Author: Gail Zack Anderson

Are you responsible for leading your team to create and deliver presentations together? Whether it is a pitch for new business or a project report, it can be a challenge to develop presentations that are cohesive, smooth and compelling. Before you develop your next team presentation, check out these reminders that may help you create solid content that allows each team member to shine.

1. Select a strong team leader. You need someone who has the leadership ability and authority to make on-the-spot decisions. Content, structure, tone, slides, presenters; the team leader needs to take full responsibility for the every aspect of the presentation.
2. Make sure everyone understands the presentation objectives. Write your overall objective in one sentence or less. What do you want your audience to know, do, or feel as a result of the presentation? This helps you maintain focus during the preparation process.
3. Begin with a good look at what you hope to accomplish. Consider the key message you want the audience to take away from the talk. This becomes the core theme and unifying elements within the presentation. Everything you say must relate to and reinforce this message. It also creates a logical and unified beginning and ending to the presentation.
4. Organize content development. Try providing each person a stack of Post-it notes, preferably oversized ones. Have each individual write only their own ideas (one per note). When it is time to build the content, go to a room with a large blank wall and use this flat surface as a storyboard. Organize presentation content on the wall; move topics as desired. Decide on the flow and sequence of the content before developing details and visuals.
5. Have a single visual style. All slides should be on one deck with one format, rather than having each person create their own slides. (Either have one person do the whole show, or develop a template which everyone uses.) Take the time to ensure that every slide has the same look and feel and that type sizes, graphics and writing style are consistent. Pay special attention to headlines being consistent.
6. Have a media champion. Choose one person to manage the visual aids – preferably someone who has a good sense of visual appeal and a good eye for detail. By assigning one team member to this task, you can ensure consistent color, style, and format. (Be sure to distribute the visuals well before the presentation, so that others have backup copies and plenty of time to review the visuals.)
7. Decide how introductions will be handled. Will each presenter do a self-introduction before they speak? Will the previous presenter announce the next one? Will the team leader perform all introductions? Or, will the host or coordinator of the meeting take on this role?
8. Know the logistics. How much time does each presenter have? How much time for the total presentation? In what order will everyone present? Will there be questions during the presentation or afterward? How can speakers link their content to that of the previous speakers? How will they pass the baton to the next speaker?
9. Pay attention to details. What’s the room setup? Will speakers be seated, behind a lectern or standing in a conference room? What’s the audience size? What equipment will the team be using? Who is providing it? Who can trouble shoot it most effectively if something needs attention? Will others be joining the meeting via phone or video hookup? If so, how can they be included in the presentation?
10. Plan the closing. Ending the presentation should be more than a thank-you. It should include a call to action or asking for the order or next steps. Plan out this critical part of the presentation and decide who will close. It may be the team leader or the final speaker, but prepare everyone to close just in case.

Developing a strong, cohesive story with a logical beginning, middle and end is crucial for team presentations. Having clarity in your purpose and your content builds confidence and helps each other contribute effectively. Next time; how to deliver effectively in a team presentation.

What do you do to develop winning team presentations?

You’ve seen them. Perhaps you have created them. Bad slides.Too much detail, ugly backgrounds, tons of bullets and text. Yes, you can do better than that.

Here are some minor changes that should make a major impact in your ability to communicate effectively using slides.

Check out your next presentation and see if you can put these tips to work.

1. Be sure to add an opening and closing slide. These can have your presentation’s title, your name, your company, the date, or an image. Don’t have data on the first slide or the last.
2. Don’t use title case on bullets. This just belongs on the title at the top of the page. Don’t use all caps on the title, and don’t underline anything unless it is a hyperlink.
3. Don’t bring in text from the bottom up; or from right to left. Instead, just the simple transitions “appear” and “fade in.” It is fine to use builds occasionally, but don’t call attention to the transitions, just the content.
4. Avoid punctuation on bullets. If you are using key words you don’t need them. If you are using complete sentences, shorten them to phrases or key words.
5. Eliminate unnecessary bullets. Everything does not have to have a bullet in front of it. Look for places where you may have only one or two items on the page. Do they really need a bullet?
6. Use photos rather than clip art whenever possible. Make photos larger, at least 1/4 to 1/3 the size of the slide. Use pictures of your company, your team, or pictures that suggest a mood or tone that might help people remember what you said.
7. Watch for typos. Better yet, ask someone to proof your presentation. (Remember if you use the wrong word but spell it correctly the spell-checker won’t notice.) You may spot these little errors if you print a hard copy of your slides or notes pages.
8. Consider hyper linking to spreadsheets, videos, websites, etc. instead of cutting and pasting them onto your slides. They should be easier to read this way, with less clutter on your slides. (Note: this works best when all the links are on your laptop; if you import your presentation to a jump drive your links will be broken. Always check to make sure the links are working.) Also notes that if you send your slides to someone the linked content won’t automatically be included.
9. Use Notes Pages for text rather than overfilling your slides. Ideally, your slideshow won’t look like a script, but rather a visual compliment to what you are saying. If you think you might need a prompt, type your “script” onto the Notes page, then print it out for practice and for the presentation if you still need it. Practice out loud several times with your slides. Don’t just read it onscreen in your head, but actually say those words out loud until you feel the flow. Chances are, if you prepare in this way you will be able to present from just the slides.
10. When delivering your presentation, place the laptop in front of you if possible. This way you can glance at your slides without turning to the screen. It looks smooth and professional.

Which of these have you tried? What other things do you do to make sure your slides add value to your presentations?

How important is listening to your ability to be a better leader? A better team member? A better friend, sibling, sister-in-law, parent….well, you get the picture. Listening is one of our most important communication skills, something we do every day, and yet fewer than 5% of us ever take any training in it.

You might think we are already so good at listening we don’t need training, yet according to Inscape Publishing, publishers of the Personal Listening Profile®, people filter out or change the intended meaning of what they hear in 70% of all communication! Just think of what this is costing us all in time, money and trust in our relationships.

So what can you do to become a better listener? Try this ONE simple but oh-so-difficult step and see if it doesn’t make a huge difference in your ability to be a great listener. I am willing to bet it will.

Here it is: challenge yourself to avoid all distractions when you listen. Whether you are listening in a conversation, listening to a web cast training session, or having a live conversation with a friend or business colleague, you may find yourself distracted by your computer, your workspace, other conversations going on, even your own thoughts. And heaven help you if you are listening and driving. These distractions mean you are listening with only part of your brain, and you may find it difficult later to recall details or even the emotional context of your conversations.

It may be OK to watch the news while folding your laundry, but humans really aren’t wired to do multiple complex tasks at once. Ask John Medina, author of Brain Rules. He says:

“The brain is a sequential processor, unable to pay attention to two things at the same time. Businesses and schools praise multitasking, but research clearly shows that it reduces productivity and increases mistakes. Try creating an interruption-free zone during the day–turn off your email, phone, IM program, or Facebook–and see whether you get more done.”

Multi-tasking gets lots of good press these days, but it is just not a good idea for tasks as complex as listening. It is embarrassing to admit this, but I recently became aware of how poor my listening habits had become. I caught myself checking email while speaking on the phone, looking through papers or putting away dishes while chatting with loved ones. I didn’t mean to be rude, I was just busy. But it was rude. It wasn’t good listening. I decided I could do better.

So I made a deliberate decision to stop multi-tasking and really focus when listening to someone, whether on the phone or in person. It was more difficult than I had ever imagined! The urge to stand up, go get a drink of water, straighten some papers, or just check something on my computer was nearly overwhelming. The very first time I tried to have a conversation without doing something else was torture. I thought of at least 10 things to do, but stifled the urge to do most of them. (I might have gotten that glass of water.) The second conversation was worse; my husband called me on it; I was putting away dishes. Caught! The third time was enlightening: I was in a room with a land line and a corded telephone. It felt like a ball and chain, but I did stay put through the conversation. Slowly I have gotten better at focusing when I listen, and I continue working to build this new habit.

Like I said, it is oh-so-simple. But good listening requires you to focus. Yes, it is harder than it sounds. Try it, and let me know what you think. How do you eliminate distractions when you are listening?

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