You just gave an important talk about a new initiative. Maybe 40 employees were there, all "key players," you called us. I was the guy in the back of the room with the curly hair. You've seen me a bunch of times, mostly in the stairwell and the cafeteria. Bob is what you call me. (Name's actually Rob, but I'll try not to hold that against you.) If my opinion really mattered, I'd tell you what I liked about your presentation to your face. I probably wouldn't mention what I didn't like. But here, why not lay it all out for you? You can take it or leave it.
1. I arrived early, and I appreciated that you were ready to start on time. The fact that you spent the first 12 minutes making the rest of us wait for our bosses to show up? Not so much.
2. Your overview was good. You didn't force us to sit through a bunch of stuff we already know. Thing is, one of the new items -- the part about reconfiguring the A5 systems -- was a bit of a shocker, and it'll affect my work a lot. You aware of that?
3. Loved the flow chart, even though those are usually yawners. Helped me see exactly where I fit in (minus the A5 overhaul). But that chart and your "benchmarks table" were the only handouts I really needed. The others are already in the recycling bin.
4. I got the importance of aligning the new initiative with our current ones. But you used the word "alignment" on so many slides and in so many different ways that I often didn't know what was being aligned with what. Kind of ironic, if you think about it.
5. I appreciated the effort at humor. But most of your jokes got laughs only from folks at your level. It showed that you were more focused on them than on the rest of us. I understand the pressure, but I couldn't help rolling my eyes a couple times. And I wasn't the only one.
6. Analogies are cool. They usually help me understand. That said, why sports every single time? The three-minute riff on NBA players lost me completely.
7. I liked the takeaway points for employees in each unit. Hated that you called them "action items." We all know terms like that come in a can.
8. Good snacks -- thanks for those. It was interesting how you and the other bosses fell over yourselves to give us frontliners first dibs. I would have preferred first dibs during the Q&A.
9. The invitation to e-mail you with questions was a nice touch. Unfortunately, you still haven't answered the message I sent you last month (or the follow-up I sent last week). I know you're busy, but empty gestures are kind of a drag.
10. Ending on time was excellent. Too bad those who showed up late also left early.
All in all, your presentation was better than most I've sat through. I'll talk to my boss about that A5 shocker. And I might be following up with you about it, too. Check for e-mails from Rob. With an R.
by Steven DeMaio
All in all, your presentation was better than most I've sat through. I'll talk to my boss about that A5 shocker. And I might be following up with you about it, too. Check for e-mails from Rob. With an R.
by Steven DeMaio
Steven DeMaio teaches English and math to adults at the Community Learning Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences in Somerville, Massachusetts. Prior to taking this role, he worked for more than a decade in publishing, most recently as an Associate Editor at HarvardBusiness.org.