Essentials of Business Communication 10th Edition by Dana Loewy,Mary Ellen Guffey

Exercise 25

If you have been part of a team that created an oral presentation together, you know that the process can be frustrating. Sometimes team members don't carry their weight or produce poor- quality work. Very often members struggle to resolve conflict. On the other hand, team projects can be harmonious and productive when members establish ground rules and follow these steps:
• Prepare to work together. First, you should (a) compare schedules of team members in order to set up the best meetings times, (b) plan regular face-to-face and virtual meetings, and (c) discuss how you will deal with team members who are not contributing to the project or submitting shoddy work.
• Plan the presentation. Your team will need to agree on (a) the specific purpose of the presentation, (b) your audience, (c) the length of the presentation, (d) the types of visuals to include, and (e) the basic structure and content of the presentation.
• Assign duties. Once you decide what your presentation will cover, give each team member a written assignment that details his or her responsibilities, such as researching content, producing visuals, developing handouts, building transitions between segments, and showing up for team meetings and rehearsals.
• Collect information. To gather or generate information, teams can brainstorm together, conduct interviews, or search the Web. The team should set deadlines for collecting information and should discuss how to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information collected. Team members should exchange periodic progress reports on how their research is coming along.
• Organize and develop the presentation. Once your team has completed the research, start working on the presentation. Determine the organization of the presentation, compose a draft in writing, and prepare presentation slides and other visual aids. The team should meet often in person or online to discuss the presentation and to decide which members are responsible for delivering what parts of the presentation. Each member should build a transition to the next member's topic and strive for logical connections between segments.
• Edit, rehearse, and evaluate. Before you deliver the presentation, rehearse several times as a team. Make sure transitions from speaker to speaker are smooth. For example, a speaker might say, Now that I have explained how to prepare for the meeting, Ashley is going to discuss how to get the meeting started. Decide who will be responsible for advancing slides during the presentation (either on the computer or using a remote). Practice fielding questions if you plan to have a question-and-answer session. Decide how you are going to dress to look professional and competent. Run a spell-checker and proofread your presentation slides to ensure that the design, format, and vocabulary are consistent.
• Deliver the presentation. Show up on time for your presentation and wear appropriate attire. Deliver your part of the presentation professionally and enthusiastically. Remember that your audience is judging the team on its performance, not the individuals. Do what you can to make your team shine!
Career Application. Your boss named you to a team that is to produce an organizational social media communication strategy for your company. You know this assignment will end with an oral presentation to management. Your first reaction is dismay. You have been on teams before in the classroom, and you know how frustrating they can be. However, you want to give your best, and you resolve to contribute positively to this team effort.
Your Task. In small groups or with the entire class, discuss effective collaboration. How can members contribute positively to teams? How should teams deal with members who aren't contributing or who have negative attitudes? What should team members do to ensure that the final presentation is professional and well coordinated? How can the team use technology to improve collaboration? If your instructor directs, summarize your findings in writing or in a brief presentation.