Reference no: EM132840333

Presenting as a Team

This activity is important because you will often present in teams or small groups. 

The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate your understanding of effective principles of team presentations.

Read the case and answer the questions that follow.

Tina, Jack, and Jade were just about to deliver a presentation together. Tina said, "Remember to emphasize our need for a larger budget." Jack replied, "No, I think we need to emphasize our need for another member on the team." Jade said, "I think you're both saying the same thing, right?" Their boss, Cyndi, summoned them to the front of the room to start the presentation.

Cyndi sat with several senior executives. She was embarrassed that the team didn't appear professional. Tina was wearing a sharp-looking suit, but Jack and Jade were each dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

Tina started the presentation with some analysis of their sales performance over the past year. She sat down without saying anything about Jade's portion of the presentation. Then, Jade spoke about ideas for a new product line. Next, Jack talked about some of their needs for next year's budget. About halfway through his portion of the presentation, he discussed their budget needs for the proposed new product line, yet he never directly mentioned anything that Jade said.

At the end of the presentation, Cyndi asked the team, "You've mentioned you need more budget for this new product line, but it's not clear how much more you need. Could you give us a ballpark figure and explain how that additional money would be used?" There was silence for 10 seconds. Jack looked at Jade and said, "Do you want to respond to that?" Jade whispered back to Jack, "You're in charge of the budget topic."

1) Tina, Jack, and Jade were just about to deliver a presentation together. Tina said, "Remember to emphasize our need for a larger budget." Jack replied, "No, I think we need to emphasize our need for another member on the team." Which principle for delivering effective team presentations did the team most violate in this instance?

• Stand together and present a united front.
• Refer to one another's points.
• Transition effectively.
• Decide on presentation roles.
• Be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages.

2) Tina started the presentation with some analysis of their sales performance over the past year. She sat down without saying anything about Jade's portion of the presentation. Then, Jade spoke about ideas for a new product line. Which principle for delivering effective team presentations did the team most violate in this instance?

• Stand together and present a united front.
• Transition effectively.
• Refer to one another's points.
• Be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages.
• Decide on presentation roles

3) Tina was wearing a sharp-looking suit, but Jack and Jade were each dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Which principle for delivering effective team presentations did the team most violate in this instance?

• Be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages.
• Refer to one another's points.
• Stand together and present a united front.
• Decide on presentation roles.
• Transition effectively.

4) About halfway through his portion of the presentation, Jack discussed their budget needs for the proposed new product line, yet he never directly mentioned anything that Jade said. Which principle for delivering effective team presentations did the team most violate in this instance?

• Refer to one another's points.
• Stand together and present a united front.
• Be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages.
• Decide on presentation roles.
• Transition effectively.

5) At the end of the presentation, Cyndi asked the team, "You've mentioned you need more budget for this new product line, but it's not clear how much more you need. Could you give us a ballpark figure and explain how that additional money would be used?" There was silence for ten seconds. Jack looked at Jade and said, "Do you want to respond to that?" Jade whispered back to Jack, "You're in charge of the budget topic." Which principle for delivering effective team presentations did the team most violate in this instance?

• Be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages.
• Stand together and present a united front.
• Refer to one another's points.
• Transition effectively.
• Decide on presentation roles