Is Powerpoint still a consultant's best friend?
Innovative new tools exist, but letting go of the tried-and-tested can be tough
I recently ran a workshop for 180+ people on Writing Compelling Recommendations (check out the recording here if you missed it). In true consultant style, the focus was on Powerpoint skills.
My presentation was in Powerpoint. I was recommending ways to use Powerpoint. I assumed everyone joining would mostly be using Powerpoint - these are consultants after all!
My wife, who is a writer (you'll want to read her awesome Womaning Wisely project), dialled into the session as she was interested in some of the frameworks we were using. Afterwards she laughed at me...
🙋
"Why do consultants always only use Powerpoint?!"
This got me thinking. I've made thousands of Powerpoint slides over the last 20 years. But, recently, we've started experimenting with new tools in our work with clients: We don't always only use Powerpoint any more.
I know, I know. I've broken some kind of consultant code.
Sometimes these new tools have worked well. Other times, not so well.
The right tool for the job
In the last 6 months or so we've moved to primarily using Klaxoon as our client delivery tool - both for consulting workshops, and for training sessions.
It's essentially an interactive whiteboard, similar to Miro and others. We like Klaxoon for a few features that are particularly relevant for training. It works better than Powerpoint for flowing between different content formats and enabling interactivity in multiple ways.
Most of our clients LOVE it. But, some don't.
Those that don't can find it such a blocker that it stops them engaging with the content - we even had one person drop out halfway through a training course, largely because she was struggling to get to grips with Klaxoon (lots of lessons for us there). Others have found it useful during sessions, but still revert to asking for Powerpoint versions of the outputs.
Seeing some people struggle with it has reminded me of two things I've noticed over the years.
One is that the more radical a change, the harder it is for people to accept, even if it's clearly better in several areas. This is one of the reasons why understanding what your audience believes to be true and how they will react to your message is a critical consulting skill.
Some people who are very used to one tool, Powerpoint, say, or Excel, may find it hard to switch to the new tool. Hard enough that the work you're doing with them is negatively impacted.
The other is that there is a hierarchy of client needs within a workshop or training session. I've observed that this goes:
Relevant to me
Clear concepts
Accessible delivery
Practical (I can apply it)
Fun
I used to put Fun much higher up. But then I noticed something. When we introduced elements of fun that made content unclear, or less accessible, our clients were less positive about the sessions. I've written more about this here.
When we introduce a new tool, like Klaxoon, I've learnt that we need to double-down on making sure that the concepts are still clear and the delivery is accessible to people who aren't used to that tool. Even if part of the benefit is a more engaging session dynamic. The fun doesn't come first.
The innovation imperative
It might be tempting to conclude that the safest option here is to stick with what your clients are most comfortable with. Chances are that will work fine for a while.
But, there is a big downside risk. Tech is moving faster than ever before. We are entering an exponential age of innovation where changes that used to take years now take months - AI being the prime example, but not the only one.
I don't believe sticking with the tried-and-tested tools is safe any more. Innovation is necessary if you are to stay relevant and project credibility.
This will mean different things for different people. Sometimes just 'keeping up' is perfectly fine. Sometimes you'll want to demonstrate cutting edge thinking. Standing still is unlikely to be the right answer for long though.
So…what is a consultant to do in this rapidly shifting world?
The skill to develop here is three-fold. The first step is the ability to identify the best tool for the job. The right level of innovation, with tools you are confident using.
Then, you need to carefully assess how receptive your audience is going to be to that tool. Have they used similar things in the past? Are they generally tech savvy? Can you test it out with a couple of people before using it in anger?
The final step (which we missed with our unhappy learner) is to develop the skill to ensure that everyone is able to use that tool effectively enough. The tool must be an enabler, not a blocker.
Want to see what innovative tools others are using with clients? Drop me a line requesting to join our Consulting Skills Slack Community.
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