Is Anyone Left Alive?

Ye gods, I've just sat through the most depressing presentation I've ever had the misfortune to endure.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people who speak to conferences never ever smile, show enthusiasm or express any emotion at all. Are there special classes you can take on how to bore an audience rigid?

This guy could have offered a million pounds gift to everyone in the audience and no-one would have even clapped. After three minutes he had sent everyone to sleep by talking in an unexpressive monotone whilst using phrases like "I'm really excited" and "we're desperately keen to do this"... Well, mate, you had everyone fooled.

The only reaction he got around the table I was sitting at was when he had the barefaced cheek to say after droning for what seemed like hours; "I can't cover it all in such a relatively short presentation..." Any longer pal and they'd have been cutting their wrists!

So who was he? No names - but he was a very well known person in the Further Education sector, talking at a leadership conference to an audience of governors, one of whom muttered afterwards, "Well after that I think FE deserves all it gets..."

The stupidity of it is that he will be invited to speak again at another conference somewhere. Personally I think anyone displaying such a charisma deficiency should be quietly put out of their misery ... or is that everyone else's misery?

If by chance he sees this - I have enough witnesses to prove my case. So read and weep and then read this article: How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint.

And finally - one slide had black text on a dark purple background??? For crying out loud...