It was the summer we went to Mackinac Island in Michigan for our family vacation.
I was 9. My sister was 11. My brother was 4.
Cars are not allowed on the island. Everyone either walks or rides bicycles to get around.
As soon as we were settled in, our parents took us to a bike rental shop, so we could explore the island. My dad put my brother in a kid seat on the back of his bike. My mom had her own bike. And my sister and I made a beeline for a bicycle built-for-two. Immediately, my mom saw that this could be a problem. She encouraged us to get our own individual bikes. But my sister and I insisted, “We want to do this!”
My wise mother said, “Why don’t we see how you do on a practice run before we make any decisions?”
My sister and I didn’t get 500 yards before we were fighting about who was pedaling faster. She said my legs were too short. I said hers were too long. She said I needed to slow down. I said she needed to go faster!
At that point, my mom stepped in and said, “Get your own bikes. Now.”
Presentations
I was reminded of that summer recently when I was at an event, where people were doing what I call “tag-team presentations.”
The teams of two were totally out of sync. They had no more business doing a presentation together than my sister and I had riding a bicycle built-for-two when we were kids.
To work in tandem for presentations, you really need to be able to play off of each other. You almost need to be able to read the other person’s mind. Additionally, your transitions need to be smooth. Your timing needs to be flawless. And your energy levels need to be consistent. One of you can’t be really fired up while the other is low key.
It is rare that I see a team that can pull all of this off. As such, I usually recommend that one person take the lead for the team and present. Later, if there are questions that fall out of her area of expertise, allow someone else to step in and answer them.
BUT…Teams Look Better!
This is what I hear most often from people, who insist on presenting as a duo. They believe that it illustrates how well they work with others.
True. But can you pull it off? Have you actually tried presenting with your partner? Until you do—you’re just like my sister and I who were certain that a bicycle built-for-two was for us. It wasn’t until we tried it out that we discovered that both of us wanted to set the pace. My sister is easygoing, so she was in no hurry. I am insanely competitive and I was in race mode. Our approaches and personalities are so different that it was readily apparent that this bicycle built-for-two was not for us.
Likewise, if you try to present with someone, you’ll find out really quickly if you can make this partnership work. If you can’t, you should go solo–or find another partner– because it’s hard to watch two people at odds during a presentation. The only thing worse is seeing a team like my dad and brother, where one person carries the load and the other sits back and enjoys the ride.
