Comments on: Do you have to give boring presentations?

By: tara

tara — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:11:22 +0000

I have to sales presentations-figures budgets etc.It text figures and the like, do try to use images but it is death by powerpoint.

By: Jeb

Jeb — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:23:37 +0000

If I’ve got one or two people who are particularly and obviously out of the pack in terms of aptitude (either above or below), then I tend to try to take them out of the group and schedule another session geared just for them. It’s easier than trying to be inclusive and makes everyone feel like they’ve got more individual attention.

By: Heather Ackmann

Heather Ackmann — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:29:06 +0000

Jeb,

I so feel your pain. I’ve been training MS Office applications for a few years now and in the classroom I always felt obligated to teach to (I hate to say it) the weakest link in the class, which always made the more advanced students bored. There are just very few ways I think to make “here’s how to use a mouse” interesting or entertaining to the masses.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:23:36 +0000

Jeb said it all … “The only way to make it interesting is to make ME interesting.”

By: Jeb

Jeb — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:58:08 +0000

How’s this for boring? I train end users, ranging from very savvy PC users to people who think more than one button is too complicated, how to use a corporate multi-function device (print/copy/scan). Training takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on how many. The only way to make it interesting is to make ME interesting.

By: CK

CK — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:09:34 +0000

Hi Olivia,

I think you’ve touched upon an important aspect of presentations. Technical presenters who don’t vary the pitch and rate and stand like a statue to deliver their stuff will benefit a lot from from your tips. Tom Antion calls such speakers “unlicensed hypnotists” !

I’ve found relevant humor, especially one liners can make presentations more interesting. In an anti-smoking seminar, a post lunch speaker started his presentation with a quip – “Smoking helps you lose weight- one lung at a time !” He made the audience sit up in anticipation. His stuff better be good after that but he got that attention and I believe that is very important, especially if you have a dry topic.

cheers
CK

By: joy simpson

joy simpson — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:32:31 +0000

We have a presentation about improving writing for teachers which lasts for half a day. The actual content is not boring it is just that we are presenting using the same type of slides that we always use (and have done so for 10 yrs). I think if I am honest it is me that is bored with the way they look.