PowerPoints are for accent, not for the entire shindig!

As some of you may know, I am an adjunct Communications Professor. Yup, I really do teach people how to communicate in public. With five years behind me, I still find myself surprised by the sheer number of people who say they are afraid of public speaking!

Yes, it can be scary if you've rarely done it. I've seen people shake, turn all sorts of colors, and even forget to breath. That one astounds me every time. :)

Yes, it's at the top of the phobia list! More people fear public speaking then they fear death. :) I find that amazing, though I suppose I understand to an extent. And yet, in five years, I've never witnessed anyone dying from giving a speech. Promise!

What people need to understand is that the true underlying fear is not speaking, though. The primary fear is actually the fear of being judged. No one wants to be judged negatively and that influences the fear of speaking. After all, when you're speaking, all eyes in the room are on you! To this day, even with all of my experience, I still feel a touch of fear. I wonder if I have something in my teeth or if my clothes are on backward.

It's normal. Truly.

But do you know what really gets my goat? What really chaps my hide? People who use PowerPoint wrong!!

I know, it's an odd irritant, but if you've seen as many PowerPoints as I have, you would understand.

As a result of my irritant, I put together a short video on how to use PowerPoint effectively. Sure, it's a beginner's video. It doesn't include all the goodies and funsies that people can do with PowerPoint. But, it's a start.

I actually created this for my class, but I thought to myself: "self? Wouldn't other people benefit from the knowledge if they want it?" And I responded to myself: "Sure! Why not?"

So, here it is. :)

If you watch this video and find it useful, please comment! I'd love to know what you think.

Thanks!