3 Group Presentation Pitfalls — and How to Avoid Them

When you add a group presentation to your calendar, block off time to prepare as a group. Use this time to agree on your audience’s level of knowledge about the topic, your specific goal for the presentation, the main message, the general outline and who will present each section before each of you starts writing your individual components.

This helps you avoid the last-minute stress of trying to fit each of your slides into one cohesive unit.

Before the presentation, make time for a complete run-through, with slides.

Specifically, practice your transitions from one person to the next: For example, " Stacey 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 are keeping to the allotted time, or set a realistic time limit based on the format of your meeting, so you ensure plenty of time to field questions.

When speaking in person, position yourself so that you can reference the slides but speak directly to the audience.

Bring your own personality to the presentation. Personal anecdotes that connect to the audience are a terrific way to build trust between the audience and each member of the group presenting.