Read the various comments by business leaders in Figure 14.1.

Respond to the following questions with one or two paragraphs each:

A. What are the key points that these leaders make about PowerPoints?

B. For each key theme or key point you’ve identified, make counterpoints. Explain another perspective on the issue and/

or explain how to use PowerPoint slides without encountering this problem.

Figure 14.1

Transcribed Image Text:

I actively despise how people use PowerPoint as a crutch. I think PowerPoint can be a way to cover up sloppy thinking, which makes it hard to differentiate between good ideas and bad ideas. I would much rather have somebody write something longhand, send it in ahead of the meeting and then assume everybody's read it, and then you start talking, and let them defend it. The question from the beginning of the meeting to the end of the meeting is, "Have we added value: yes or no?" And I would say that if the meeting is mostly the presentation of a deck of PowerPoint slides, you conveyed information, but you didn't actually add value. -Cristbal Conde, former CEO of SunGard I prefer that people not go through a slide deck. If you're working in an area, and you are running a business, you ought to be able to stand up there and tell me about your business without referring to a big slide deck. When you are speaking, people should focus on you and focus on the message. They can't walk away remembering a whole bunch of different things, so you have to have three or four really key messages that you take them through, and you remind them of what's important. -James J. Schiro, director at PepsiCo Death by PowerPoint occurs because of the bullet trap. Speakers and presenters often reduce their presentations to series of bullets and thoughts in outline form. As a result, they often bore their audiences and lose connection with their audiences. -Ellen Finkelstein, communication specialist