A few years ago, I attended a presentation where three clowns, I mean speakers, made a presentation. They did just about everything wrong. However, the worst part was their use of technology.
The person responsible for getting the PowerPoint started did not know that to get a PowerPoint presentation started all you have to do is click on an icon. We should have known that things were going to get worse at that point.
The next joker to speak, sorry again, I meant to say, the next distinguished speaker, turned his back to the audience to read the slides. I don't mean glance at the slides, I mean he read every word on every slide. Incidentally, he did not have the greatest looking back.
Although three people were joining in for the presentation they had only one microphone. It was on a relatively short cord so that some of the speakers had to bend over, as if in great pain, to use it.
Although they were speaking to a group in a large auditorium, the screen was only about eight feet wide. I was lucky (I think) because I was sitting in the front and could see the slides. The folks in the back definitely could not. It might have made sense if someone had tested the set-up first and someone else sat in the back to see if the screen was legible.
Unfortunately, the worst part of the whole day was that the three people were representing one of the major technology companies in the world. [I won't mention the company to protect three jobs.]
*Know the equipment that you are going to use.
*Know the room you are going to speak in.
*Know how to use PowerPoint if you are going to use it.
It is very easy to look like a jerk when you use technology that you are not familiar with. It can also get you fired.
Joel Heffner is a writer, speaker and communications consultant. For information on how he can help you go to http://www.joelheffner.com
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