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Afghanistan
Yet another PPT casualty - Thank you for your service COL Sellin
2010-08-28
Wired's Spencer Ackerman reports that Col. Lawrence Sellin, a 61-year-old Army reservist, has been dismissed from his post in headquarters with NATO's International Security Assistance Force less than 48 hours after he published an op-ed, via UPI, complaining that the "war consists largely of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information." Sellin clearly anticipated that his tirade, which NATO says he didn't clear for publication in advance, would serve as a resignation letter. It opened with, "Throughout my career I have been known to walk that fine line between good taste and unemployment. I see no reason to change that now. Consider the following therapeutic." He went on to excoriate the meaningless, self-serving, metastasizing military bureaucracy that holds sway in Afghanistan and justifies its existence via PowerPoint slide: "Little of substance is really done here, but that is a task we do well."
PPT is so.... 90's. If you are unable to layer Google Earth, get off of my staff!
Oh dear. I'm still working up to PowerPoint. There's not much call for that kind of thing in the housewifery biz, you see.
Posted by:Besoeker

#27  best thing? They do a .ppt, with handouts of the slides and read them to you.

Even better than best? College course where the professor reads the .ppt slides that are available on-line at the beginning of the term as part of the syllabus. In a monotone, with a strong Chinese accent. Trailing daughter #2 somehow mastered intro. statistics despite the professor.

Make the data sing. Tell the good people something they didn't already know. Present a variant perspective, and nail it home with killer data.

Indeed, lex. The .ppt version of the one-page memo. ;-) I would love to see you at work one day, just for the pleasure of it. But singing data isn't for everyday information sharing, and non-singing data...
Posted by: trailing wife   2010-08-28 23:47  

#26  I've seen hundreds of PPT presentations and most spent 20+ minutes telling what could have been communicated in 2 minutes via a one page concise summary.

They all kind of blur into one and what I mostly recall about them is thinking 'Jeez, can't he/she get to the point.'

Which is not to say there aren't people who can use PPT to effectively convey a message, but for most PPT is just a 'toy' to play with, and a massive time waster and productivity killer.
Posted by: phil_b   2010-08-28 23:13  

#25  best thing? They do a .ppt, with handouts of the slides and read them to you. I'm a heckler from slide one with slightly off-topic questions I know they didn't prepare for. It's a mission from God
Posted by: Frank G   2010-08-28 23:05  

#24  No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39.

A .ppt preso longer than 10 slides is usually a failure. Keep it short and to the point.

Every successful corporate client I've worked with has some variation on the theme of KISS. "Be Brilliant, Be Brief, Be Gone." "Don't Add, Just Execute." "Not Data But Insight-- ACTIONABLE Insight." etc

I try to keep mine below 8 slides. Make the data sing. Tell the good people something they didn't already know. Present a variant perspective, and nail it home with killer data.
Posted by: lex   2010-08-28 22:42  

#23  That's quite a stutter you've developed there, Besoeker. ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2010-08-28 22:31  

#22  A few more apologies, meneer.

Just for the irony.
Posted by: Pappy   2010-08-28 22:10  

#21  My apologies.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 21:27  

#20  My apologies.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 21:27  

#19  Did everybody get that?
Posted by: tu3031   2010-08-28 20:50  

#18  Valid point Lex. The problem is, the method too often overshadows or actually becomes the message. Our goal should not be to create the most professionally done presentation, but rather provide a clear understanding of the point at hand. No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39. Fewer yet will ever go back and view it a second time.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 20:47  

#17  Valid point Lex. The problem is, the method too often overshadows or actually becomes the message. Our goal should not be to create the most professionally done presentation, but rather provide a clear understanding of the point at hand. No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39. Fewer yet will ever go back and view it a second time.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 20:47  

#16  Valid point Lex. The problem is, the method too often overshadows or actually becomes the message. Our goal should not be to create the most professionally done presentation, but rather provide a clear understanding of the point at hand. No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39. Fewer yet will ever go back and view it a second time.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 20:47  

#15  Valid point Lex. The problem is, the method too often overshadows or actually becomes the message. Our goal should not be to create the most professionally done presentation, but rather provide a clear understanding of the point at hand. No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39. Fewer yet will ever go back and view it a second time.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 20:47  

#14  Valid point Lex. The problem is, the method too often overshadows or actually becomes the message. Our goal should not be to create the most professionally done presentation, but rather provide a clear understanding of the point at hand. No one will remember the finely turned out bar graph at PPT number 21 of 39. Fewer yet will ever go back and view it a second time.
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 20:47  

#13  Disagree. Powerpoint, done properly, is nothing more than a series of concise messages-- 3x5 cards printed and displayed for all to see, in 20+ point font. The masters of the genre use VERY few words -- as few as possible, actually-- in each slide, and large, powerful graphics that usually include a few data points that tell the whole story.

The virtues of exposing your 3x5 card points, or logic and evidence, in .ppt are many:

1) you reinforce your speaking points and control the audience's attention-- without a graphic slide behind you, the audience will likely retain less than 30% of what you're saying (and in many cases less than 10%). The slides behind you can significantly raise this retention level.

2) the .ppt document can be shared with those who were not present at the original talk or discussion, and can of course be stored and shared.

3) related to #2, other team members can use the arguments, ideas, data points, graphics etc in their OWN presentations. This enables a consistent message to take hold and amplifies that message throughout the organization.

4) related to #3, the presentation can be used to promote your arguments and your organization BEYOND your organization, ie, help you to market your ideas and services.

Don't say no to drugs, kids. Say no to BAD drugs. Powerpoint done by people who know how to pitch and present is powerful stuff.
Posted by: lex   2010-08-28 20:34  

#12  I once caused consternation in a group of high powered management consultants by declaring,

"I don't do Powerpoints."

Powerpoints allow people who previously produced meaningless verbiage, to spend 10 times as long producing colorful, graphical meaningless verbiage.
Posted by: phil_b   2010-08-28 19:24  

#11  Correction noted and approved, Besoeker.
Posted by: trailing wife   2010-08-28 16:54  

#10  #9 Brilliant managing, leadership OldSpook!
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 16:34  

#9  Brilliant managing, OldSpook! Requiring brief presentations with a rigourous format not only improves the quality of communication and of the thought process behind it, but allows for quicker understanding of the information being presented and the rationale for recommended actions... in the same way that battlefield responses are quicker when each group stores their supplies in exactly the same way.

The Harvard Business School johnnies like to talk about the Procter & Gamble one-page memo. With very rare exceptions (eg. upstream scientific research, quarterly and year-end reports to the stockholders) the entire staff of the international, Fortune 500 company is held to a very specific one-page format:

Section 1: One paragraph of up to two sentences that state the purpose of the memo.

Section 2: One paragraph of up to four sentences outlining conclusions and recommended next steps.

Section 3: Up to three paragraphs detailing background information and key data supporting the conclusion. If at all possible, data should be presented in a table. Raw data is kept in the individual's files and/or lab notebooks as appropriate, available upon request.

It is expected there will be plenty of white space for marginal notes from management, as these things are circulated up the line. A manager will add a cover note (of one page, naturally, and in the same format) when forwarding a bundle of memos from various individuals working the same project, but the preferred method of immediate communication is the marginalia, which come back down again after they've gone up. As a result, even junior technicians work to ensure they've communicated precisely, knowing that a senior VP may well see and comment on their effort, should the section or department head's cover memo invite deeper investigation.
Posted by: trailing wife   2010-08-28 16:31  

#8  OS, that's some good gouge. Thanks.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2010-08-28 11:50  

#7  One of the first things I did when taking over a position (civilian and military) was forbid anyone of lower rank to use PowerPoint to present information to me or anyone in my "command".

I started a toastmasters club so presenters would learn the proper verbal tools, and learn how to be brief and concise with the spoken word (3 minute and five minute speeches are training devices in TM). I highly recommend Toastmasters.

If graphical information was required, it would be printed and handed out and would not exceed 3 pages plus a references page (which requires more care than slapping a PPT together).

The one allowance I would make is that everyone could email a list of links to documentation and a summary of the speech to any attendee who requested it in email.

It works quite well after the initial shock. It sharpens the wit to have to grasp your subject matter with enough expertise to give a concise 3-5 minute talk without slides, only 3 pages of graphs/figures as a handout, and a few 3x5 cards for your speaking notes if needed.

It also very quickly pointed out those who were not competent at their job, which was very convenient for me.
Posted by: OldSpook   2010-08-28 11:21  

#6  Veteran housewives daily practice leadership and understand the innate difference between making decisions and simple management.

Housewives daily confront Power Point Presentations in the form of commercials and print ads. They understand that such are just another way of saying "Look at me. I want your attention and resources." And while they may indeed influence a selection or choice, the housewives understand they can do just fine without them to get the basic missions accomplished....unlike staff weenies who need to justify themselves daily to a micro manager who never developed key leadership skills.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2010-08-28 07:53  

#5  There's not much call for that kind of thing in the housewifery biz, you see.

That is due to the simple fact the average housewife is not encumbered by imagery based decision making and thinks for herself without the crutch of visual aids. She can easily ascertain the content of a 15 to 30 minute presentation and decide for herself if the speaker is handing her a ration of k@k, or can simply be extended her trust and confidence.... without resorting to anal, PPT slides and colourful pictures containing green, amber, or red balls and confusing process charts.

I salute the housewife!
Posted by: Besoeker   2010-08-28 05:28  

#4  Mr. Mendiola, I swear I have an easier time understanding the works of Joyce then I often do your thought provoking excerpts...not that that should stop you. ;)
Posted by: Broadhead6   2010-08-28 00:52  

#3  "Throughout my career I have been known to walk that fine line between good taste and unemployment."

Well, looks like you don't have to worry about that anymore...

Posted by: tu3031   2010-08-28 00:42  

#2  ION NOT-POWERPOINT, WAFF > EXCLUSIVE: PENTAGON TO CHOOSE TWO COMPANIES TO BUILD FLYING HUMVEE.

ARTIC > US PENTAGON'S FIRST "FLYING CAR"/JEEP = Armored, Armed, + AirBorne/AirMobile.

* PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > "BIG BOY" US ARMY ROBOT [USDOD-DARPAHaul/Load-Carrier = Robo-Mule] WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF WAR.

"STAR WARS: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" > D *** NG IT, WE'VE SPOTTED IMPERIAL "WALKERS" [AT-ATS, AT-STS]

"BIG BOYS" = ALL-TERRAIN, INFANTRY/TROOPER COMBAT CARGO ASSISTANT TRANSPORT??

CHIEF WIGGUM > "WE'VE SPOTTED AT-CATS, REPEAT HQ, AT-CATS", but nuthin wid CHOCOLATE + COCONUT!
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-08-28 00:41  

#1  hahaha, unfortunately some of what he says is true...we're planning our deployment to douchebagistan right now - HHQ tells me to give them names of deployable folks, I ask for a mission statement so I can plan the mix of MOS and density of personnel I need out there to execute our missions, etc, they say not until I give them names...fucking idiocy...almost choked out a young operations officer who couldn't get it through his brain housing group...paging Major Major..
Posted by: Broadhead6   2010-08-28 00:15  

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