Azhar is a team leader in Data Services Limited (DSL), a multinational information technology service, consulting, and business solutions company. He mentors, coordinates, and leads 50 junior business and data analysts in his company. In a meeting,

Question

Stephanie, a manager, briefs Azhar about a client visit. Important delegates from Royale Bank plc (RBP) are scheduled to visit DSL next month. RBP is a Spanish banking and insurance holding company, based in Madrid, Spain. Stephanie wants Azhar to make a presentation for the delegates from RBP about his team and how they can help RBP manage its clients. RBP is looking for an associate to manage its accounts and is in the process of visiting different IT corporations in the United States of America to form a partnership. Describe in detail the guidelines that Azhar needs to follow to plan and prepare a team presentation.

Answer 1

Team Presentations

Because much of the work in business today is done in teams, many presentations are planned and delivered by a team of presenters. Well-conducted team presentations will provide Azhar's team an opportunity to showcase the brightest talent while capitalizing on each person's unique presentation skills.

Azhar should be aware of the potential payoff of this presentation. Usually, the payoffs are quite high. However, he should acknowledge the risk involved. He must be aware that the presentation could fail if he does not devote enough time and resources to develop and rehearse it. He must resist the sure-to-fail strategy of "winging" a team presentation rather than taking the time to do it correctly. Instead, he should choose to adapt the skills he already possesses in planning and delivering an individual presentation to ensure a successful team presentation. Azhar should take the following steps to plan and prepare a team presentation:

(a) Select a winning team: He should identify and appoint a co-leader for the presentation. This person should be well liked and respected by the team. He or she should be knowledgeable and well organized. With the help of the co-leader, Azhar should decide on the core team members. The core team members, along with Azhar and the co-leader, should choose a balanced mix of individuals. Each person must have something important to contribute to the team.
(b) Agree on the purpose and schedule: The team as a whole should plan the presentation using the same process used for an individual presentation. Agreeing on the purpose to be achieved and selecting content that focuses on a specific audience prevents the challenges caused by an individual submitting off-target material.
(c) Practice ahead of time: Azhar's team should conduct several rehearsals and be well prepared. Each member should know what others will present to avoid repetition and to fit the time slot. The team should also work out logistical details such as where each presenter will stand, who will run the slides, and when handouts will be distributed. The team members should spend a great deal of the rehearsal time for planning and rehearsing appropriate verbal and physical transitions between themselves. The transitions serve to introduce each part of the presentation and make the whole presentation cohesive. This continuity would make Azhar's team look polished and convey team commitment.