July, 2011 | It's Worth Noting

The next time you’re putting together a presentation, ask yourself whether a slide can be replaced with a picture. If you can get your main point across with a picture instead a chart, bullet point list or block of text, do so. Pictures are engaging and memorable. Charts and text are boring and forgettable. As an example, I used the picture above in a presentation when discussing the perilous path ahead. As I made my case, this image stayed on the screen and really drove home the desired takeaway. I could have used complex charts, long bullet lists and blocks of small text, but my audience would have gotten lost in the supporting evidence instead of focusing on the main point. If a simple picture seems too risky, remember you can always supply the charts and text in a supplementary hand-out. A few tips: Use images that do not require their own…

Earlier this year I developed a typical sinus infection. The pressure became too much to bear despite all the remedies I tried. In the end, the only thing that would solve the problem was a prescription to treat the root cause of the problem. A few days after getting a prescription from my doctor, all was well. Reflect for a moment on how you resolve conflict in your home, workplace or the like. When someone angers you, do you step back to consider the root cause of the problem or do you treat the symptoms? If you are anything like me, you are tempted to react to the symptoms – the words or actions of the offending party. This may provide some temporary relief, as does blowing your nose when you have a sinus infection. The root cause of the conflict, the infection, goes unaddressed though and is left to…

July 2011

Try speaking with pictures instead of words

When conflict erupts, do you reach for a kleenex or see your doctor?