you down and doubt yourself. You’ll get through it and be better off for it, knowing much more clearly who you are, where you want to be and the path ahead.
And finally… @Buffalogal (Nicole Schuman)- You cannot plan every aspect of your life. Embrace change!
What would I tell a graduating class? “People are going to tell you that you can’t. You can. People are going to doubt you. Don’t doubt yourself. Most of all, you will be faced with adversity. Don’t turn away from it. Take it head on and conquer it. The only way you’ll grow is if you face failure, doubt, and negativity. Why? Because all those things will make you stronger. It’s up to you to use the failure, doubt, and negativity, and make it positive. Go with confidence.”
I’d love to hear what you would tell a graduating class. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
What the Avengers can teach you about PR
I have no problem admitting that I’m passionate about public relations, social media marketing, and teamwork. But, I’m also a huge super hero geek. Seeing how Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America have been placed on the big screen has been awesome. On Friday, May 4, The Avengers opens in theaters around North America.
I’ve done posts before on how Tony Stark taught me a thing or two. Now, I’d like to offer you five ways the Avengers can help your PR efforts. Some assembly is required, though.
1. Understanding each person’s strengths- No one member of your team is the same. Take the time to learn who is part of your team and how they can help. The person you feel is the weak link, may just need a different task to work on.
2. Leadership comes from every member- In the Avengers, Steve Rogers is a captain; Thor is a demigod; Iron Man (Tony Stark) is (basically) a genius. Who would be the leader? While one person may be considered top dog, every person can lead in their own way. If you trust your team, you know you can give them a task and be a strong leader for a plan or campaign.
3. Dealing with egos- From time to time, we have all dealt with “that person.” He/she has a healthy opinion of themselves. Heck, Tony Stark is a pretty confident and has a big ego. But, when working with a client like this, you can’t knock heads. You need to manage a client and let them know they are important, but part of the team. Show your client his ideas are good (“I really like how you framed this idea.”), then add your insight (“and I really think with the additions of XX and XX, this can be a winning campaign.”).
4. Adversity builds character- It’s not a secret that every PR/marketing/social media campaign will not be easy. It’s the challenges that will help shape you and your team. Nick Fury’s line, “We are hopelessly outgunned” is a perfect example of the adversity the Avengers face. But, within this seemingly impossible task, the team learns how to succeed. You may fail occasionally; but this is where you lick your wounds and gain strength.
5. Believe in your team- Sniping behind people’s backs and undermining what you are doing as a group is a sure sign that your campaign will fail. You may see a member slip up a bit, but you chose them. Believe that they can complete the task for the client. And show them your appreciation for a job well done. Maybe it’s lunch or a simple coffee break for your team. Good karma within goes a long way to outbound success.
Assemble your team and believe that their efforts will win the day. Your team could be “PR’s Mightiest Heroes.”
