I don’t know about you, but I am a staunch supporter of the No Group Projects camp. Have been and always will be. Yeah, I was the person who always got stuck with the brunt of the work. Granted, some group projects run smoothly. And co-presenting can too. Think of John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey or Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers. When presenting their case for settling a couple’s divorce, the pair exchanged energy in a powerful way – engaging movie viewers. As we’ll unpack soon, co-presenting has pros and cons every presenter should consider before partnering up.
Pros
Divide and Conquer
One of the biggest advantages of having a co-presenter is the ability it provides to break up presentation creation tasks. Progress could potentially come much faster than if you were shouldering those responsibilities alone.
A Fail-Safe
Even when you hit the stage, the benefits don’t stop. Although you may have practiced together several times, one of you might get in front of an audience and stumble across a sentence or unintentionally miss a point. It’s comforting to have someone else presenting with you to pick up the ball where you might leave it. In addition, your partner could interject with fascinating insight in the moment. Co-presenting can vastly enhance the quality of a performance, especially if executed correctly.
Cons
Connection Requirement
Unfortunately, you and your partner may not hit it off just right. If there’s no chemistry at the beginning, continue your search or fly solo. An audience would rather see one person struggling than two.
Hero Attempts
On the other hand, both you and your partner may excel at presenting. You both want your voice to be heard and your opinions to be discussed. What you get in that situation is one presenter stealing the show like a basketball player refusing to pass the ball.
Co-presenting is a useful method, so don’t discount it from the get-go. Instead, assess yourself and your partner and determine whether the presentation route would be the best option for your audience and message. For more information about co-presenting, check out the resources below:
Co-Presenting Tips and Techniques
Total Success: Co-Presenting Tips and Techniques
