I've always said that presentation is more art than science. So what is art? In a recent interview with David Siteman Garland, Seth Godin said this about art in the context of work. What is art? "Art," says Seth Godin, "is a generous action— it's when a human connects to another human and makes a change." The work that we do could be art, but if you are just following the rules, playing it safe, and sort of working-by-the-numbers (as in paint-by-numbers) then the work lacks connection and difference...and art. The best presentations too are art in a sense. The best presentations necessarily connect in the spirit of contribution and generosity and help people make a change. The worst presentations or speeches are the usual ones, the ones that are perfunctory, routine and safe. No one ever got fired for doing the expected and the safe, at least they did not in the old world. But it's a new world now. And the professionals who are remarkable and want to make a difference — teachers, doctors, engineers, aid workers, and business people of all types — are the ones who create art.

The slides above reference the server staff at your local coffee shop or your favorite teacher. Anyone who works with people and chooses to eschew working-by-the-numbers and instead chooses to be different and remarkable via the connections they make and the little differences that they create bringing art to their work.

http://www.presentationzen.com