Group Discussion

Group Discussion

GD is a simulated exercise to see what kind of leadership quality emerge from a prospective candidate.

Objectives: • You should be noticed by the panel

• You should be able to be assertive not aggressive.

• You should be able to make chances to speak & don’t complain about lack of time.

• Should be able to put forth arguments logically.

• You should be able to project good knowledge base.

• To highlight points that are different from others.

• To take the group ahead if it is stuck at one point.

• Should be attempting to build a consensus.

• You must carry people with you. So do not get emotional, shout, invade other people's private space.

• Outline the major issues first and only then state your stand. In other words give the justification first and the stand later.

• Remember you are being evaluated on how you think and not what you think.

Group Discussion

. Keep yourself updated on latest news, happenings, and general knowledge, read the daily newspaper.

• Discuss amongst your friends about the day’s important news and facts

• Dress for the occasion.

• Be professional and appear confident

• Carry a notepad and pen

• Relax and envision yourself as being successful

Before taking part in a GD

• When you are speaking for the first time in the group

• Introduce yourself by giving your name and the institution you are representing

• Speak to the group and not looking at the invigilators.

• Smile and be confident

• Ensure you have proper body languagei. lean forward and show interestii. avoid unnecessary facial expressions and gestureiii. use hand gestures carefully

While Taking part in a GD

• Make note of the points discussed when the other person is speaking and then give your viewpoints rather than disrupting when the other person is speaking

• Speak loudly and clearly so that each member can listen to you.

• Do not shout or become aggressive towards the other members

• See that you do not go astray from the topic

• If the invigilators give any special instructions, follow it carefully.

• If you have any objection to any point , handle it carefullyObey the instructions of the leader (if any)

While Taking part in a GD

Important aspects of GD

• The tone of language use in GD.

• Usage of lubricating words or expressions in discussing.

• Strategies.

• Arriving at a win-win situation in all range of group activity-formal & informal.

• Team Player B-Schools lay great emphasis on this parameter because it is essential for managers to be team players.The reason: Managers always work in teams.

• Reasoning Ability

Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a Group Discussion.

Essentials for GDs

• Leadership

• A leader would have the following qualities:S/he shows direction to the group whenever group moves away from the topic.

• S/he coordinates the effort of the different team members in the Group Discussion.

• S/he contributes to the Group Discussion at regular intervals with valuable insights.

• S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views.

• Caution: Being a mere coordinator in a Group Discussion does not help, because it is a secondary role. Contribute to the Group Discussion with your ideas and opinions, but also try and steer the conversation towards a goal.

Essentials for GDs

• FlexibilityYou must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about

• Assertiveness You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and confident manner.

Essentials for GDs

• Initiative

A general trend amongst students is to start a Group Discussion and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the initiator.

• Initiate a Group Discussion only if you are well versed with the topic.

• If you start and fail to contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the Group Discussion just for the sake

of the initial points.

Essentials for GDs

Listening

Always try and strike a proper balance between expressing your ideas and imbibing ideas.

Creativity/ Out of the box thinking

An idea or a perspective which opens new horizons for discussion on the Group Discussion topic is always highly appreciated

Essentials for GDs

Skills Evaluated in GD

Leadership skills: ability to initiate group & guide the group in crisis.

Communication Skills: clarity of thought, expression & aptness of language. Good listening skill & willingness to accommodate others. Esoteric jargons fetch negative marks.

Interpersonal Skills: emotional maturity & balance. Should be more people centric & less self-centric. Should be able to remain cool in provocation, objective, empathize, team player & non threatening.

Persuasive skills: analyze & persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspective without hurting the other person.

Problem Solving Skills: ability to come out of divergent/offbeat solutions.

Novel solutions=high risk/high return strategy.

Conceptualizing Skills: ability to grasp situation, take from routine micro level to macro level.

Eg: ability to summarize findings to present overall perspective of the problem discussed.

Skills Evaluated in GD

Characters that emerge in GD

1. Dictator

2. Middle of the road buffalo. Stuck to one point.

3. Wheel spinner. Goes round & round the same point.

4. Lawyer. Ifs & buts.

5. Monalisa. Passive. No contribution

6. Sleeping beauty. Lost to the world.

7. Donkey. Takes on all the responsibility.

8. Doer. Knows what he can do & gets into the discussion. Involves everyone in the discussion.

Speech is golden!

• Speak in appropriate context.

• Pay attention to the cultural aspect of the language spoken.

• One of the most difficult things to do is to say ‘no’ or express disagreement to people.

• Don’t say ‘yes’ when you want to say ‘no’.

• Gambits of speech in English language help in saying ‘no’ politely.

• Gambit: is word or a phrase which helps to express what we are trying to say. Eg: we use gambit introduce, link, agree, disagree, respond…

• Eg: asking for information: I’d like to know… could you tell me….. Do you happen to know….

Speech is golden!

Are you (mis)understood?

Clarity & ambiguity: steps to bring in clarity:

1. Use unequivocal wordssame term may mean different in different fields or culture.

2. Use lower-level abstractions when clarity is essentialthey are direct as against high abstractions.

3. Use jargon judiciouslythey save time used in negotiation (liquidity-the degree to which an asset can be converted into cash) but create problem in cross-disciplinary discussions.

4. Use ambiguous language when it is strategically desirableit is true that straight talk is ethically palatable but ambiguity is acceptable in, I) promote harmony & cooperation, ii) soften the blow of difficult messages.

5.Inflammatory language: generates negativefeelings.

1. Biased language:2. Beware trigger words: identify the set of our own

trigger words that brings in flood of emotions.

6.Male/female language use:

women’s style:-rapport, expressive,supportive, tentative, conversational initiation& maintenance.

Men’s style: report, instrumental, advising,certain, conversational control

Are you (mis)understood?

Words tell a story, your actions tells the whole story

Non-verbal & verbal communication are integrated.

Functions: i) regulates behavior and social interaction,

ii) provides mechanisms for internal (self) regulation,

iii) expresses emotions.

The major channels of nonverbal communication include:

i) Facial expressions,

ii) Kinesthics (body movements),

iii) Paralinguistics (pitch, loudness, pausing, and timing of speech),

iv) Proxemics (space),

v) Olfactics (smells), eye gaze, gestures,

vi) Artifacts (like clothing and jewelry).

• Concluding the GD

The GD should be concluded by one or two members of the group. (in some cases, the invigilator may ask one person to come forward and make a presentation on the same)

• All the major points and viewpoints discussed in the GD can be given as a conclusion

Essentials for GDs

Remember the six C's of effective communication

clarity,Completeness,

ConcisenessConfidence

Correctness

Courtesy.

It’s not always what you have got and what the other has that

is important

Instead what you think you have got and what you think the

other has is important

Thank you