Presenting Is A Team Sport

August 18, 2026

 

When it comes to speaking in front of an audience, the bigger the stage, the higher the stakes.

Lights and cameras and mics can feel like lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Training helps. Preparation too.

But before you take the stage in front of your company or industry leaders, there’s one more layer of support you need to embrace: the production team.

Members of the production team are easy to spot. Kind of. They’re typically dressed in black, trying not to be noticed. It’s their job to support you, while executing every aspect of the production.

They’re the camera operators, the lighting and audio techs, the video and graphics experts that are critical to your success as a presenter.  

Kevin Geiken is a producer and director for big corporate conferences. It’s his job to make sure the production crew is your partner.

“We want you to succeed up there,” says Geiken. “We’re invested in your success while you’re onstage, and we’ll do everything we can to make your moment seamless and impactful.”

And that begins during rehearsal. Don’t skip it. This is the time to review your slides, to test the microphone, to make adjustments, and to make sure that you and the production team are on the same page.

And the more information you can share with the crew ahead of time, the better.

“Send us your PowerPoint before your rehearsal,” advises Geiken. “Do you need a confidence monitor? Will you be doing Q&A? Are you planning to break out in song halfway through your presentation? The more your production team knows your plan, the better we can support you.”

But a word of caution.

Even with perfect planning, mistakes will be made, and technology will sometimes fail. Your microphone might cut out. The wrong slide may pop up on the screen. The clicker might not click.

So what should you do?

Take a deep breath, respectfully ask the production team for its help, and move on. There’s no value in pointing out mistakes or reminding your audience about previous technical issues.

And your team, the people dressed in black, will appreciate it.