Should I use slides, or is it okay to teach without them?

Slides are a helpful tool, but they are not required. Their main purpose is to keep your workshop structured, support your main points, and make it easier for your audience to follow along. If you feel confident teaching through storytelling, demonstration, or conversation, you absolutely can teach without them.

Some workshop styles work best with slides, especially if you are showing step-by-step processes, visuals, or data. Other workshops are more impactful when they feel like a personal talk or coaching session, with your face front and center.

Here are a few things to consider:

• If you use slides, keep them simple. Avoid long paragraphs or too much text. Use bold headlines, short bullet points, and visuals to support your message without distracting from it.
• Let your slides enhance, not replace, your teaching. You are the main event. The slides should support what you are saying, not compete with it.
• Practice with and without slides. Try rehearsing both ways. You might find a blended approach works best — using a few slides to open and close, while teaching more freely in between.

There is no one right way to teach. Whether you use slides or not, your message matters most. Choose the format that helps you show up clearly, confidently, and in a way that feels natural to you.