Steve Adubato’s Lessons in Leadership: Communicating as a Team

When it comes to effective leadership, one of the most essential skill sets, yet one often overlooked, is the ability to communicate and present as a team. We are frequently asked to participate in team presentations, group presentations, or collaborative sessions that require professionals to work together and communicate in a cohesive, coordinated, and engaging manner. However, presenting as a team introduces a unique set of challenges compared to presenting alone. With this in mind, consider the following tools and techniques the next time you lead a presentation with a colleague:

Prepare. Have a “blueprint” or game plan outlining who will play which role in the presentation, but don’t set it in stone. Be structured and organized while remaining flexible enough to respond to the fluid dynamics of the situation. This balance allows for healthy spontaneity so you can remain present, adjust in real time, and “read the room” to determine what is resonating and what might be losing your audience. Once your blueprint is established, the key is to practice, practice, practice to tighten your timing and improve how you transition from one presenter to another. Rehearsing together also builds confidence and strengthens your team’s collective rhythm.

Be conversational. This is closely aligned with flexibility, but it takes the concept a step further. We have all sat through presentations where the cadence felt linear, robotic, or overly rehearsed and where the presenter delivered a rigid sequence of information with no sense of connection or warmth. While thoughtful planning is essential, so is being engaged, involved, and conversational. This enables you to notice opportunities to add substance, clarify a point, or bring in real-world examples, whether or not they were part of the original script or prepared talking points. A conversational tone also helps the audience feel included, making the presentation more dynamic and memorable.

Trust each other. Without trust, no team can successfully present. You must have complete confidence that your fellow presenters understand that you are all working toward the same goal. This also involves trusting one another to jump in, clarify something, or “rescue” a colleague when needed. Such trust develops only when you genuinely care about how your partner presents and view your success as interconnected. It’s not enough that you deliver your portion well; true collaboration means your performance is tied to theirs. That is the difference between being part of a team and going it alone, and it is often what audiences appreciate most.

Check your ego at the door. No one enjoys listening to a “know-it-all” or someone who insists on being the smartest person in the room. View your partner’s contributions not as interruptions but as complements to your message. Audiences respond far better to presenters who appear aligned, cooperative, and genuinely enthusiastic about what they are sharing. Few things derail a presentation more quickly than watching teammates contradict each other, compete for attention, or bicker in a public setting. Humility and graciousness go a long way.

Know exactly who will open and who will close. Don’t leave this to chance. Avoid awkward pauses or confusion when it is time to close the deal and “land the plane.” Every presenting team needs a leader or, as I like to say, a “quarterback,” who will guide the flow, hand off when appropriate, and keep the presentation moving forward. One of the most important components of an effective team presentation is a strong close that includes a clear call to action or a compelling takeaway you want the audience to remember long after the session ends.