Nail Your Next Group Presentation. A group presentation can be tricky to pull together. With so many people involved — and opinions to manage — the end product often ends up seeming clunky and uncoordinated. To create something more slick and effective, start by strategizing in advance. Who is your audience? What is your goal? Why do you all care? Next, collectively decide on the main message, the general outline, and who will present each section before each of you starts writing your separate components. This will help you avoid the last-minute stress of trying to cram slides together into a seamless unit. Also, decide who will be in charge of fielding questions. Once you have a game plan nailed down, rehearse your presentation as a group. It’s especially important to practice your transitions (for example, "Indra did a great job talking us through the challenges of entering this new market. Now, I’ll provide a few solutions based on our firm’s expertise"). Use a timer to ensure you're keeping to the schedule and leaving time for questions. Finally, bring your own personalities to the presentation. Personal anecdotes are a terrific way to build trust between the audience and each member of the group presenting.
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Today’s Tip |
Nail Your Next Group Presentation |
A group presentation can be tricky to pull together. With so many people involved — and opinions to manage — the end product often ends up seeming clunky and uncoordinated. To create something more slick and effective, start by strategizing in advance. Who is your audience? What is your goal? Why do you all care? Next, collectively decide on the main message, the general outline, and who will present each section before each of you starts writing your separate components. This will help you avoid the last-minute stress of trying to cram slides together into a seamless unit. Also, decide who will be in charge of fielding questions. Once you have a game plan nailed down, rehearse your presentation as a group. It’s especially important to practice your transitions (for example, "Indra did a great job talking us through the challenges of entering this new market. Now, I’ll provide a few solutions based on our firm’s expertise"). Use a timer to ensure you're keeping to the schedule and leaving time for questions. Finally, bring your own personalities to the presentation. Personal anecdotes are a terrific way to build trust between the audience and each member of the group presenting.
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This tip is adapted from “3 Group Presentation Pitfalls — and How to Avoid Them,” by Allison Shapira
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