Posted on Feb 23, 2015
Changing Paradigms: Pentagon Leader Bans the use of PowerPoint. What do you think?
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Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 53
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The problem isn't with PowerPoint. It is in fact a powerful and excellent briefing tool. The issue is that people don't know how to properly utilize it and end up putting walls of text that they then read off of. It was always intended as a supplement to your brief, not the main focus. Using it for graphs, maps, pictures, etc. with a few bullet points or things you don't want to actually say in your brief but your audience might find nice.
We shouldn't get rid of PowerPoint, people should learn how to use it.
We shouldn't get rid of PowerPoint, people should learn how to use it.
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Powerpoint is just a tool, but we often use it as a crutch. Worst cases are when the briefer gets their subordinates to develop the powerpoint while the briefer does "more important things" without learning the topic or preparing to brief. That's when you know it's a crutch. I hope Carter keeps briefers on their toes with selective "no ppt" briefs.
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SFC Al Miranda
there is nothing wrong with powerpoint presentations, they are powerful and useful tools that can clarify and justify a point when used properly, it is effective, I would want to know why or ask the new chief, why change now, and what does he expect? ,,,, What , ? Does he have a new software in mind? Do we have to go spend more money?,,, Clarity here, is needed
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SGT (Join to see)
PowerPoint, if used correctly, can be a very effective visual tool depending on the purpose for its use. A speaker who can use PowerPoint as a simple visual aid to his/her informative speech can truly captivate the minds of their audience. Again, it all depends on how and for what purpose the slides are used for.
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PV2 (Join to see)
I agree Col Joseph Lenertz. I think he is also challenging leaders to think out of the box to come up with creative solutions to the challenges we face. Far too many in Govt use PPT as a crutch. With all of things people are doing with data and data Visualizations, we can analyze and visualize data in various different ways. I hope he keeps it up.
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Boy, I'm sure glad I got my Power Point Ranger Tab while the getting was good.
I've seen so many good Officers get slid under the carpet because they couldn't power point, yet they could brief. I think briefing skills need developed and tools (power point) put in their place.
I'll never forget the first time I had to brief the DCG as a SSG. I'd never used power point before, so didn't have all the bells and whistles in my briefing, just had the facts. When my slides came up, there was this blinding white light with bold black letters presenting my facts. I gave my brief, just the facts. General Yates asked me a couple questions along with the DCG and that was that. After the briefing I was stormed by officers telling me how bad my brief was, and I had to "stay after school" to get my briefing in order. So I spent the next couple hours getting all the pretty nicey nice stuff on my brief.
I think this the problem, too much bells and whistles and every one has forgotten BLUF!!
I've seen so many good Officers get slid under the carpet because they couldn't power point, yet they could brief. I think briefing skills need developed and tools (power point) put in their place.
I'll never forget the first time I had to brief the DCG as a SSG. I'd never used power point before, so didn't have all the bells and whistles in my briefing, just had the facts. When my slides came up, there was this blinding white light with bold black letters presenting my facts. I gave my brief, just the facts. General Yates asked me a couple questions along with the DCG and that was that. After the briefing I was stormed by officers telling me how bad my brief was, and I had to "stay after school" to get my briefing in order. So I spent the next couple hours getting all the pretty nicey nice stuff on my brief.
I think this the problem, too much bells and whistles and every one has forgotten BLUF!!
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SSG Claude Pinner
SGM,
I had a Commander once tell me that officers will like a presentation so long as it has all the pretty colors. I think it helps them to organize the thoughts in their head. :-)
I had a Commander once tell me that officers will like a presentation so long as it has all the pretty colors. I think it helps them to organize the thoughts in their head. :-)
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MAJ (Join to see)
Not me. Give me bullets, expand on them with knowledge and tell me what I need to know to help me make a decision. No meeting longer than an hour or we close the meeting when we hit it. To the point and give me the so what and why I should care about what's on the slide.
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My platoon back in bolc didn't like PowerPoints either. This was our platoon t-shirt. It was so good and funny that other platoons bought our t-shirt.
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The title is misleading. He banned powerpoints for the summit, which may indicate he wants a more down to earth discussion, not a political one.
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MAJ (Join to see)
He wants to change how they think about the problem. So a paradigm is being addressed. He is eleminating a practice of the use of PowerPoint to get them to learn how to think through addressing the problem. How is that misleading.
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PO2 Steven Erickson
MAJ (Join to see)
The context that I saw was that in the super-duper meeting today in Kuwait City, he specifically told the attendees that he did not want PPTs.
Based on what I read (below), I can't make the leap that Carter is eliminating PPTs from the DoD.
http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/02/secdef-strategy-against-islamic-state-working/105900/
The context that I saw was that in the super-duper meeting today in Kuwait City, he specifically told the attendees that he did not want PPTs.
Based on what I read (below), I can't make the leap that Carter is eliminating PPTs from the DoD.
http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/02/secdef-strategy-against-islamic-state-working/105900/
SecDef: The Strategy Against the Islamic State Is Working
After a day-long conference in Kuwait, Defense Secretary Ash Carter left open the possibility of a sharpened U.S. approach against the Islamic State.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Only in his breifings true.. You want turn all of DoD on a dime but he is making a valid point. If he gets his point across this can trickle down. Army TRADOC 4 years ago was asking course writers and instructors to significantly reduce use of PowerPoint and when possible eliminate. Immediate and direct no but as things filter up and down the things can lead to change.
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Did they grandfather the Powerpoint Ranger Tab or do we have to take them off now? Further research is required. I propose a powerpoint presentation regarding the feasibility of powerpoint presentation removal from the military.
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This takes a page out of the book of Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos -- Amazon forbids Powerpoint decks as formal correspondence.
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SP5 Michael Rathbun
Even when I worked for the company that owns this product, I used it as sparingly as possible. One day I gave a presentation with nothing to augment it other than a whiteboard, which weirded out a number of peers and managers.
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MAJ (Join to see)
And I think that's perfectly legitimate. However, I don't feel we as an institution use it as a means of formal communication so much as what it is; a convenient, portable, product-development/presentation platform. I think if ever there existed an organization that fully hit the purpose, method, endstate of the PowerPoint designers, it would have to be the U.S. Army. Does PP enable a weak briefer to rely on the strength of their slide deck? Sure; but so what? What were you taking away from that same brief prior to PP? Does the Army forget all tenets of briefing standards that it enforces throughout OES simply because PP allows it to? Hell yes it does! But who's on the blame-line for that one? I am uneasy with the SECDEF taking a useful resource off the table for the purposes of this strategy session as I feel it unduly hobbles the staffs expected to develop the products by which the SECDEF will be briefed. If he wishes to reduce reliance on PP, I would encourage him to develop quality products that come down to our levels for all of the DOD-mandated training that we currently kill our poor subordinates with on a monthly basis via PP!
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What?? No Powerpoint? What else are staff officers supposed to do with their time from now on?
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LTC Hillary Luton
MAJ (Join to see) Oh my gosh! Now you really are pushing the envelope. Next thing you will be suggesting they learn how to be diplomatic, charismatic, think outside the box and stop being "yes men". What will this Army come to?
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SGM Mikel Dawson
SFC Richardo Dominguez,
Now you got time for more important things like making coffee, cleaning the desk, taking out the trash. Just think, no longer will you have to stay late to make sure each slide has the properly format and looks pretty. No longer will you have to stay creating the master slide so everyone can copy and paste.
Now you got time for more important things like making coffee, cleaning the desk, taking out the trash. Just think, no longer will you have to stay late to make sure each slide has the properly format and looks pretty. No longer will you have to stay creating the master slide so everyone can copy and paste.
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