And yet… there are more…
- Failing to realise that you have a decision to make. Do you want the audience to read the slide or listen to you? Repeatedly, what I see is we’re communicating two different messages through two different channels. The part of the brain which processes audio information, is also the same part of the brain that processes visual information… and if we communicate to both simultaneously then what the audience experiences is called ‘cognitive overload’. The brain can’t cope and so we default to one or the other. Reading or listening. So what? Make the slide visually easy to understand and then use your verbal communication to bring it alive.
- Reading the slides. Insulting, depressing and extremely poor form. Don’t do it.
- Too many slides for the time allowed. All too often, the presenter doesn’t get to the end of the message because they’re trying to convey too much.
- A lack of objective for your presentation. Updates, FYI, demonstrating your knowledge and brilliance is not the goal here. Helping the audience to make decisions, take action or provide commitment is the only reason to present. Otherwise, what’s the point of telling them?
- Relying on a lot of data to tell your story. Data never tells the story. We do. It’s our job to convert the data to memorable messages which persuade the audience.