Group Discussion

Unit V

Group Discussion

Group Discussion

Group discussion is an important activity in academic, business and administrative spheres. It is a systematic and purposeful interactive oral process. Here the exchange of ideas, thoughts and feelings take place through oral communication. The exchange of ideas takes place in a systematic and structured way. The participants sit facing each other almost in a semi-circle and express their views on the given topic/issue/problem.

Why is a group discussion an important activity?

It is an effective tool in problem solving, decision making and personality assessment. GD skills may ensure academic success, popularity and good admission or job offer. Thus it is important to be able to take part in a GD effectively and confidently. Participants should know how to speak with confidence, how to exhibit leadership skills and how to make the group achieve the goals.

The objective of a selection in GD is mainly to check your team playing skills. You have to understand the other persons’ point of view, while making your point and ensure that your team as a whole reaches a solution or agreement that is both feasible and accepted by all team members.

Evaluation Components

There are four major areas of evaluation in selection GDs:

®  Subject knowledge,

®  Oral communication skills,

®  Leadership skills and

®  Team management

Subject Knowledge:

Participants must possess a thorough understanding of the topic on which they are supposed to speak. You must prepare yourself to talk on a wide range of subjects. Be abreast of the current events, national and international affairs, burning social and economical topics, scientific and environmental issues, key newspapers’ controversial topics and any experience that may be expected of an educated person. As a member of the group, you are expected to contribute substantially to the discussion. The originality of your ideas, your knowledge and initiative and your approach to the topic or case contribute to your success in the group discussion. The best way to equip yourself is to read daily newspapers, good magazines, national and international journals and also watch new bulletins and informative programmes on the television. Internet is the greatest boon which provides you with everything you are looking for. The World Wide Web is a vast database of current authentic materials that present information in multimedia form and reacts instantly to a user’s input.

The greater your knowledge of the subject, the more enthusiastic and confident you will be during the discussion. Once you have understood the topic or issue, you should be able to generate ideas as well as organize them so that you present it well. You will have the ability to analyze facts or information in a systematic way. A person putting forward new ideas that may work will be accepted as the natural leader of the group. The panel will observe the ideas put forward, their originality, the depth of analysis and their relevance to the topic.

Problem solving skills are essential and do not hesitate to give solutions. Your approach to the case study will be observed keenly by the evaluators.

Oral Communication Skills:

 If subject knowledge is important, communication skills is more important as without expression, the knowledge is of no use. As the exchange of ideas in a group discussion takes place through speech, one of the pre-requisites of success in a GD is the ability to speak confidently and convincingly. Good communication skills include active listening, clarity of though and expression, apt language and proper non verbal clues.

Listening Skills:

One of the weaknesses of most human beings is that we love to listen to our own voice rather than listen to others. Listening is as important as speaking in a GD, unless you listen, you cannot contribute to the stated purpose of communication. It is extremely important to listen very carefully, only then you will be able to pick up the thread of discussion and continue. Only active participation as a listener in a group makes a person a good leader. A leader is identified by the panel.

Clarity of thought and expression:

Clarity is the art of making yourself clear to the audience. Only when your expressions are clear, you can convince your team and the panel. More than words, it is the tone in which they are spoken that conveys the message. You should not be too loud or too soft. A lively and cheerful voice with appropriate modulations will attract the audience. Proper articulation of words, achieved through phonetic accuracy is very essential slang, and artificial accents are to be avoided.

Apt Language:

The flow of language must be smooth. Use simple language and avoid long winding sentences. Appropriateness of language demands that there should be no errors of grammar. Do not use unfamiliar phrases and flowery language. Be precise. Be polite and courteous.

Proper non verbal clues:

Non verbal clues include eye contact, body movements, gestures and facial expressions. The panel very keenly watches the non verbal behavior of the team. They generally evaluate the body language cues of the team to determine personality factors such as nervousness, co-operation, frustration, weakness, insecurity, self confidence, defensiveness, etc. A candidate who appears professional is more likely to be noticed by the panel. A confident posture, appropriate facial expressions and meaningful eye contact with the team will create a good expression.

Team behavior:

Your group behavior is reflected in your ability to interact with the other members of the group. You must be mature enough to not lose your temper even if you are proved wrong. You must be patient and balanced.

Your success in a GD depends on how well you play the role of initiator, information seeker, information giver, procedure facilitator, opinion seeker, opinion giver, clarifier, summarizer, social-supporter, tension reliever, compromiser, attacker, humorist and dominator.

The selection panel notes the differences in the amount of participation of the members. They observe the silent spectators, the ever dominating but not contributing much, member who participates actively exhibiting his knowledge and the moderate ones. Your ability lies in analyzing the problem well and making others to endorse your view. Finally while appreciating others point of view, you should effectively present yours without contradicting other’s opinions. Your ability in convincing the team is your success

Leadership Skills:

The success of any team depends to a larger extent on its leader. The panel evaluates a candidate’s personal skills which allow him to prove himself as a natural leader in the GD. Though there is no appointed leader in a GD, a leader emerges. Assertiveness, emotional stability, objectivity, selfconfidence, decision making, discretion, initiative, good communication skills, patience, persuasiveness and adaptability are some of the leadership qualities that are immensely useful in proving oneself as a natural leader in GD.

A good leader should neither be very authoritative nor submissive but must be democratic. Such leaders see to it that all the members in the team participate and when there is a problem, try to deal with it amicably. Leaders should know how to deal with the ‘bull dozers’, who make noise but do not have any logic.

Types of Group Discussion

A typical GD comprises a small group of candidates. Each group is then given a topic for discussion. The topic can be general or specific.

Topic-Based Group Discussion:

Elaborating on each, let’s read what each type of topic-based Group Discussion is all about:

Knowledge-Based Topics: Under this kind of group discussion, you require in-depth information about the topic been given to you. You should be able to support it with facts and figures. Your information should be substantial.

Abstract Topics

Under this type of a group discussion, the panellist gives a topic which is absolutely out of the box. Abstract topics are more about intangible things. These topics test your creativity and also, to some extent, your thinking ability. Such topics can be interpreted in different ways by the candidates. In such topics, your comprehension skills and communication skills are judged.

Controversial Topics

Such topics can lead to an argument, they’re argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate controversy and at the same time, judge the analytical skills of the participant to see if he/ she can think rationally, without any bias and arrive at a harmonious conclusion.

Such topics are  also given by the panelists so that they can judge the maturity level of the students and they don’t start screaming at other candidates., If, as a student, you  are not in favour of what another candidate is saying, then you should be smart enough to put across your point candidly without / bashing the speaker.

Case-Based Group Discussion:

Under a case-based group discussion, a situation or a scenario is left to students for an open discussion. The information about the situation will be provided to you, a problem regarding the same situation will be given, all you will be asked for is to resolve it. Topics given during this type of discussion are more management related, for example, the panelists might give you a situation which could be a conversation/argument between an employee and the boss etc.

These are open end discussions, wherein nobody is right or wrong, using their thinking ability they decide what they can do in such situations etc.  The panelist under the case-based group discussion, look for the decision-making skills, his/her ability to work in a team etc.

NOTE: IIM A, IIM Indore and IIT SOM Mumbai have a case-based discussion rather than topic-based discussion in their selection procedures.

TIP 1: Be updated with the latest current affairs which will provide you to give facts and figures during a Group Discussion which will value addition for you.

TIP 2: Practice topics well in advance, manage a list of topics from various group discussions held in the previous years, consult your friends or seniors who have been through the same process.

PRACTICE MAKES A MAN PERFECT!

Do’s of participating in a GD:

1.      Listen to the subject carefully

2.      Put down your thoughts on a paper

3.      Initiate the discussion if you know the subject well

4.      Listen to others if you don’t know the subject

5.      Support you point with some facts and figures

6.      Make short contribution of 25-30 seconds 3-4 times

7.      Give others a chance to speak

8.      Speak politely and pleasantly. Respect contribution from other members.

9.      Disagree politely and agree with what is right.

10.  Summarize the discussion if the group has not reached a conclusion.

Don’ts of participating in a Group Discussion

1.      Initiate the discussion if you do not have sufficient knowledge about the given topic.

2.      Over speak, intervene and snatch other’s chance to speak.

3.      Argue and shout during the GD

4.      Look at the evaluators or a particular group member

5.      Talk irrelevant things and distract the discussion

6.      Pose negative body gestures like touching the nose, leaning back on the chair, knocking the table with a pen etc.

7.      Mention erratic statistics.

8.      Display low self-confidence with shaky voice and trembling hands.

9.      Try to dominate the discussion

10.  Put others in an embarrassing situation by asking them to speak if they don’t want.

Body Language in a group discussion

One of the most important elements of communication is body language. Our gestures, hand movements, facial expressions etc come under body language.

When we communicate, it is very essential for us to have the correct body language to avoid offence to anyone.

1.         In a group discussion, Positive body gestures are a sign of confidence and security. They are a sign of active participation and leave a good impression.

2.         Positive gestures include Walking upright, Shaking hands confidently etc.

3.         Often body language conveys a lot of messages that words may not.

4.         A positive body language increases an impact on others.

5.         Body language helps to build a rapport with others.

6.         Body language helps to understand what others may try to convey.

7.         Body language helps to control aggression and conflicts.

8.         Body language can show you are energetic in a group discussion.

When communicating, it is important for us to have positive body gestures. Direct and steady eye contact is the most important of them.