Page 225 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

216 TEST YOUR NEW ARTICULATE EXECUTIVE IQ

What are the most common language mistakes? (Chapter 19)
Why is up-down-up so important? (Chapter 25)
Why is the GO ZONE so important? (Chapter 25)

Answers to these questions are the kind of game-changing knowl-
edge you’ll want to have in your pocket every day of your work-
ing life.
Here’s a checklist you might fi nd useful:

◆ Forget opening amenities. If you must use them, throw them
in only after a strong start.
◆ Remember the POWER formula: P (punch/strong start), O
(one theme), W (windows/examples), E (ear/ordinary language),
R (retention/strong ending).
◆ Begin every presentation without slides (unless it’s a blue or
black blank slide, title, logo, video, or montage).
◆ End every presentation without slides (or return to logo or
blank slide).
◆ Skip word slides in the actual presentation itself, but save them
for the handout or official document (hard copy or digital).

◆ Instead of word slides, use only charts, tables, schematics,
and photos.
◆ If you must use word slides, use only brief quotes, lists of prod-
ucts or people; instead of bullets use just one word or phrase,
such as a large centerpiece banner in the middle of each slide.
Limit banner words to one slide each.
◆ Stick your slides in the middle of your presentation.
◆ Avoid white backgrounds, and go easy on the pastel colors.
◆ Make slides simple (make them complex only when complexity
is the point you want to make).
◆ Use just one image per slide (unless you’re preparing a presen-
tation deck).
◆ Use presentation decks that are thin (Wafers). The handout
documents can be as fat as you want them to be (Whoppers).