Junto Presenter - Delivering Great Junto Presentations

Junto Global
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Junto Presenter - Role and Responsibilities

The importance of the Presenter cannot be overstated. The topic of the presentation is likely to drive discussion for the entire evening. The presenter is the highlighted speaker for the evening and is part of the Presenter-Moderator-Host team.

Before the meeting:

  • Contact the moderator and confirm the following:

    1. Date, time, and location of the meeting
    2. Approximate time the presentation will begin, and the duration, generally 30 minutes, with additional time for questions
    3. Topic of the presentation: make sure it is not too broad or too specific and will be of interest to the Junto members
    4. Discuss how to handle questions and feedback. Allow questions during the brief? or hold for after?
    5. Presentation requirements, Internet access, laptop, display screen, HDMI cable, printing, or other handouts

  • Coordinate with the meeting host to address any particular presentation or meeting issues or requirements

  • Provide a one-paragraph summary of your presentation to the Junto group secretary. Include a title page or concept graphic that can be distributed with the meeting announcement.

At the meeting, the Presenter should:

  1. Arrive early
  2. Setup and confirm presentation technicals are acceptable, audio, video…everything works
  3. A little caffeine or alcohol might be helpful, but don’t go overboard. Don’t consume too many fluids.
  4. Take a bathroom break and try to relax

If you find yourself feeling nervous or tense, take a few deep breaths and breathe normally.

About the presentation, the big picture

The presenter’s goal is effective communications on a succinct topic. Having visuals to go with your presentation will help you engage your audience’s minds while providing structure and focus, keeping you in control.

  1. Scope the briefing to an interesting subset of a large topic. Perhaps think of this briefing as Part A, and in a few months, give a Part B briefing.
  2. Two minutes per slide is standard, perhaps 15-18 slides for a 30-minute presentation.
  3. The brief needs a 1) beginning, 2) middle, and 3) an end.
  4. Given a budget of 30 minutes, the brief might have 5 minutes for the beginning, 20 for the middle, and 5 for the end.

Building the presentation

Keep it simple. Your presentation has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

  1. For the beginning, we need to answer the “why?" and "so what?” and “why now?”. This tells the listener why they should pay attention and why this is worth their time.
  2. For the middle, we need to discuss the “what?” and the “how?", this is the meat of the presentation.
  3. Finally, the end is where we wrap things up and reiterate answers to the “why” and “so what.”

Some of the details

  1. After defining the scope of your brief, build an outline. You need to figure out the title and content for each slide.
  2. Start dropping in pictures, graphics, and talking points in the form of bullets on each slide. Avoid too many words, try to use pictures to tell your story.
  3. When a slide gets too complicated or has too much material, break it up into 2 or 3 slides.
  4. To help make the brief engaging, we need pictures and/or graphics and videos for every important discussion point.
  5. Avoid lengthy slides. When you present too much stuff at once, people will read your slide and stop listening to you.
  6. Present slides a few bullets at a time in logical chunks of information that fit together.
  7. Make it easy for the viewer by using large fonts and eye-pleasing colors.

Getting ready to present:

  1. Find someone to review your presentation. They can help you find typos or content issues.
  2. Rehearse your presentation to make sure you know it like the back of your hand and that it has a good flow.
  3. Time your rehearsal and aim for a little short of the time allocation, giving you room to embellish if necessary.
  4. Be aware of “errs,” “ahhs,” and other non-words while you speak.
  5. Don’t worry about a little flub here or there. Don’t apologize, keep going!

Smile, and relax. You are the expert and have practiced your presentation. Don’t rush or be in a big hurry, but also don’t belabor obvious points. Engage your audience with occasional questions, polls, a show of hands, etc., but don’t give up control of your presentation. Your moderator can help. Keep track of the clock and if you run out of time, try to find a natural breaking point. You can always brief a “Part 2” at a future meeting. And finally, you are a Junto Speaker. Pat yourself on the back!