TEACH & TRAIN

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Monat: April, 2010

April 29, 2010

Tossing and turning

2010-04-25_coin

Some meandering thoughts on why we often understand so much less than we see.

[This is long. If you want the learnings only, skip it all and go straight to the very last paragraph. If, like me, you enjoy the stroll more than the cake at the end, bear with me. And thank you for the company. Maybe we can share the cake after all, when we come to it.]

Currently there are quite a few discussions going on about the relevance of images in presentations. I think they come not a moment too soon. I think many of us were beginning to get uneasy with the way things were going. The strange thing is, while there is a second slide revolution on the way, in many meeting rooms, at least here in Smallville, the first wave has not even begun to hit.

But that is a different story.

Over at PowerPointNinja is an excellent, concrete and easy to implement article on what can go wrong with images in a presentation that leaves me free to ramble and meander on a few other things on my mind right now. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »

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April 28, 2010

There are more fish in the sea

2010-04-28_silberkarpfen

The last time a fish inside or outside a fish bowl was funny was in 2005 when Barry Schwartz used a Peter Steiner cartoon to end his fabulous Paradox of Choice TED talk.

The ubiquitous bullet-timed goldfish jumping out of a glass bowl on istockphoto.com is not funny.

It is now spring 2010. The goldfish has reached the local stationery shop of Smallville in form of an unfunny greeting card.

I hereby declare the fish in  bowl officially dead.

If you find one, please bury it deep. Consider burying it deeper.

Sometimes they come back.

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April 27, 2010

Talk to me

2010-04-27_talktome

I work with young designers, engineers, social workers, architects. I am extremely lucky in that. I am working with visions and dreams. I am happy I have left training bankers behind.

Each group has their own jargon. The common denominator: language that is too complex, too stilted, too academic, too abstract. A language that makes their visions fade to grey, no matter how stylish their slides may be.

They talk about the components of a relationship, instead of feelings. Their sentences run on and on, until not even the sentences can remember where they were going in the first place. They add noun phrase to noun phrase until all activity and hope is lost.

With all the buzz about new technology and techniques (and believe me,  I am an early adopter), I currently feel that the old technologies are in danger of losing out a little.

Presenting means talking to people.

We need language that is humane. Not only target-oriented talks.

Yesterday I was working with a young woman who I know to be energetic and funny and involved. She was talking about children and why she loves to work with them. When we watched the tape together, she said: That’s terrible. I sound as if I am going to a job interview. And just look at my hands!

Would you have hired yourself?, I asked, and she said no.

We then started working. On nothing but her words. An hour later she was happy with herself, and was herself again. As soon as she let go of abstract language, and talked to me, her body relaxed and she unclasped her hands. Two in one.

Abstract language is good for hiding behind. And keeping things to yourself. Knowledge and emotions included.

Which is maybe why so many professions cultivate it to perfection.

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April 27, 2010

Here and there

2010-04-27_stones

Over at speakingaboutpresenting.com my guest post on image traps is out. Olivia did a fantastic job of editing and cutting me short :)??

Thank you once again for the discussion and invitation. That is what I love about the web. Sharing ideas between New Zealand and Germany. Including finding the small time slot when two people are awake at the same time so that emails get answered without too much delay.

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April 27, 2010

Talk to me

2010-04-27_talktome

I work with young designers, engineers, social workers, architects. I am extremely lucky in that. I am working with visions and dreams. I am happy I have left training bankers behind.

Each group has their own jargon. The common denominator: language that is too complex, too stilted, too academic, too abstract. A language that makes their visions fade to grey, no matter how stylish their slides may be.

They talk about the components of a relationship, instead of feelings. Their sentences run on and on, until not even the sentences can remember where they were going in the first place. They add noun phrase to noun phrase until all activity and hope is lost.

With all the buzz about new technology and techniques (and believe me,?? I am an early adopter), I currently feel that the old technologies are in danger of losing out a little.

Presenting means talking to people.

We need language that is humane. Not only target-oriented talks.

Yesterday I was working with a young woman who I know to be energetic and funny and involved. She was talking about children and why she loves to work with them. When we watched the tape together, she said: That???s terrible. I sound as if I am going to a job interview. And just look at my hands!

Would you have hired yourself?, I asked, and she said no.

We then started working. On nothing but her words. An hour later she was happy with herself, and was herself again. As soon as she let go of abstract language, and talked to me, her body relaxed and she unclasped her hands. Two in one.

Abstract language is good for hiding behind. And keeping things to yourself. Knowledge and emotions included.

Which is maybe why so many professions cultivate it to perfection.

Hinterlasse einen Kommentar