The State of Corporate Communications

I've been subjected recently to some of the best, and some of the worst in corporate communications.  Yes, I've been in presentations.  I have come to the conclusion that PowerPoint, while sometimes a useful communication tool, is also part of a sinister plot to unhinge middle management.

If I sit through another meeting in which a person proposes to communicate some idea or concept using a standard PowerPoint template with 32 point type, five bullets per slide and the typical clipped yet meandering presentation style used by most presenters I think I will go insane.  PowerPoint is a tool that has completely changed the way we communicate and we've lost a tremendous amount of value in the process.  This is an instance where efficient does not mean effective.

Too many individuals in business simply do not know how to communicate to their customers, their management or their colleagues.  PowerPoint, rather than making these people better communicators often just reinforces the problems and challenges inherent in their communication capabilities.  Too often, many people in business cannot create a compelling message and make me care about that message, much less present it in a way that attracts and keeps my attention.  Many people are in positions where they need to be able to present effectively, yet they seem to get no training or coaching on the best ways to craft a message and deliver that message.

To many people, presenting is all about putting together a PowerPoint presentation, then getting up in front of a group of people and literally reading the bullets to the audience.  There seems to be little thought given to what might interest the attendees, or how they might best receive the information.

The best corporate communication I've experienced recently was at the Business Innovation Factory's recent storytelling summit.  Innovators and innovation leaders were invited to tell their stories - to literally tell a story about their businesses or ideas.  Reducing the reliance on tools and having people cast their message as a story creates interest and captures the imagination.  We all grew up listening to and telling stories, but somehow the story has little credibility in a business.  I'm here to tell you that you need to start telling stories to attract and retain attention in a world that's been PowerPointed to death.

Comments

[Paul Gibler]

I couldn't agree with you more. I've found that PowerPoint is often used as a crutch or "training wheels" for those needing help with presentation skills and also how to effectively use PowerPoint. I've dedicated one of my two blogs to this blending of the two and also have an extensive listing of resources that corporate presenters might find useful - http://connectingdots.typepad.com/ppt/files/ResourceListing-PowerfulPresentationTechniques.pdf

Paul
the Web Chef