Today’s presentation is an introduction to human resource development. I’ll discuss why it’s important and how you can get started right now.

This presentation is inspired by the Lessig Method. There’s no audio, so don’t worry – your speakers aren’t broken.

Many trainers use PowerPoint (or whatever their presentation software is) as a crutch. They load it up with bullets, filling every conceivable bit of white-space with content.

Often, they read off the screen, but not always. Most of the time, they use the bullets as a guide and “fill in the blanks” between the bullets as they speak. But rarely do trainers and presenters use their presentation as a tool to engage the audience – more often than not, it comes between the trainer and his or her audience.

Garr Reynolds at Presentation Zen ran a post called 10 rules for making good design that highlights some great ways you can start increasing the visual impact of your presentations.

Want to draw the audience in rather than putting up a wall between you and them? Check out Garr’s article. Here are a few teasers to lure you over there:

1. Communicate – don’t decorate.
4. Pick colors on purpose.
5. If you can do it with less, then do it.
6. Negative space is magical – create it, don’t just fill it up!

To read all ten, head over to Presentation Zen.

The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris is a book about quitting your 9-to-5 to pursue the life you’ve always dreamed of. This isn’t about running your own business – it’s about owning a business that runs itself so you can stop living on a “deferred life plan” and start enjoying your golden years right now.

Is it unrealistic? In many regards, of course it is. But it’s not quite as far out as you might think. I recently read The 4-Hour Workweek and to my surprise, a book about quitting your job had a few things to teach people about talent management.

Keep reading…