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Slides Don’t Tell Stories

November 27, 2016Lori Rohrbach

***NOTE TO INSPECTOR: All visible graphics are our own design, and were produced for this particular shoot.***

I attended a webinar recently that demonstrated the danger of PowerPoint. That is, PowerPoint can help you create slides, but it can’t help you tell a story.

In the webinar, each slide was well done. Not too many words per slide; one thought per slide; easy to comprehend graphics on each slide. But the verbal presentation itself was choppy and disjointed. The fact was, while the slides were individually well done, there wasn’t a story holding them together. The webinar was essentially a brain-dump of information about the webinar topic without a logical, cohesive flow. For example, one slide brought up industry trends, but those trends were never referred to during the rest of the presentation. Another slide posed questions that were never answered in the course of the webinar.

It can be tempting to create slides around a topic before you have actually outlined the story you want to tell. As you think of facts, illustrations, statistics, examples, etc. for the general topic, you create slides for them. But because you have no story, you have no way of knowing whether these slides are actually relevant to your presentation or not.

The problem is, once slides are created, it can be hard to let them go. You may find yourself trying to find a way to shoehorn in certain slides because “they’re really good slides!” They may be good slides. They may convey fantastic information. That isn’t the question. The question is, “Does this slide support this particular story that I want to tell?” If the answer is “no,” the slide should go.

Create the story first when you have a presentation to give. Decide what you want to say, how to best support what you say, and what you want listeners to do with what you say. Then create the slides. Remember, slides can only present information. Slides don’t tell stories. The story is up to you.

 

Author: Paula Marolewski

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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