The idea to write kind of a textbook in form of a novel is not new or even revolutionary. In 1997 Tom DeMarco already inspired me with his Novel “The Deadline”. Last year, while staying at the beautiful Bernerhof in Gstaad, I read “The Decision Maker” by Dennis Bakke. Somehow, it clicked and I had to start planning this project.

We know that a good presentation has a story. We humans are way more interested in emotions and experiences, therefore we learn more from a story than we do from pure facts. Nevertheless, we tend to structure our textbooks, trainings and presentations for this topic around factual knowledge instead of embedding it into a narrative.

This novel will be different. I’m telling the story of a fictional communication coach, who supports the fictional employees of a fictional company in their reorientation. All the people and organizations are made up by me, but they relate to my friends and customers. The depicted incidents are also invented, they never happened in that order to these people. But I experienced all of the situations exactly or nearly exactly as they are written down.

The problems described in this novel are of a general nature. The approaches to solving them are not. They should inspire the trial of new and sometimes unusual methods. My aim is not to describe the one and only way to the solution. Luckily, that way looks pretty different for every person. The exciting thing is, that the way might look very different for the same person in a different situation.

The main character (Rob) shows some autobiographical tendencies. If you’re asking yourself, which parts are autobiographical: Just assume, that all the positive and sympathetic characteristics are a fabrication of my imagination.

As for the “mistakes” I described in presentations and communications, I can assure you: I made every single one of them at least once. I learned from them and am now able to relay these experiences to my customers and friends. Now you can learn from my mistakes.

Presentations affect and concern me since I started studying (economics and computer sciences) and working – that’s been more than 20 years ago. Since 2007, I’m engaged in the field of “presentation technology”. In the last few years, I started advising others in this realm.

My ideas and my style are widely influenced by the books of my friend Garr Reynolds (Presentation Zen) and the trainings and workshops of Ideas on Stage in Paris. The books and trainings of Nancy Duarte and Duarte Design as well opened my eyes to some important details.

With this short preface, I’d like to let you immerse yourself in the story.