Have you ever sat through a day of presentations?
Oh my days it’s so boring.
Death by powerpoint how are ya?
Slide after slide after slide after slide.
Presenters struggling to remember rehearsed lines full of powerpoint language (smart sounding words only used when presenting).
But every now and then someone comes along who’s different. Someone who saw where the herd was headed and deliberately went the opposite direction.
Witnessing a presentation like this makes you sit up straight in your seat and pay attention.
Isn’t that the point of a presentation? To grab and hold attention?
Now I would wager that everyone of the herd had thoughts of jazzing up their presentation. Ideas to try a bold opener, attempt a risque joke or pose a daring closing argument.
I would also posit that they didn’t pursue these fleeting notions because they were leading off the beaten path into uncertainty.
The safe and secure option was what they sought.
Well I’d like to say, in my humble opinion, the safe and secure powerpoint is forgettable.
When it comes to pursuing remarkability, the brave presentation beats the safe and secure presentation everyday of the week.
So when creating the deck for your next powerpoint, be brave, reach for remarkability.
As Les Brown said:
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”
Thomas Duggan 