Why "Any Questions?" Shouldn't Be Your Last Slide
The last slide you want as your last slide is "Any Questions?"
No, I’m not asking if there are any questions; that’s the point. The final slide of your presentation should not be "Any Questions?" And yet, we all do it. It’s ingrained in our presentation DNA to conclude a motivating and compelling presentation with that very phrase.
But why should "Any Questions?" not be your final slide?
#awkward. A Lesson on the Importance of Reading the Room
There was a time before Teams, Zoom, and other video-conference technologies when people sat around a table using a device known as a “phone,” which allowed them to hear but not see each other.
That's when the problem began.
Can I Get a Simple Yes or No, Please?
“Will this flight land safely?”
“Um, it should,” says the pilot hesitatingly.
“Will I make it through this surgery?”
“Hmm, I think so,” says the surgeon after a long pause.
“Will the interest rate on my (newly-signed) mortgage rise?”
“Uhh, I’m not sure,'' says the banker, looking away.
None of the responses above give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, do they?
Use Fewer Words
I’m going to throw myself under the bus.
At times, I’ve been accused of being a bit wordy. Sometimes it’s when I talk, other times email, and yet other times it could be a presentation. In my defense, I lean towards wordiness for the sake of being thorough, but can see how fewer words benefit the recipient.
Case in point, I recently drafted the following for an email:
Is Your Work Day Filled with Empty-Calorie Activities?
Sugary snacks, chips, sodas... all satisfying, all filling, and all not good for you. Food companies spend a ton of money to find out what will appeal to consumers when it comes to junk food. For example, did you know the ideal breaking point for potato chips is four pounds per square inch (4 PSI)? Frito-Lay does.
The problem with empty-calorie junk food is that it crowds out the space needed for healthy and nutritious food. Our workday can also fall victim to empty-calorie work crowding out productive work that yields results. Consider the following 3 examples of junk-food activities that can quickly fill up our day versus the healthy alternative.
Survey Says? You Need to Do Better.
Companies spend big bucks on customer surveys. Why? Because they want to know how they are doing and areas to improve. As a matter of fact, they can’t get enough feedback. Marketers are typically disappointed with low response rates, viewing every bit of feedback as the gift that it is - where a customer took the time and effort to complete a form or questionnaire rather than take their business elsewhere.
A Guide to Rating Employees on Annual Performance Reviews
I walked into my manager’s office with a bit of a swagger and a smug look. “Everything for this week is done,” I said. “All project plans have been updated, the communication plan has been revised, the issue with the integration team has been resolved, and I even called the customer and gave them an update on next week’s plans.”
Expecting kudos and accolades, my hopes were quickly dashed.
Start Doing Employee MicroReviews (and How)
Think about the microcosm in which we live. We have microwaves, microphones, microbreweries, and even Micronesia; but, no Micro-Reviews. Why is that? Because we as managers have a tendency to put our employee reviews off until the end of the year, creating a pressure-cooker couple of weeks to cram them in at the beginning of the year.
This year, try doing microreviews.
3 Traits That Will Help Colleagues Looking for Work
I was on vacation when my manager called. “I’ve got good news and bad news. Which would you like first?” I opted for the good.
“The good news is that you can take a longer vacation.”
“Great!” I said. “What’s the bad news?”
“The bad news is that you can take a REAL LONG vacation.”
That’s not so bad, I thought to myself, and then asked, “How long?”.
“Forever….”
Sometimes It’s Good to Stay in Your Lane
“The marketing department doesn’t have a clue,” my co-worker said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“A trade journal has been trying to reach them for an interview but their calls aren’t being returned,” she continued. “This is just the break we need to get our name out there. You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to give them the interview they are looking for.”
Gulp.
Stand Out During Your Next Interview by Using a Professional Portfolio
How do you choose a watermelon? Some people tap it and listen for a particular sound. Others look for a uniform shape. Still others check the color of the side of the watermelon that rested on the ground. So many watermelons in the bin to pick from, but you are going home with just one. Whatever method you use, that one watermelon will have some quality or characteristic that differentiates it from the rest.
Lesson Learned During a Chicken Dinner
“Who doesn’t know that…?” I thought to myself as the speaker presented his first point at a PMI project management event.
I took a bite of my chicken.
About midway through his presentation, I again couldn't help but think, “That’s obvious, isn’t it?” while shoveling in some green beans.
My attitude did not improve the more he kept talking.
Where It's At. I Got Two Computers and I Work From Home.
My home office has one monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse. The problem is that I have two laptops: a personal laptop and my work laptop. It wasn't that big of a deal when my work laptop stayed at the office most of the time.
Not so much anymore.
3 Tips for Successfully Working Remote
“I have only one rule,” my manager said. “Don’t go dark on me.” Our office was scheduled to close at the end of the year, and everyone would soon be disbanded to the suburbs of Atlanta to begin working remotely. His guidance meant that when he needed to get ahold of team members during normal business hours, we would be available.
Fair enough.
Some made it work, others didn’t. Those who did enjoyed the benefits of working from home; those who didn’t were eventually asked to leave the company.
Which brings us to the question…how can I make others feel like I’m in the office right next to them, when working remotely? Consider the following suggestions.
Find Important Messages in Seconds by Color Coding Your Email
Receiving hundreds of emails a day is no longer the exception but rather the norm. They range from critically important to a litany of one-word replies such as “thanks” and “ok.” Sometimes you can block out 30 minutes to plow through your inbox, but sometimes you can’t.
For those days that you can’t, there is a way to zero in on emails that need your immediate attention, such as those from your manager, customers, or anyone else that needs a quick response.
3 Reasons to not "Phone It In" When You Are a Remote Worker
I remember watching The Jetsons and thinking how cool it would be if we could video call like them. Jane, Judy, or Elroy would pop up on a desktop screen and talk to George like they were in the same room. Well, the future is now, and for the past 10 years that technology has been commonplace.
Do you take advantage of all that video has to offer you as a remote worker? Or, do you hide behind visual anonymity and just dial in to company meetings? Sure, phoning in is tempting. You don’t have to worry about your face on a big-screen JumboTron at the office. But, there are some very real benefits to using video.
A Technology Lesson Learned from a Salesperson
“Nope, we can’t do that,” I said curtly to the potential client. I knew my team would not be able to fulfill their request, and as my colleague and I sat in that meeting, I prided myself in not committing to something our company couldn’t deliver. After all, I was the person responsible for delivering the technology that would be sold.
“Wait, wait, wait…” my colleague, ever the sales pro, said. “We may not be able to do that, but we will be able to do this instead…will that work?”
“Sure, that’ll be just fine,” said the potential, soon-to-be-paying client.
Write Every Email as if it Will Be Read in a Court of Law
One thing I’ve learned over the years is to type every email as if it will be read in a court of law. In those uncomfortable situations when the bottom falls out of a business relationship and companies end up in court…the written word is typically given more credence than people’s memories. That is why it is critical (especially if you are customer facing) to review, re-read, edit, and review again any correspondence that leaves your desktop.
How to Keep Your Presentations from Going Off-Road
There’s no telling how many presentations we sit through in our careers. Some good, some not so good. What exactly is it that separates the good from the bad? Is it slick graphics, a good story, or cool transitions?
Sure, these all have their place, but what really sets a presentation apart is a high “what’s in your head vs. what’s on the screen” ratio. In other words, what’s in your head about a subject should be exponentially greater than what you present about that same subject.
Why is this important?
Stop Thinking of E-Mail and Instant Messaging as Real Communication
ve worked in a number of environments where people are sitting directly across from one another…and days will pass without one word being said. Rather, E-Mail and Instant Messaging have become the proxy for Real Communication.
E-mailing and Instant Messaging have become the preferred method of communication. The vast majority of people really don’t like ‘talking’ to each other. While E-Mail and IM have their place, it has had a negative impact on the quality of communication that is necessary to keep projects on track.
So, when it comes to communication, I’ve found the quality has increased by implementing the suggestions below: