Group Discussion

What is a Group Discussion?

"Group" is a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction and who work together to achieve a common set of goals. "Discussion" is the process whereby two or more people exchange information or ideas in a face-to-face situation to achieve a goal. The goal, or end product, maybe increased knowledge, agreement leading to action, disagreement leading to competition or resolution or perhaps only a clearing of the air or a continuation of the status-quo.

 

Who holds a Group Discussion?

"Group Discussion", popularly labeled as GD, is a popular methodology used by a many organizations (company, institute, business school, etc.) these days to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits such as interpersonal communication skills, confidence in public speaking, team spirit, leadership abilities, social behavior and problem-solving skills. GDs form an important part of the short-listing process for recruitment or admission in a company or institution.

 

How is a GD Conducted?

1.       In this methodology, there are usually 7-12 participants in a group. The group of candidates is given a topic or a situation which could be either factual, abstract or case based, and typically given some time to think and make notes about the same.

 

2.       After this, the group of candidates is, and then asked to discuss it the topic among themselves for a specific duration ranging between 10-40 minutes (which may vary from one organization to another). While the group discusses the pertaining issue at hand, the Moderators/ Panelists silently observe each candidate on various pre-determined parameters.

 

Why GD is important?

1.       It helps evaluate whether a candidate is the right fit for the organization.

2.       It helps assess how a participant performs under different situations in a group.

3.       It helps to judge how one conceptualizes and man oeuvres his ideas through the discussion.

4.       It helps in analyzing the candidate’s attitude towards fellow members through one’s communication and interpersonal skills, listening ability, humility and tolerance to others ideas.

5.       It helps in shedding light on candidate’s leadership and managerial skills, problem-solving aptitude, creative thinking and knowledge on diverse topics.

 

 

 

Six Golden Rules to Ace a Group Discussion

                Rule 1: Prepare

                Prepare well in time on as many topics as you can, not just the ones given in the past, but related ones too. You never know when the subject would be changed. Get into the habit of active reading. It’s different from passive reading. Passive reading is where you read merely to understand the subject. Active reading is where you not only understand the subject, but also begin to raise questions and voice your opinion – positive, negative or neutral about the subject. This is critical in the group discussion to counter or support others’ points of view.

 

The next part of rule 1 is to have mock group discussion, preferably with differing groups of friends. The point is to train your mind to think of any given topic’s pros and cons in a dynamic situation where you can’t predict the person’s response. More importantly, it is about looking at all the possible angles to the topic. This shows your logical mind, creativity and also your ability to think on your feet which comes with preparation.

 

Rule 2: Know the Participants

 Most people who attend GDs are as focused on their performance as they tend to be. Take a deep breath and when the team introduces itself, note down the participants’ names.

In the heat of the discussion, calling out the person’s name is a good way to get their attention. All of us respond instinctively when our name is called out, so use this technique. Not only does it get you their attention, it also shows your people skills and presence of mind.

 

Rule 3: Take Care of your Posture

Your body posture reveals your state of mind. At the same time, it conditions you to a particular way of thinking. Don’t lean back or lean forward. Find the balance.

Let your body posture be of polite intensity so that you come across as a balanced individual with plenty of energy. This also shows empathy and respect to others when they speak and is an asset that brings you additional points.

 

Rule 4: Take Charge

 

Take charge of the group discussion right in the beginning. It shows your leadership capability. Introduce the topic by setting the framework for the ensuing discussion and state your opening point before leaving it to the group. Further, when it comes to conclusions, many GDs fall through and participants don’t make good use of it although it brings points.

 

Conclude the discussion by summing up if you can. To do this, listen actively throughout the discussion and note down the key highlights – say, in columns of negative and positive points on your notepad or any other format that suits the discussion.

 

Rule 5: Retain Your Balance

During the group discussion itself, give your logical counterpoint without aggression when there is a disagreement. You are not there to prove that your stand is right, but to show your maturity and logical thinking. When the discussion drags over a point, it is time for you to interject and turn the discussion in a new direction, either with a related point or with an opposite view. Be to the point and intervene when another candidate is taking all the airtime. When they pause for breath, it is the right time to take your chance, state your point and then, pass the chance to someone who hasn’t had their say.

 

Rule 6: Follow your Domain

 

Keep the domain in mind while projecting your image. Let’s suppose you are facing a group discussion for a sales function, you may have to take a more aggressive approach whereas a marketing function could veer towards the creative and the practical approach in assessment.

Group discussion is as much about your knowledge and point-of-view as about how you handle yourself and others. Do these right and you will have projected the right image.