Group Discussion Preparation

Group Discussion
A Group Discussion can be defined as a formal discussion involving 10 to 12 participants in a group.
It is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its members. In this methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

As in a football game, where you play like a team, passing the ball to each team member and aim for a common goal, GD is also based on team work, incorporating views of different team members to reach a common goal.

Group Discussion is one thing that needs practice for the following reasons:
It takes a bit of time to get used to speaking in a group. In the sense that, you have to get used to speaking seriously in a group and not all of us are gifted public speakers.

Secondly and more importantly, you should understand the entire process: in terms of what to speak, how often, in what context, etc.

Moreover, practice gives you more things to speak about in case if you come across a similar topic.

Now these are the things that they essentially look in a GD:

Leadership/Initiative – in terms of giving it a start, leading the group when the discussion goes slightly off-track. This is probably the most important aspect that comes out in a GD.

There are three types of situations that can arise in a GD:
~ A GD where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much.
~ A GD where participants get emotionally charged and the GD gets chaotic.
~ A GD where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective.

Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a GD. 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 GD. dsadsadsad
~S/he contributes to the GD at regular intervals with valuable insights.
~S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views.

Content – Relevance of points spoken: it is better to pitch in 3-4 crucial points in a GD than to have 5 minutes of cumulative airtime in a 15 minutes GD and coming out with nothing specific. GK included here, its great if you can quote some facts: like average growth rates of economy when you are discussing India and China, etc

Analytical Thinking – How you analyse a situation that has come up.

Group Dynamics – Don’t try fighting with someone there. The idea is to contribute as much as you can in those 15 minutes than trying to pull someone else down or proving his/her point wrong.

Listening skills – Important to listen to what others are saying, helps to summarize later if you keep writing down major points side by side – Summary should consist of what the group has spoken and not what you have.

Body Language – Should look as though you are interested in what is happening, being a bit proactive at times.


Group Discussion Common Tips

Be as natural as possible. Do not try and be someone you are not. Be yourself.
A group discussion is your chance to be more vocal. The evaluator wants to hear you speak.

Take time to organize your thoughts. Think of what you are going to say. Seek clarification if you have any doubts regarding the subject. Don't start speaking until you have clearly understood and analyzed the subject.

Work out various strategies to help you make an entry: initiate the discussion or agree with someone else's point and then move onto express your views. Opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain.

Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say. Language skills are important only to the effect as to how you get your points across clearly and fluently.

Be assertive not dominating; try to maintain a balanced tone in your discussion and analysis. Don't lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective. Don't take the discussion personally.

Always be polite: Try to avoid using extreme phrases like: `I strongly object' or `I disagree'. Instead try phrases like: `I would like to share my views on…' or `One difference between your point and mine…' or "I beg to differ with you"

Brush up on your leadership skills; motivate the other members of the team to speak (this surely does not mean that the only thing that you do in the GD is to say "let us hear what the young lady with the blue scarf has to say," or "Raghu, let us hear your views" - Essentially be subtle), and listen to their views. Be receptive to others' opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive.

If you have a group of like-minded friends, you can have a mock group discussion where you can learn from each other through giving and receiving feedback.

Apart from the above points, the panel will also judge team members for their alertness and presence of mind, problem-solving abilities, ability to work as a team without alienating certain members, and creativity.

Common mistakes made at group discussions

Emotional outburst
Rashmi was offended when one of the male participants in a group discussion made a statement on women generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Rashmi finally got an opportunity to speak, instead of focussing on the topic, she vented her anger by accusing the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on to defend women in general. What Rashmi essentially did was to Deviate from the subject.

Treat the discussion as a forum to air her own views. Lose objectivity and make personal attacks. Her behaviour would have been perceived as immature and demotivating to the rest of the team.

Quality Vs Quantity
Gautam believed that the more he talked, the more likely he was to get through the GD. So, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. He did this so often that the other candidates got together to prevent him from participating in the rest of the discussion. Assessment is not only on your communication skills but also on your ability to be a team player. Evaluation is based on quality, and not on quantity. Your contribution must be relevant. The mantra is "Contributing meaningfully to the team's success."

Showing off
Krishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. So, he took pains to project his vast knowledge of the topic. Every other sentence of his contained statistical data - "20% of companies; 24.27% of parliamentarians felt that; I recently read in a Jupiter Report that..." and so on so forth. Soon, the rest of the team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that he was cooking up the data. Exercise restraint in anything. You will end up being frowned upon if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.

Facts and figures need not validate all your statements. Its your analysis and interpretation that are equally important - not just facts and figures. You might be appreciated for your in-depth knowledge. But you will fail miserably in your people skills. Such a behavior indicates how self-centered you are and highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where different opinions are expressed.

Get noticed But for the right reasons
Srikumar knew that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the topic - "Discuss the negative effects of India joining the WTO" - was read out, he began talking. In his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word "negative" in the topic. He began discussing the ways in which the country had benefited by joining WTO, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then corrected his mistake.

False starts are extremely expensive.
They cost you your admission. It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions. Spending a little time analyzing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about. Use a pen and paper to jot down your ideas. Listen! It gives you the time to conceptualize and present the information in a better manner. Some mistakes are irreparable. Starting off the group discussion with a mistake is one such mistake, unless you have a great sense of humor.

Managing one's insecurities
Sumati was very nervous. She thought that some of the other candidates were exceptionally good. Thanks to her insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to remain silent. Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read. Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion. Your confidence level is being evaluated.

Decent communication skills with good confidence is a must to crack the GDs. Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.