Posted on Mar 14, 2014

What would happen if there was no PowerPoint?

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Have we become overly reliant on technology to do our jobs as leaders?  As leaders we spend a lot of time putting presentations together to brief our superiors.  Bullet points and quad-charts are endless.  How would our military function if we couldn't organize briefings and presentations with PowerPoint?  Would our verbal briefing skills improve?  Would our map reading skills improve?  Would leaders at higher levels loose the ability to micromanage?  Would junior officers and NCOs be more empowered to take initiative and act on their own judgement?  Sadly, a world without PowerPoint may only be a dream, but I have a suspicion it may be wonderfully freeing and empowering.

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PowerPoint

Posted >1 y ago

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Responses: 84

CSM Michael Poll

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

We would have to stop the war....  But seriously,  we would have to go back to "old school"  Transparencies, hip pocket training etc.  A great test for a staff doing a staffex is in the middle of the excersize, pull the power.  You will find either mass chaos, or leaders who can think out of the box to work through this difficult issue.  Try it some time!

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

Yup, transparencies with dry-erase or wax pens.....because without briefings, the Army would grind to a halt....

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SGM Mikel Dawson

>1 y

This was something I tried to express when I was the V Corps Rear G3 SGM. I'd tell people they needed to know how to do things by hand because sometime power might go out. Back then we did train some that way, I have no idea now, but I am a firm believer we need to know how face a problem, overcome and adapt to complete the mission.

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MSG (Join to see)

>1 y

That is so true. We have gotten away with rehearsals. Soldiers should not rely on PowerPoint. They need to use battle drill experience to train and advise

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1SG (Join to see)

>1 y

When I was in ABIC, we split the class up to get through the student presentations quicker. The laptop I was using in my group ran out of battery and no charger, right in the middle of my presentation.

I am glad I was old school enough to roll with it and use the white board and training aids. The course instructor used the event as a teaching point and how we should not become reliant on PowerPoint. A prepared briefer or instructor should design the presentation with the ability to deliver without technology and then use technology only as a tool to augment.

Too many times at weekend drill, I witness classes reliant on PowerPoint. Then they can't get on the network and the class either gets watered down to a few minutes of bs, or gets postponed. It's tragic

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CPT (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

Powerpoint? Imagine what would happen if there was no email.

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SGT Bryon Sergent

>1 y

Well, CPT Johnson, we actually had to do the runners in the late 80's and early 90's when commo went down. Was a pain in the arse sir!

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SSG Jason Deters

>1 y

No Powerpoint? How in the world would they be able to emphasize a particular portion of their briefing without the sound of a .50 cal firing as the words spiraled into position?

As a former 42A in the S1, without PowerPoint, I would never have earned my "PowerPoint Ranger" tab and would have had much more time that I could have spent on real missions like processing promotion packets for squared away troops or other personnel actions. Why do you think it takes SOOOOO LOONNNGGGG for the S1 shop to do ANYTHING? They are all tied up reading e-mails and publishing PowerPoint slides for the Staff officers.

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