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Essential on your shelf – Presentation Zen

Do you find most presentations overwhelmingly boring?

Do you want to break free from the status quo?

Wondering how you can leverage PowerPoint for maximum impact?

If your hand is excitedly waving one or all of these ideas, grab a copy of a copy of Presentationzen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Garr Reynolds. Once my copy arrived, I couldn’t put it down. She took it with me wherever I went so she could read a few pages in her spare moments. It’s that good and quick to read.

Ready for your Zen moment?

Reynolds’ quest to end the use of PowerPoint as we know it today began when he was riding the express train from Yokohama to Nagoya. He had his “ah-ha” moment as he watched a Japanese businessman flip through a printout of poorly designed PowerPoint slides, apparently confused by the ambiguity of the content. It was at this point that Reynolds decided to write this book and start a dialogue around the concept of “presentationzen” on his website.

Instead of offering a step-by-step tutorial on preparation, design, and delivery, Presentationzen challenges the reader to identify what really needs to be communicated, and then how to present it so that it resonates with the audience (with meaningful examples, for starters!)

Practical ideas per truck

According to Reynolds, today’s live chats must tell a story enhanced with images and other forms of multimedia appropriate for impact. Here are some additional thoughts from
Presentationzen that resonated with me:

  • Take the time to figure out your core message (the one thing, and the one thing, you want your audience to remember, expressed in one simple sentence)
  • Enjoy the opportunity to differentiate yourself, your organization or your cause. Why be a clone when you can be your true unique self?
  • Use detailed handouts to keep you from feeling forced to fit everything on one slide.
  • Less is more! Remove anything from your slides that doesn’t add to your main message.
  • Images are more powerful than words.
  • Keep the lights on; the public should always be able to see you
  • But wait, there’s more . . . (as the saying goes)

    Presentationzen it’s packed with visual examples of great (and not-so-great) presentations, letting you see the difference. Key takeaways are summarized at the end of each chapter, and guests, from marketing guru Seth Godin and slide:ology author Nancy Duarte to Entrepreneur columnist Guy Kawasaki – also share their thoughts and experiences.

    Are you ready to get Zen?

    If you’re looking for some quick tips on how to make a PowerPoint presentation, don’t look here. The author’s analogies to Zen philosophy and concepts can quickly become annoying (I just read them).

    However, if you’re patient with it, you’ll learn more than just how to break free of the “death by PowerPoint” mold. Get ready to express yourself in a new way, challenge yourself to see the big picture from your clients’ perspective, and be inspired to be bold, different, and excited as you prepare for your next presentation.

    Becoming a Zen master may not be easy, but it can pay big dividends when you reset the “show bar” for yourself and your organization.

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