I think the phrase "Don't get me wrong" in conversation means, "I'm about to say something that you might misunderstand, so don't."
I'm looking for a similar phrase that sounds better when speaking to a group of people. I sometimes use the phrase "Don't take this the wrong way", but that seems even clunkier.
Best Answer
"Please don't misunderstand me, but..." should suit your needs.
(This is far more polite than the imperative you must understand.)