Career Development Tip: Break This Rule When Writing Your Management Presentations

Sticking to the old “one slide per minute” rule? It may be ruining your presentations.

In a recent article Brad Phillips, president of Phillips Media Relations, tells us that this ‘one slide per minute’ rule gives presenters an excuse to pack their slides with too much information.

This either causes you to read the slide verbatim (in essence, inviting your audience to a nap), or it forces your audience to read your slide while you’re saying something different. The latter option prevents your audience from hearing what you have to say and completely understanding you.

What does Phillips recommend we do? When you create each slide, ask yourself three questions:

1. “Does this slide visually represent what I’m saying verbally?”

Use compelling visuals, rather than droning bullet lists, to illustrate your point.

2. “Is this slide intended to help me remember what to say next, or for the audience to better understand the concept I’m trying to explain?”

Think about your audience, not yourself when you create slides.

3. “Do I need to have a slide at all?”

You may express your point more effectively simply with a verbal explanation than with an unnecessary slide.

Learn more about report writing, creating your presentation, and presenting to management here on our blog.

Image courtesy of andertoons.com