Presentation Skills: Sending Your Slides Ahead? So What?
The subject came up again this week with an executive group who briefs “up on the hill.” Their “up on the hill” references meant, of course, briefings in Congress and the executive branch. So you’d think the people receiving their deck of slides would consider them important enough to review before attending meetings, right? Wrong—or at least that was the conclusion of those gathered in front of me.
It’s a situation that surfaces often: A presenter prepares slides, sends them to his audience prior to his formal presentation for their review, and then shows up to deliver the thirty-minute presentation in person. The problem? The presenter thinks the real job is over once he hits the Send button. He walks into the meeting two days later prepared only to answer questions rather than give a structured presentation.
Weak approach—particularly when you discover that many have not reviewed the deck.
Sending slides ahead makes it no less critical to plan and structure your message for the intended purpose. You are more than a live FAQ dispenser. Otherwise, they could, or would, automate you.
To paraphrase a cliché, never assume that “the information sent speaks for itself.”
As with any briefing, summarize the essence of the information clearly. Emphasize what’s important. Illuminate the relevant but complex. Establish credibility for the information. Provide depth on the details of interest.
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