Why I don’t give away my slides

After years of giving talks, I’ve established a policy of never giving out my slides. Sometimes I get push back from enthusiastic audience members, and am asked to justify this choice. Here are my reasons:

• I don’t put “notes” on my slides. The graphics for my talks, which I spend many months crafting in Prezi, are designed to provide a backdrop for my talk. They are similar to the set, costumes, or the background music of a performance— not the performance itself.
• The visuals on my “slides” usually have an image, a few words, or a video clip. They are not designed to stand alone. Therefore, there is endless room for misinterpretation when they are viewed in isolation.
• I do a lot of experimentation in my talks, and am constantly changing my visual presentation. It is a work in progress and never done. I don’t feel comfortable sharing these working drafts.
• When it works, there is something special that happens in a live presentation — a connection between the speaker and the audience. I have a romantic notion that this magic should not be tampered with. Sharing the slides disassociates the content from the experience.
• At the end of most of my talks, I ask the audience to reflect on what was most meaningful and surprising to them, and invite them to share their thoughts and to write them down. This is an opportunity to reinforce and internalize the concepts.
• I’ve created many ways to share the ideas that are in my talks, including blog posts, books, videos of lectures, and online courses. Some examples are below.
• Finally, it is appropriate to ask for copies of my slides, but please don’t be offended if I say no. Thank you for respecting my decision.

Blog Posts: From Inspiration to Implementation, The Secret Sauce of Silicon Valley, Mastering Your Motivation

Books: Insight Out, inGenius, What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20

Videos and Podcasts: 6 Characteristics of Truly Creative People, Stanford Innovation Lab, The Art of Teaching Entrepreneurship and Innovation