Working in Teams
Printed Page 243
Preparing and delivering a successful team presentation depends on effective communication among members. Use the guidelines in Chapter 27 on group communication to set goals, assign roles and tasks, and manage conflict.
Analyze the Audience and Set Goals
Even if the topic is assigned and the audience consists solely of the instructor and classmates (perhaps virtually), consider the audience’s interests and needs with respect to the topic and how you can meet them. Then, just as you would during group work, establish goals for the presentation that all can agree upon.
Assign Roles and Tasks
First, designate a team leader to help guide coordination among members, beginning with the selection of roles and tasks. Next, assign members to various aspects of the research, perhaps selecting different members to present the introduction, body of the presentation, and conclusion, or other responsibilities. Set firm time limits for each portion of the presentation.
Team Cohesion Pays Off
When dividing tasks among the team, make certain that each member stays up to speed regarding the others’ responsibilities and progress. Knowing how all the parts will come together is crucial to conveying a sense of cohesion to the audience.1
Establish Transitions between Speakers
Work out transitions between speakers ahead of time—for example, whether one team member will introduce every speaker or whether each speaker will introduce the next speaker upon the close of his or her presentation. The quality of the presentation will depend in great part on smooth transitions between speakers.
Consider the Presenters’ Strengths
Audiences become distracted by marked disparities in style, such as hearing a captivating speaker followed by an extremely dull one. If you are concerned about an uneven delivery, consider choosing the person with the strongest presentation style and credibility level for the opening. Put the more cautious presenters in the middle of the presentation. Select another strong speaker to conclude the presentation.2
Coordinate the Presentation Aids
To ensure design consistency, consider assigning one person the job of coordinating templates for slides, video, and/or audio. The team can also assign a single individual the task of presenting the aids as the other team members speak. If this is done, be sure to position the person presenting the aids unobtrusively so as not to distract the audience from the speaker.
Be Mindful of Your Nonverbal Behavior
During a team presentation, the audience’s eyes will fall on everyone involved, not just the person speaking. Thus any signs of disinterest or boredom by a team member will be easily noticed. Give your full attention to the other speakers on the team, and project an attitude of interest toward audience members.
Rehearse the Presentation Several Times
Together with the whole group, members should practice their portions of the presentation, with any presentation aids they will use, in the order they will be given in the final form. Rehearse several times, until the presentation proceeds smoothly, using the techniques for rehearsal described in Chapter 19.
Checklist: Team Presentation Tips
Establish in writing each team member’s responsibilities regarding content and presentation aids.
Determine how introductions will be made—all at once at the beginning or by having each speaker introduce the next one.
Practice introductions and transitions to create a seamless presentation.
Establish an agreed-upon set of hand signals to indicate when a speaker is speaking too loud or soft, too slow or fast.
Assign someone to manage the question-and-answer session.
Rehearse the presentation with presentation aids several times from start to finish.