Curse you PowerPoint!

Oh how you vex me.

Sure, so the boss of my boss says….”Karen, put together a couple slides on [insert name of project here].”

And because I am that kind of employee, I say, “Yes boss!”

Then I when the boss is out of earshot, I sigh. Deeply. Loudly.

Then I make motions not unlike a cat would when being shoved into a mailbox.

Then I open up a blank PowerPoint screen with the company approved slide template.

And I sigh again.

It mocks me. The blank slide mocks me.

The company approved slide template has a graphic and logo running down the left side and the bottom of each page.

This takes up valuable real estate on every slide.

In this already limited space further limited by the corporate branding, I’ve been asked, essentially, to describe the d’être for my department.

My powerful team and successful program that was a decade in the making by my very talented predecessor.

I’m to boil that down to a few salient bullet points, format them in the corporate way and in corporate colors.

I have to make all the bullet symbols line up. And the font on every page should match in typeface and size. If I put in a table of numbers, all the numbers should line up like obedient school children.

I haven’t even BEGUN to discuss “transitions” where you have your text come swooping in or looping out or emerging from thin air. I hate transitions. I really, really hate them.

I’m not *good* at PowerPoint. There are some people in this world who can make magic happen with the PowerPoint software. Unfortunately I am not one of these people.

One would think with my creative mind that I’d be all up and over PowerPoint. Nope. See, the times when I’ve gotten clever in the ol’ PowerPoint, I’ve received dismissive looks and suggestions for edits. My sense of humor doesn’t really translate to the rigid slide format produced by the PowerPoint software.

No. Must maintain a professional attitude. Must use a tool with SO many moving parts it could make the Pope cuss (you suppose they use PowerPoint at the Vatican?).

Must do a good job on this as I’m only sixty days into this new job. Must help them continue to think I was worth hiring.

Must make PowerPoint magic.

Oh and did I mention…this all must be done by Monday?

About Author

Karen Fayeth

Comments

  • Anji

    Rather you than me. Good luck.

  • Karen Fayeth

    Ugh. May you never have to….

    I'll take this one for the team. :)

  • Anonymous

    Karen,

    Do it just badly enough that you train them to NOT come to you for that again.

    Don't let them see your blog.

    :)

    Regards,
    EFM

  • PattiKen

    Fuuny. I worked in documentation and training before retiring. PowerPoint was my friend. Actually, it still is.

    P.S. I hate transitions. They make me seasick. ;-)

  • Karen Fayeth

    Ephraim – You know, I had that thought…If I whiff this PowerPoint then maybe they won't ask me to do any more….

    The good news is I turned in my slides yesterday and my boss said he liked them. So durn it, I guess I'll have to do more.

    *sigh*

  • Karen Fayeth

    PattiKen -you are one of those glorious magical people who can take plan blah slides and make them sing.

    I'm jealous. Seriously. And a little bit in awe.

    :)

Comments are closed.