“I’m speaker 4 of 6. How should I start?”
A client asked me this question recently during a training session.
My answer assumes all the speakers are from the same organisation.
In a team presentation, the previous speakers have, hopefully, already created some momentum for you.
Your job is to maintain that momentum, not create it again.
Maintain Momentum in a Team Presentation
Think about the 4 x 100m relay at the Olympic Games.
The first runner has to create the initial momentum from a standing start.
By the time the baton reaches the later runners, the race is already moving at speed.
Your job is to take the baton and keep that momentum going.
Don’t Start Again from Scratch
So, when it is your turn to speak:
- Remind the audience where your section fits.
- Start with slightly more energy.
- Refer back to the previous speaker, if appropriate.
- Get into the substance quickly.
There is no need to use a specific technique to capture their attention in the same way you might if you were the only speaker.
You can, of course.
But it isn’t necessary.
Remember, you are being judged as a team overall, not just on your own contribution.
If every speaker tries to deliver an awesome attention-grabbing opening, it can quickly start to feel overdone.
A team presentation should feel like one presentation delivered by several people – not several individual presentations bolted together.
When You Need to Create Your Own Momentum
There is one important exception.
If the speakers before you represent competitors or other external organisations, rather than colleagues, customers or partners, then go for a strong opening in those first 30–60 seconds.
The audience will judge you and your organisation separately from what went before.
In that scenario, you do need to create your own momentum.
Plan the Handover
Find out how the speaker before you intends to finish.
Know their final slide, final topic and, ideally, how they plan to close.
This does two things.
Firstly, you’ll know exactly when your turn is approaching and are far less likely to be caught off guard.
Secondly, you can think in advance whether there is a natural link between their close and your opening.
Don’t force one.
But if there is one, use it.
That’s how two speakers can feel like one presentation.
One Presentation, Several Speakers
A strong team presentation isn’t simply a collection of strong individual performances.
Your section matters.
But so does what happens immediately before it and immediately after it.
The audience should experience one coherent presentation, rather than a series of separate talks.
Take the baton. Maintain the momentum. Make the handover feel seamless.
Looking for more helpful presentation tips? Here’s how to follow a strong speaker and build on the momentum they have created.
