Killer Slides

Killer Slides

President Obama’s budget director Jeff Zients said in a recent interview that he likes to put together presentations that have “killer slides.”

“Killer slides” caught my attention because I use Power Point in most of my presentations which include meetings with clients.  I try to get attention and WOW my audience, and the description he uses seems apt for this.

It can also have another meaning – to get to the core issue or heart of the matter.  Lately, I have found too many people beating around the bush wasting time fumbling and trying to get to the point.  I lose patience with people that overly deal with the micro details and ignore the macro. Particularly, they reveal their lack of preparation and inconsideration of their targets.

Killer slides put it in focus – describe the point briefly and succinctly.  Writing blogs is good training in writing tightly and being stingy with words.  Blogs compete with each other as well as a myriad other attention drifting things for readers.  A blog has to be short and to the point… as well as everything you write and present to others.  You need to take the time to eliminate the dross.  Be mindful of your audience’s time and tolerance, and deliver information and advice in a way that quickly and clearly communicates your thoughts to them.  Put it in a killer slide.