Article

2010-08-28 Afghanistan

Yet another PPT casualty - Thank you for your service COL Sellin

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Posted by Besoeker 2010-08-28 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 00:15|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 00:41|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 00:42|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 00:52|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 05:28|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 07:53|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 11:21|| Front Page Top

#8 OS, that's some good gouge. Thanks.

Posted by Broadhead6 2010-08-28 11:50|| 2010-08-28 11:50|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 16:31|| Front Page Top

#10 #9 Brilliant ~~managing~~, leadership OldSpook!

Posted by Besoeker 2010-08-28 16:34|| 2010-08-28 16:34|| Front Page Top

#11 Correction noted and approved, Besoeker.

Posted by trailing wife 2010-08-28 16:54|| 2010-08-28 16:54|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 19:24|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-08-28 20:34|| Front Page Top

#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.