US leadership developer and coach Art Petty offers group project tips free on his blog to make them accessible to everyone because “everyone’s doing it, and many are not doing it well,” he says on the blog.
Group projects are the foundation of your future. Whether you’re a Starbucks barista or a CEO, you will have to know how to mesh with a team. Using Petty’s tips and my own experience with increasingly successful group projects at Camosun, I put together some tips. Try them out; they should help:
- Integrate the group members by making sure everyone sees the bigger picture, so they invest in the project.
- Is your presentation interesting to your group?
- Use a snappy opening, key points, a summary of key findings, and bits to take away from your presentation.
- Build from one voice. Petty says each member doing their own slides is like putting your points through a blender.
- Use transitions and have a beginning, middle, main-point climax, and ending.
- Check your attitude at the door. Put the group, and your audience, first.
- Before your presentation: smile, look up, remember to project, and modulate your voice.
- During: add enthusiasm.
- Afterwards: finish on time and include a question-and-answer period.
- Wrap up: thank your audience, and be original with your closing remarks. Perhaps a quoteŃand candy is always well received. Good luck!