Fired for PowerPoint Truth-Telling
According to Wired, the NATO command in Afghanistan has fired a staff officer who publicly criticized interminable PowerPoint briefings. He told the truth about the lack of substance contained in a PowerPoint presentation. He told the truth about the role PowerPoint plays in creating a crushing bureaucracy. He told the truth about “endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information.”
The staff officer was fired for his failure to clear “written or oral presentations to the media.” And that may be a legitimate reason. Even so, when the powers that be defend PowerPoint, it gives one a sinking feeling that all hope is lost for presentations with substance and original thought.
While the staff officer believes that he has support from lower ranking officers and a few colonels, one two-star general told him “I was a coward, unpatriotic, ignorant, petty and that he had no respect for me.” His ludicrous description of the staff officer would seem to indicate that the two-star general has been subjected to one too many PowerPoint presentations.
The reliance on PowerPoint by all presenters in any workplace is stupefying. PowerPoint diminishes one’s ability to speak in an articulate manner and engage in art of public speaking. It’s bad enough to realize that the minds of executives, managers, supervisors and HR professionals are being stultified by tortuous PowerPoint presentations most every day. It’s downright scary to know that generals and other military officers in charge of a war are receiving information and giving instructions by the use of PP.
You’ll note that the piece in Wired includes a video of Life After Death by PowerPoint. Below is an expanded version of Life After Death by PowerPoint. Watch it and laugh. Then weep.
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About Chris Parker
Chris Parker's practice focuses on the representation and counseling of companies in matters pertaining to the workplace and the protection of their intellectual property and trade secrets. In addition to serving as an advocate for clients, Mr. Parker is also trained as a mediator and frequently serves as a third-party neutral.
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While serving in an Of Counsel relationship with the firm, Mr. Bridgesmith also serves as the Executive Director at the Institute for Conflict Resolution at Lipscomb University and as an officer and principal in Strategic Resolutions Group, LLC. In these roles, Mr. Bridgesmith brings over 30 years of legal experience in dispute resolution and innovative workplace strategies to clients, students and business entities alike.
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Great article – and I loved the clip!
Anna,
Thanks for your comment. Anti-PowerPoint non-users unite.
John