#78 Death by Powerpoint?

Who invented Powerpoint?  I know, I know it comes from Microsoft, but who sat and thought we needed it?  Who thought there wasn’t enough torture in Corporate-ville? Who thought days could be filled sitting in darkened rooms, blinking at a Powerpoint projection on a sunny afternoon.

I remember going to possibly the worst induction of any US employer EVER.  I had to sit through one week of sales training based solely  on Powerpoint.  Not satisfied they  had printed out the Powerpoint into a handout!  What a waste of time that week was.  How can you learn to sell by listening to someone reading off Powerpoint?

Once for another US company I flew over to Heathrow at the ungodly hour of 5.30am.  I was living in Dun Laoghaire at the time and got a taxi to the airport, just as we pulled in I realised I had left the passport back in our apartment, so I got the driver to do a U-turn and back we went.  When we finally  got back to the airport, I had to run the whole way to the departure gate holding my 5kg laptop, a handbag, and a winter coat.

By the time I got seated in business class, I think the only person who couldn’t hear my heart beat were the Captain and the man in the toilets at the rear of the plane.  I arrived stressed and unsure where I was going and got into a black cab at Heathrow and he turned onto the M4 heading west.  After what seemed like ages, he took a slip road and we ended up in an industrial estate – with one US company lording it over the next.

I checked in at the reception and was given directions, took the glass lift – still struggling with winter coat, laptop, handbag and more recently a ladder in my tights and a  perspiration problem.

I knocked the meeting room door and entered.  The Powerpoint was in full swing!  Party Central!  I was aware that I was feeling really tired when I lost my way in the slides – but when my head started lolling I knew I was in trouble.  I went to the toilet and splashed water on my face – no good.  I drank 2 cups of coffee – no good.  I sat in the darkened room with 4 hours sleep from the night before and watched Powerpoint on software sales within vertical markets in the UK – yawn!

So hey ho – I never have to endure any Powerpoint again!  I have used word, excel and outlook since leaving those corporate towers behind – but Thank God I have absolutely no need for Powerpoint!!