A Twelve Step Program to Break Your Addiction to Ineffective PowerPoint Presentations One Presentation at a Time

Follow these twelve steps to start creating more effective presentations

The twelve step program created by Alcoholics Anonymous has been used as a model for many people to break their addiction to alcohol, drugs and other destructive behaviours.  It has been adapted to many situations to deal with different problems people have.  I started thinking about these steps when I was considering how to stop people from creating and delivering PowerPoint presentations that are ineffective and damaging to their careers.

In this article I am giving you my twelve step program for breaking the addiction that many presenters have.  These presenters have become accustomed to packing their slides with text and data and mostly reading the slides to their audience.  They know others have somehow managed to use visuals effectively in presentations, but they need some help to break the habit they have.

I hope these steps will help you or someone you know to start to make the changes that will help improve your presentations, and lead to even greater success.  The first six steps deal with making a decision to change and committing to the work it will require.  Steps seven through twelve address how to make the change.

1. I admit that my abuse of PowerPoint has become unmanageable.  I can’t seem to figure out how to stop inflicting overloaded text and data slides on my audiences.  My audiences don’t find my presentations effective, even if they aren’t telling me that to my face.
2. I have come to believe that there is a better way that can save my presentations.  I have seen other presenters deliver effective presentations with persuasive visuals, so I know there is a better way.  I see that they start with structure, create and use visuals that illustrate their message, and deliver their presentation as if they are having a conversation with the audience.  I’d like to be able to do this too.
3. I have made a decision to turn my presentations over to this better way of presenting.  I believe that I can change my ways.  I believe that it is possible and that it doesn’t require an innate design ability to do it.  I believe that I can learn the skills I need to be able to create effective PowerPoint presentations.
4. I have made a fearless inventory of my skills at design, creation and delivery of presentations.  I have used honest feedback from others and independent assessments to truly evaluate what I am good at and where I need to develop skills.  I have been encouraged because now I know what I need to learn in order to become a better presenter.
5. I have admitted publicly that my presentations have not been as good as they should have been.  I have committed to my family, friends, colleagues and my boss that I know I can create and deliver better presentations.  I have done this publicly so that I can count on their support, guidance and encouragement through this process.  I also want them to hold me accountable to make these changes.  I look forward to celebrating with them as I see the changes result in successful presentations.
6. I am ready to address my presentation faults.  I know this will involve hard work and I am willing to commit to the efforts that are necessary.  I will allocate the time necessary to study and practice these new skills.
7. I have asked for assistance to address my shortcomings.  Knowing that this will take time and effort, I have asked for approval at work and home for time and funding to get the training I need.  I have made the time in my schedule for the required learning, better preparation of my presentations, and more rehearsal for each presentation.
8. I have made a list of the mistakes I have made using PowerPoint and am willing to correct them.  From the fearless inventory of skills in step four, I have listed the areas that I need to improve on.  I will seek out the training, books, and other resources that will help me improve in these specific areas.  I will seek the guidance of coaches and others who can give me the expert perspective I need.
9. I will make my presentations better for future audiences.  I know that the training and learning will be difficult at first to implement in my presentations.  Change is difficult when you start it.  I commit to the work required to make the changes and will push through the difficult times in order to make the changes I have committed to.  I won’t give up when the going gets tough.
10. I will continue to evaluate my presentations honestly and admit mistakes when I find them.  I will use checklists and rubrics to evaluate all aspects of my presentation, from design, to content, to delivery.  I will be ruthless in my evaluations so that I don’t slip back into the practices I once followed.  I will ask experts for their honest opinions to help check my progress.
11. I will continue to learn and develop my presentation ability with the goal to become the best presenter I can be.  I know that this is not a one-time effort.  I will need ongoing guidance and ideas in order to continue to improve.  I commit to continuous learning through books, blogs, videos, courses, newsletters, conferences, etc.  I will ask presenters I respect which thought leaders they follow and learn from them.
12. Having realized the errors of my presentations in the past, I have tried to share this message with other presenters and demonstrate better presentations principles when I present.  When I see an article, video, blog post, tweet, or other item that demonstrates this better way to present, I will communicate it to my network through my conversations, e-mails, blog posts, tweets, etc.  I will recommend to my colleagues, bosses, and friends, those books, experts, web sites, blogs, newsletters, etc. that have helped me.

Now it is truly up to you. I know that changing from your old ways of presenting is difficult at first.  I’ve done it and so have many fellow readers of my newsletter who have written to thank me over the years.  You can do it too.  I am here to help and encourage you along the way with articles, my blog, slide makeover videos, and many other resources.  Now take that first step.