JUST WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY IN THIS SLIDE?

This was what a thirteen year old said to her father as he took her through a presentation on the economy.

She was taking no prisoners and he was suitably abashed.

Thirteen year olds are accomplished users of PowerPoint and well versed in presenting. If you’ve been listening to young voters taking about the three leaders on TV over the past week you’ll realise the sophistication they have and to which they are accustomed.

They, most of all, get what poor reviled PowerPoint is all about.

It is nothing to do with bullet points - it’s everything to do with storyboards.

There is simply no better way to plan a presentation with logic, drama and clarity.

It’s something they understand and are happy with because they understand and live with the medium of film – the ultimate format in presentation.

The older generation, on the other hand, either clunk their way through a sequence of bullet point lists or revert to the suicide of “winging it”.

The next time I hear about a presenter relying on inspiration on the day is the next time I show you a soldier in the battle of corporate life going out not wearing body armour.

Ask your children (or a friend’s children) to tell you honestly how your presentation looks and listen to what they say.

After all they live in the presentation age and they know what “good” is.