10 CARDINAL SINS OF A GROUP DICUSSION GDs are used to assess certain group skills that cannot be evaluated in an interview. These include leadership ability, social skills, listening and articulation skills, situational handling ability and the interpersonal ability to function as a team player. Typically, GDs involve eight to 12 participants sitting in a circle or semicircle discussing a topic for a stipulated time, usually 15 to 20 minutes. They usually follow one of three formats: structured, unstructured or specialised GDs. i. Regular structured GDs Here, the time limit and topic is defined. No consensus is expected at the end. No leader is to be selected for facilitating the process. These are easier to handle. Topics chosen are usually general and do not require technical knowledge. ii. Unstructured GDs The format is more difficult in this kind of GD. Choosing a leader is mandatory. And you are instructed to reach a consensus at the end of the discussion. The leader has to direct the group, set the tone of the discussion and control the dynamics of the group. Proceedings are sometimes made more complicated by asking the group to propose a topic, discuss it and reach a consensus. iii. Specialised GDs These include scripted GDs, where candidates are given a certain brief about the roles they need to play. For example, a business situation is suggested where two companies are negotiating a deal. Here, candidates can be given the profiles of say two CEOs, marketing managers, HR managers, advisors, and a neutral entity like a consultant. Or alternately, they may be asked to essay the roles of the five Pandavas and the main Kauravas, negotiating the distribution of their kingdom in a twentieth century setting. Personal Interviews: Can I tell a lie? Content as important as process Content indicates your level of preparation, your ability to organise your thoughts in a logical way, understanding the topic in its totality and your ability to innovate. The process includes your way of _expression, your communication skills, your body language and your attitude.
GDs are used to assess certain group skills that cannot be evaluated in an
interview. These include leadership ability, social skills, listening and articulationskills, situational handling ability and the interpersonal ability to function as ateam player.
Typically, GDs involve eight to 12 participants sitting in a circle or semicirclediscussing a topic for a stipulated time, usually 15 to 20 minutes. They usuallyfollow one of three formats: structured, unstructured or specialised GDs.
i. Regular structured GDs
Here, the time limit and topic is defined. No consensus is expected at the end. No
leader is to be selected for facilitating the process. These are easier to handle.Topics chosen are usually general and do not require technical knowledge.
ii. Unstructured GDs
The format is more difficult in this kind of GD. Choosing a leader is mandatory.And you are instructed to reach a consensus at the end of the discussion. The leaderhas to direct the group, set the tone of the discussion and control the dynamics ofthe group. Proceedings are sometimes made more complicated by asking the groupto propose a topic, discuss it and reach a consensus.
iii. Specialised GDs
These include scripted GDs, where candidates are given a certain brief about theroles they need to play. For example, a business situation is suggested where twocompanies are negotiating a deal. Here, candidates can be given the profiles of saytwo CEOs, marketing managers, HR managers, advisors, and a neutral entity likea consultant. Or alternately, they may be asked to essay the roles of the fivePandavas and the main Kauravas, negotiating the distribution of their kingdom ina twentieth century setting.
Personal Interviews: Can I tell a lie?
Content as important as process
Content indicates your level of preparation, your ability to organise your thoughtsin a logical way, understanding the topic in its totality and your ability to innovate.
The process includes your way of _expression, your communication skills, your bodylanguage and your attitude.
Most candidates are pre-occupied with process. Consequently, important questions -- like 'What did I say?', 'Do I have enough reasoning to sustain my line ofargument?', and 'Can I think of examples to substantiate my logic?' -- take a backseat.
A sole preoccupation with process alone is fraught with disastrous results. Bothcontent and process are equally important for an effective contribution to a GD.
How do you ensure excellence in both quantity and quality of content? Take a one-minute pause. This is the only way to ensure you perform above a threshold level ofquality. Take your mind off the context for one minute. Utilise this minute to focuson what you are going to say and to organise your thoughts. All this must be donemuch before you are swept off your feet in the maelstrom that will follow.
4 STEPS TO ACE YOUR GROUP DISCUSSION
Critical success factors in a GD
~ Innovativeness: Your ability to look a things with an entirely differentperspective.
~ Quality of content: It shows your level of preparedness.
~ Your frequent and consistent participation.
~ Logical ability: Your ability to reason, think and debate on pros and cons.
~ Behavioural skills: Aggression vs assertiveness -- aggression is viewed negatively;assertiveness is welcomed. Assertiveness is standing on your own feet, whileaggression is trampling on others' feet.
~ Communication: Includes your ability to articulate, to listen and your bodylanguage. Clarity of thought leads to articulate language. A functional knowledge oflanguage is all you need as opposed to having an accent.
~ Leadership: Leadership involves all the above skills. More importantly, thefundamental strength you need to portray is MOBILITY.
It is mobility that lets you demonstrate leadership skill as the context demands.
Broadly, participants play the following roles in a GD.
i. Mr Brains: He brings in a lot of matter and comes up with wide interpretations of
the topic.
Downside: It is difficult to stop him, as he is preoccupied with the topic discussionas opposed to a group discussion. He is happily oblivious to simple things like whois sitting next to him.
At the end of the GD, if you happen to ask him whether the person sitting next tohim was male or female, the answer would most likely be 'I do not know.'
ii. Shopkeeper: He is the sales man who can sell anything, has the gift of the gab, avery strong ability to relate to people and the ability be at the centre of things.
Downside: He does not usually come up with original thoughts himself. Needs MrBrains to feed him with readymade ideas he can sell.
iii. Watchman: His role is to maintain order in the group, usually his contentcontribution is low. He is pre-occupied with directing the group process such ascontrolling entry and exit of participants. He is crucial for meeting timecommitments made to the panel. Especially, in ensuring consensus in groupdiscussions.
Downside: The quantity and quality of original content is low.
iv. Critic: He criticises everyone's ideas, left, right and centre, without contributinganything new.
Downside: He has no original ideas to contribute.
v. Butcher: He does a great service to the group by enhancing the quality of content-- by not allowing the group to get carried with tangential ideas or letting anybodyrun away by saying anything. He is most welcome in a group, which has one or twoaggressive elements in it.
Downside: Too much control can stifle the energy and vibrancy of the group, as even
wacky ideas can contribute to the development of the discussion and of more solidarguments.
vi. Spectator or passenger: He is involved in the proceedings but plays a limitedrole.
Downside: His contribution is very limited and he does not affect the outcome of thegroup task.
Are you good at Group Discussions?
What role do I play?
Each role has several benefits in isolation. However, strong attachment to anysingle role throughout the GD could limit your chances of success. To do well it isimportant to demonstrate leadership at every moment.
You must work to achieve an ability to move across these roles as the situation
demands. Anyone seen to be performing more than three of these roles willdefinitely make a strong positive impact on the panel. Mobility is the key word inbecoming effective in GDs.
The roles discussed above are not water-tight compartments. The key to success inGDs is to be able to effortlessly move from one role to the other, depending on thesituational demands, without getting trapped in any one role.
Holding centre-stage at a GD
There are certain tricks that help you retain centrestage for longer durations andwhich provide you with abundant chances to speak. These should be used withcaution, and at appropriate moments.
~ Give data, examples, anecdotes and survey figures, compelling short stories. Thisgives people the impression that you know a lot, and also participants do not brandyou a bore or Mr Brains. You also avoid facing interjections or arguments. However,be sure of the validity/ relevance of your data or story. Always remember the age-old formula for success: KISS -- Keep It Short, Stupid.
~ PEST Analysis. No, this has nothing to do with rodents. It stands for the Political,Economic, Social and Technological aspects of the topic.
For example, with the political aspects, start with a basic blasting of politicians inthe context of the topic and you will have the whole group swearing by you.
~ Use hand motions. Try to speak point-wise and use hands as if counting thepoints on your fingers. Everyone will get the impression that you have several well-structured points in your head and they will not mess around with you.
~ What should you do when you have four participants speaking and holleringwithout a worry in the world? Identify the most nervous participant who has beendesperately trying to get a word in without success, make sympathetic eye contactwith him, and simply point him out by saying, 'Let's give him a chance to speak.'Irrespective of his performance, which most probably will be a non- starter, you willhave yourself as the cynosure of all eyes, and it is now your call.
~ 'Are we not digressing from the topic?' This acts as a death knell for members ofthe group who are speaking just for the heck of hearing the noise they are capableof making. They may get alarmed and silent, and it will be your turn to move in.
~ Chattering your way to success. If you have seen Mandira Bedi in action on thecricket commentary scene, you will understand this. The method is to start yourmonologue without a worry in the world, in a bland tone, making eye contact withone or more individuals. If you can manage to speak on without pausing for longenough, people will listen. You require a couple of attributes to pull it off, though,including a thick skin and the ability to speak a lot.]
Cardinal sins: Never do these
~ Do not use slang like yaar, hajjar, univ, princi, etc, or verbal tics such as hmm,like, but, etc.
~ Do not stage an accent.~ Do not use verbal stresses unless a method actor like Al Pacino or NaseeruddinShah trains you for it.~ Never bluff as the panel will easily know, even if you are an accomplished liar.~ Never interrupt or finish a sentence for an interviewer.~ Never show up late.~ Never get defensive or try to rationalise.~ No negative words about anyone.~ Never give an answer that is good but does not answer the question asked.~ Never allow yourself to lose focus after a string of unanswered questions.
