Over the past decade it has become easier and easier to be an outstanding speaker because as a result of PowerPoint the standards of speaking in business have declined to the point where the average presentation is mediocre at best but often boring drivel.

Computer generated slides, there is no way to describe them as graphics, have destroyed speaking skills. The combination of too little time and the apparent ease of producing a PowerPoint presentation means that most speeches have become narrated slide shows with the screen centre stage and the presenter off to the side.

Whenever anyone is asked to "Do a Presentation" out comes the laptop, often the day before the speech, and slide after slide is filled with "bullets" or the odd "quote" or scanned image in 10 point type. These are the speaker's notes or in many cases the actual script because they read it out to the audience.

Five minutes before the end the presenter realises that 60 slides in 30 minutes was over ambitious and so tabs hurriedly though the 40 surplus slides to the closing slide. This unprofessional exercise was totally pointless because the audience was already comatose anyway.

At the end of the speech a colleague will then approach the presenter and ask for a copy of the presentation which they import into their laptop making a few additions and subtractions and the virus spreads. Of course half way through their presentation at least one slide will appear that is totally meaningless leaving the presenter at a complete loss for words.

Is this being cynical? Oh how I wish it was. However it is great news for you. Follow a few simple rules and even if you are still wedded to PowerPoint you can at least become a competent speaker. Be warned though. Even top professional speakers have wrecked an otherwise great speech when they were persuaded to "get modern" and use PowerPoint.

10 Steps to Avoid Ruining a Great Speech with PowerPoint.

1. Make time to write the speech before you create your PowerPoint presentation. If you don't have time to write a good speech, you are wasting your time speaking.

2. What is the purpose of the speech? Decide what your message is. One message