The Slide Is Not The Story
Chart selection doesn’t have to be hard, but pie charts are rarely the answer. I avoid using them in my presentations, and I cringe when I see them because they’re so often misused. When Excel sees percentages, it immediately suggests a pie chart. When I see one, I assume the presenter hasn’t spent much time thinking about their audience.
Recently, someone asked me to review a slide before a presentation. Front and center was a pie chart with 13 slices. Ten of them were 1%. Every slice had a percentage label in tiny font. Because the slices were so small, there was also a legend below the chart, with colors that were impossible to match back to the data. I was scanning the slide, trying to decipher the chart and find the message. I knew immediately it wouldn’t survive a live presentation.
I rebuilt the slide. I grouped the data into five distinct categories and displayed it as a simple column chart. Same data. Instantly understandable. No squinting. No problem-solving.
The real problem with pie charts is they make your audience work too hard. People are not particularly good at estimating quantities from angles. Instead of listening to you, they’re matching colors, reading tiny labels, and trying to find the story. That’s energy spent on the slide instead of listening to your message.
When you’re presenting, the chart should never be the focus. You want the audience’s full attention on you. The data should support your message, not compete with it.
So before you add a chart to your slide, stop and ask yourself: do I even need a visual? What story am I trying to tell? And what’s the clearest way for the data to support that story?
Be critical of your slides. Evaluate whether every element is necessary and if it doesn’t clarify or support your key message, cut it. And please, leave the pie charts in Pac-Man.
In case you missed it, this column from late October is worth a read. Jan clearly lays out three industry patterns that were once reliable and are no longer true in today’s environment.
This is a clear reminder that relying on old assumptions can cause us to miss what’s actually happening. It’s about finding new stories in the data. If we keep applying outdated methodologies, we shouldn’t be surprised when forecasts and expectations for how the industry behaves miss the mark.
Each month we feature a quick, practical communication tip designed to help you become a more confident, compelling speaker—whether you're presenting to a room of executives, leading a team meeting, or just trying to make your point clearly over email. These insights come straight from our coaching sessions and live workshops, and are meant to be immediately useful—no jargon, no fluff, just tools to help you communicate with impact.
Click on the video to watch this month’s tip.
Whether you’re looking for data-driven insights to guide your hospitality strategy, want to explore our communication coaching programs, or have a question about one of our forecast products, we’re here for it. Reach out to see how Larkspur can support your work in hospitality through sharper storytelling and smarter data.