It happens to the best of us.

Friday morning. Coffee in hand. You’re finally catching up on real work. Then a coworker sends a Teams message:

“Hey, you know how the investors are coming Monday? Could you throw together a few slides about [that thing you worked on last month]?”

And just like that, you’re spiraling.

I don’t really know… but it’d be good exposure… but I’m closest to the work… but it’s already Friday… fine, I’ll do it.

By Monday morning, you’ve lost your weekend. Sixteen hours of deck-monkeying later, you’re hauling in a 32-slide deck. And for what?

Did you move the investors? Or just burn yourself out feeding the slide machine?

Deck Addiction Masquerading as Team Spirit

We say “yes” because we want to be helpful, visible, valuable. We want to prove we belong. And slides feel like the easiest currency for that.

But decks don’t create value. They consume it. They eat hours, clarity, and collaboration.

This is what deck addiction looks like: the reflex to say “yes” to slides, even when they don’t serve the work.

How to Say “No” Without Being a Jerk

Rewind it back. Same Friday. Same request. Different you.

Instead of defaulting to PowerPoint, you pause. You redirect the conversation:

“I’d love to work on this with you. Let’s figure out what’s most important for this meeting, so we can share the right results and keep investors engaged.”

Now you’re not dodging the work. You’re reframing it. And you’ve shifted from deck-builder to strategic storyteller.

From here, step into the four dimensions of The Campfire Method®:

• Audience: Who are the investors, and what do they care about most?

• Story: What’s the conflict? Who’s the hero? What changed, and why? Can we say it clearly in a conversation? Does it really require A/V?

• Self: Why are we the right people to deliver this? What strengths should we lean on?

• Environment: Where does this happen? Zoom? A stuffy boardroom at the end of a day packed with other decks?

These questions don’t just save you from a wasted weekend. They sharpen the message so it actually lands.

Take Back Your Weekend. Take Back Your Work.

Maybe you print a simple one-pager. Maybe you structure a tight five-minute story. Maybe you just walk in confident enough to talk it through.

Maybe you bake cookies and take a victory lap.

Either way, you’ve built belief instead of burning hours. You’ve protected your weekend, your project, and your energy.

Your best work doesn’t happen in a 32-slide deck. It happens when you stop hiding behind slides and start showing up with story.

So the next time peer pressure comes knocking, remember:

Slides steal your weekends.
Stories build movements.

Choose wisely.

What are you saying when you’re not saying anything?

Are you fronting? Are you blocking?

Are your trust signals working as hard as they can for you?

On this week’s episode of A Matter of Life and Decks, Libby and I had the privilege to speak with Kristin Bock, an expert on nonverbal communication. She shares insights and secrets for how to captivate the room by complementing your spoken words with your body language.

Spoiler: It. Is. FASCINATING.

🔥 Hi, I’m Eric, and every week, I share insights, observations and tools so you can ditch decks and light a fire in your high-stakes presentations. If you like what you see here, follow me on LinkedIn.