Presentation Zen [17]
You may be thinking that this is a waste of time: why not just go into PowerPoint and create your images there so you do not have to do it twice? Well, the fact is, if I tried to create a storyboard first in PowerPoint, it would actually take longer, as I would constantly have to go from normal view to slide sorter view to see the whole picture. The analog approach (paper or whiteboard) to sketch out my ideas and create a rough storyboard really helps solidify and simplify my message in my own head. I then have a far easier time laying out those ideas in PowerPoint or Keynote. I usually do not even have to look at the whiteboard or legal pad when I am in slideware, because the analog process alone gave me a clear visual image of how I want the content to flow. I glance at my notes to remind me of what visuals I thought of using at certain points and then go to iStockphoto.com or to my own library of high-quality stock images to find the perfect image.
Post-its
Large sheets of paper and marking pens—as “old school” as they may seem—can be wonderful, simple tools for initially sketching out your ideas or recording the ideas of others. When I was at Apple, I sometimes led brainstorming sessions by sticking large Post-its on the wall. I wrote the ideas down or others stepped up to the front and sketched out their ideas “the old fashioned way” while arguing their point or elaborating on ideas by others. It was messy, but it was a good mess. By the end of the session, the walls were filled with large “Post-its,” which I then took back to my office and stuck on my own walls. As I (and others) developed the structure and visuals for the future presentation, we often referred to the sheets on the walls, which were on display for days or weeks. Having the content on the walls made it easier to see the big picture. It also made it easier to see what items could be cut and which were clearly essential to the core message.
Though you may be using digital technology to create your visuals and display them when you deliver your presentation, the act of speaking and connecting to an audience—to persuade, sell, or inform—is very much analog. For this reason, it only seems natural to go analog while preparing and clarifying your presentation’s content, purpose, and goals.
Slowing Down to See
Slowing down is not just good advice for a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life, but it is also a practice that leads to greater clarity. Your instinct may be to say that this is ridiculous, business is all about speed. First to innovate. First to market. First and fast.
What I am talking about here, however, is a state of mind. You have many things on your plate, no doubt. You are busy. But “busy” is not really the problem. Sure, there never seems to be enough time in the day to do things the way you would prefer to do them, and we all face time constraints. But time constraints can also be a be a great motivator, bringing a sense of urgency that stimulates creative thinking and the discovery of solutions to problems. The problem today, though, is not “busy” but “busyness.”
Busyness is that uncomfortable feeling you have when you are feeling rushed, distracted, and a bit unfocused and preoccupied. Although you may be accomplishing tasks, you wished you could do better. You know you can. But in spite of your best intentions, you find it difficult to create a state of mind that is contemplative rather than reactionary. You try. You take a deep breath. You begin to think about the big presentation next week. So you open up your application and begin to think. Then the office phone rings, but you let it go to voice mail because your boss is calling you on your mobile phone at the same time. “Need TPS reports ASAP!”