Shared presentations have their advantages.
Multi-speaker talks give audience members varying perspectives, ease the heavy lift of carrying a solo speech, and can draw a larger and more diverse audience to your cause.
However, there is a catch. More advance preparation is a must if you hope to pull off a stellar co-presentation. Here are some of the aspects you need to consider. Note that this applies both to in person and remote programs:
Practice Your Handoffs and Transitions
This takes some time and effort. It's not as straightforward as saying, "I'll take the first 10 minutes, you can do the next 10, then we'll take questions." Such a cavalier approach is likely to result in some awkward moments. You want to avoid any "dead air" or gawky staring at each other wondering whose turn it is. That leads to discomfort and audience seat squirming. Hashing out the handoffs for your presentation ahead of time is especially mandatory for persuasive talks where establishing your credibility is vital.
Know Your Cues
As you rehearse those transitions, establish a set of prompts. These can be verbal or nonverbal. Cues on the verbal side could include a key phrase such as "Now we're going to get into the future of our topic" or "And we've got plenty more ideas to share with you," after which you immediately toss it to your presentation partner. On the nonverbal side, you might use a simple hand gesture toward your colleague or turn your body toward them, drawing the audience's attention in their direction. This need for cues becomes even more critical if you are going back and forth between presenters multiple times.
Avoid Clunky Transitions
We've all seen them (and been embarrassed for the speaker) — handoffs that go something like, "Okay, I guess it's your turn" or "Hmm, do you want to talk about your experience now or … (self-conscious pause into oblivion)." These weak transitions are almost always spoken in a less than confident voice that ends on a fading, uncertain upward inflection.
If Using Slides or Charts, Know Who Will Advance Which Slides
I'll begin with the usual caution that slides are not mandatory. If you have something visual to present, great, use the technology. If not, refuse to bore your spectators with mundane bullet points. Should you make the conscious choice to use slides, work out the pacing in advance. Also, determine whether each speaker will be responsible for advancing their own slides or one person will tackle that chore. For remote presentations, consider using a separate individual to manage this task. Obviously, you will need to include that person in your preparations so that they are clued in to the transitional cues.
Don't Let One Speaker Hog the Limelight
There are few things more frustrating or inconsiderate with regard to speaking than a co-presenter who overshoots their agreed-upon time. If you are the second speaker, your time has suddenly been trimmed from 15 minutes to five because your colleague blathered on endlessly. Your choices? Talk faster (not recommended) or edit your presentation on the fly. No speaker should be subjected to either alternative.
Work Out the Timing
Recognize that if you have a 10-minute block of time to deliver your remarks, it is a good idea to aim for seven to eight minutes during your practice rounds. Delivering your portion on stage (whether in person or remote) tends to turn into a time-expanding shape shifter. Those 10 minutes you worked to nail so precisely during rehearsals have a funny way of expanding to 12 or 15 in the real world.
Plot Out the Q&A Session
Awkward moments can ensue when audience questions come into play. To avoid looking like a deer in the headlights during Q&A make some decisions about who responds first to which type of questions. For instance, you may decide to reply to queries about issues A and B while your partner handles issues C and D. This plan creates a smoother flow while still allowing you to chime in with added comments if you're not first up. Assign one of you to begin dealing with any questions that don't neatly fit into one of your issue baskets; some are bound to arise.
Joint presentations can be a boon to both the audience and the speakers. Just bear in mind that they do mandate extra preparation and attention to detail during your performance.
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