"I once attended a slide presentation given by an executive in a telcom company. The presentation was highly technical, but that was not the main problem. It was boring because the speaker was using back-to-back visuals and had zero connection to his audience. When the one-hour session came to an end, the entire audience filed out of the room but the executive kept talking. He was so focused on his visuals that he didn't even realize the audience had left the room."
"1. AVOID SLIDES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. First, consider not using slides at all. Strong leaders have no interest in competing with busy PowerPoints. The purpose of a talk should be to persuade and inspire, not simply to convey information. Often you can do that best without any visual props. So avoid slides unless there is a strong argument for using them. Still, there are times when you will need to use slides."
An executive delivered a technical slide presentation that failed because visuals dominated and there was zero connection with the audience. The audience left while the executive continued talking, showing how reliance on slides can erase the presenter's influence. Retaining influence requires fundamentals that prioritize persuasion and presence over visual clutter. Avoid slides unless necessary for culture, product demonstration, or decisive charts. When slides are used, treat yourself as the primary visual through energy, vocal reach, and body language. Keep visuals simple and uncluttered so the audience spends more time listening than reading.
Read at Fast Company
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