A521.1.4.RB_SchreterPaul

Here is a story that we tell within our organization. Names have been changed in this particular verse.

“Zack was learning how to launch out a jet as a B-man. After he pulled out both sets of chalks, for some odd reason he found it necessary to run underneath the aircraft without putting the chalks back in place. The Staff Sergeant that was with him yelled profusely at him as this was a huge safety violation and could have disastrous consequences to life. When Zack returned to the truck, he was sobbing profusely like a baby. Good intentions or not, this guy really lacks cojones.”

This is a common story that gets told within our organization. Not only is the story true, but it also happened within the year and gets told to almost every newbie within the organization. Some reasons why this story gets told so often is that it not only puts an emphasis on safety but it’s memorable as well.

Our core values within the organization are “together, safe, and IAW” and this story promotes safety. Safety is huge within our organization because the realm to which we work is incredibly dangerous. Running underneath a moving aircraft can prove to be dangerous because of crushing hazards, getting sucked up into the intakes, getting burnt/blown away by exhaust, and many more unmentioned threats. This story happens to emphasize something that happened to one of my peers and not only is it a great way to teach someone that going underneath an un-chalked aircraft is unsafe, but it’s memorable as well.

The fact that this story is memorable helps promote the values of the organization, or in this case safety. What makes this story memorable is that it more or less pokes at someone who was being stupid during the launching sequence of an aircraft. It’s not common to see a grown “man” cry in a military setting and because of this, this particular individual, Zack, is seen as someone who lacks any sort of male genitalia between his legs. Whether or not this story is an ethical one to tell is up for debate, however it certainly is a lot more memorable and easier to get the point across than simply saying, “don’t go under the aircraft.”

A500.9.4.RB_SchreterPaul

This course was very difficult for me. Initially it was because I hadn’t taken a class in over two years and so I had to get readjusted to new study habits. Then after I became adjusted, work and life events started to kick off and things became very stressful. While things have slowed down just a tad at work, the constant change of pace that I’m getting thrown into adds for new challenges. But to reflect on my experiences thus far, I’m going to talk about a positive aspect of this course, a negative aspect of this course, and finally what I expect in future courses.

Learning about the SEE-I method has proved to be a very positive experience for me. Mainly in the sense that it forced me to come up with a metaphor to try and explain a complex idea. I feel like this is an important ability in leadership that cannot be underestimated. While I wouldn’t say I’m a metaphor god, the idea of trying to come up with random ones stretches my imagination to new areas that I’m not used to. It’s not so much about teaching a man to fish, but more to teach him how to fish upside down.

               I found the discussions to be a little negative in nature. Not so much about the people or the discussion themselves, but the lack of the human element. To me it seems like every person may as well just be a number and I’m just responding to that number. I feel like the experience could have been better if we had profile pictures or avatars that allowed us to have a face to the name. Faces are easy to remember, names… not so much.

               So what do I expect out of my future courses? Well the big one that I’m looking forward to is my next course, which I believe is titled leadership communication. While I’m not entirely certain what to expect out of it, I certainly hope to come out with a new vision on communication altogether and apply it to my everyday professional and personal life. Very much like making a new friend in the UK, even though we speak the same words, our languages are so far apart from one another that I’m constantly learning new ways to express ideas.

               So this was a quick and simple overview on some of the positive and negative aspects of this course and what I expect in future courses. While I am uncertain about many aspects of this overall curriculum, so far it’s a journey that I want to continue forth and finish. Every long journey begins with a single step and this course was that step.

               

A500.8.3.RB_SchreterPaul

Presentation design is an important skill to develop as it can have drastic effects on the influence over its audience. Not only that, but the presenter must be able to present in an effective manner as well. There are two major aspects that cover good presentation design and that’s telling a good story and simplicity over complexity.

The first of two good presentation designs is the ability to tell a story. Garr Reynolds mentions that “the best presenters illustrate their points with the use of stories.” (Reynolds, 2013) This is often a great way to be able to explain really complex ideas in a more easily digested form. This helps with memory retention and ideas have a much more lasting outcome. Nancy Duarte, during a TED conference, says that “the way that ideas are conveyed the most effectively is through story.” (Duarte, 2011) This shows that a second reputable source is in agreement with Garr Reynolds and how big the impact can truly be when a presentation is done in story form. This is why the ability to tell a story is so important in good presentation design.

The second form of good presentation design is the simplicity of the design. As Garr Reynolds would recommend, “the best slides may have no text at all.” (Reynolds, 2013) This shows that he believes that slides with huge walls of text are a turn off for most audiences. The importance of the slides are to supplement the story of the presenter not replace it. “The slides themselves were never meant to be the ‘star of the show,’” as Garr Reynolds mentions again. (Reynolds, 2013) This shows that the emphasis of the presentation is on the presenter him/herself and not on the slides. Simplicity is a key to good presentation design.

The two major aspects that cover good presentation design is the ability to tell a good story and to make the design of presentations as simple as possible. This creates an easier connection with the audience which in turn allows for the easier transfer of complex ideas. Stories are often seen as a means of sharing ideas and keeping them alive.

References

Duarte, N. (2011, Mar 7). Nancy Duarte talks at TEDx East. Retrieved from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQF3DXG-S4

Reynolds, G. (2013). How to Design & Deliver Presentations Like a Pro. Retrieved from Presentation Zen: http://www.garrreynolds.com/Presentation/pdf/presentation_tips.pdf