PowerPoint can be a great tool, when used properly and very (note the VERY) sparingly – that is undeniable truth No. 1.

PowerPoint makes presenters less likely to interact with their audience (clients, prospects, whoever) and reduces valuable eye contact which helps them bond. It can become an emotional crutch. That’s truth No. 2.

Truth No. 3. PowerPoint distracts the presenter from reading the audience, and locks them into a sequence which when interrupted can throw them off guard and even confuse them. They can not answer random question which are out of sequence and seem to lose the ability to think on their feet. Not a good look.

If your audience wanted a presentation read out line-by-line as well as seeing exactly the same content on screen, they would have stayed at home and had Mum read them bedtime stories. And have had hot chocolate with marshmellows and perhaps a teddy bear to cuddle. That’s truth No. 4 (and a real pet hate of mine).

Telling your audience that you are bored stiff with your PowerPoint so you really don’t want to use it doesn’t say PowerPoint is all bad, it says to the audience that you’ve been lazy in thinking of how to refresh the content and present it in other ways. Truth No. 5 – you’ve only got yourself to blame for that one, buster.

PowerPoint is great for creating leave-behind documents, it demands that information is condensed and simplified and it’s easy to inject colour and creativity that wouldn’t work on screen. It has its place – truth No. 6.

And finally truth No. 7 is that sadly, I’ve never walked away from a PowerPoint presentation saying wow, that was amazing.

PS: Truth No. 8 (because I’m actually not quite finished although I thought I was), is that there are some interesting alternatives out there. Go and have a look at Prezi for example and look through the ‘Prezis we like’ section. A word of warning though – in the end this is just a better (as in interactive, fresh, fun and graphically powerful and well worth a play with) PowerPoint. See truths No. 1-7.

I’m not going to make any comments on the Kony 2012 topic itself (or the recent appearance of one of its makers stark naked and behaving weirdly on a public street), as many others have already done so from many vantage points. However I am going to give recognition to a YouTube video that has gone viral and and utilised social media incredibly effectively to engage and unite people to act as one, across the world.

Kony 2012 tackles the case of an acknowledged modern day war criminal who under the guise of leading a liberation crusade has “recruited” in to his violent army, via abduction from their homes, over over 30,000 Ugandan children. Over a short period of time this video has gone viral and had more than 80 million (yes, 80 million!) views. As a scenario it demonstrates how technology, with a compelling message and supporting strategies behind it, can empower us to collectively and actively enable change. Where once the general populace were powerless, they now have a very real voice and the power to affect world politics.

This is of course could be incredibly exciting when contemplating change for the better but the danger is perhaps even more-so that technology will be used as a vehicle to cynically manipulate us. So, in reality, what’s changed?

This new advertisement from The Guardian truly demonstrates the power of social media (while also being a brilliant concept and execution) as it takes a classic story to the ultimate conclusion…but not necessarily the one you would have predicted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDGrfhJH1P4

I wish that in all honesty I could boast that I spent the holiday period reflecting on new ways to run the business, enhance client offerings and developing dynamic new marketing strategies. However the truth is more around bemoaning the poor weather, drinking a bit more wine than I should have, seeing friends and family, reading lots of fiction on my iPad, feeling heartsick over the hot air balloon tragedy, enjoying the new kitten and working on the house.

Perhaps that’s not a bad thing though.

Some time out should be just that. Time to recharge batteries and reconnect with the things in life that make the commitment to running a business worthwhile. Making up for the weekends and nights worked, the holidays with SmartPhones and clearing emails when you should be drinking cocktails festooned with small silly umbrellas and oversized fruit, and the feeling that work is life (and I am guilty of loving my work hugely!).

I do know that because of that time out I don’t have end-of-holiday-itis, and that I am already relishing the initial trickle of emails which are coming through as my clients return to work. Roll on 2012, it’s going to be a good one.