Group Discussion
Group
Discussion (GD) is a systematic and purposeful interactive oral process where
the exchange of ideas, thoughts and feelings takes place. It involves person to
person as well as person to group interaction. It aids in problem solving,
decision making and personality assessment.
A particular
number of people (approximately eight to fourteen) meet face to face and
through free oral interaction originate, share, and discuss ideas to arrive at
a decision or solution to a problem. It is also used widely as a personality test for evaluating
several candidates simultaneously. It
helps to shortlist candidates for a final interview, to select personnel for
positions of responsibility, especially in the service sector and also to
select students for admission to professional institutes.
Evaluation Components
During
a group discussion, employers evaluate the potential or leadership and also the
ability to work in a team. The four components evaluated in a group discussion
are:
1.
Knowledge
2.
Communication skills
3.
Group behaviour
4.
Leadership potential
1. Knowledge
This refers to the depth and range of the knowledge as well as analytical and organizational abilities. One
should be able to grasp the situation
and analyze it not just at a mundane level, but from the widest perspective.
2. Communication Skills
Communication skills are
assessed in terms of:
Active
listening – As participants are interdependent in a GD, it is extremely
necessary to listen very carefully. Only then participants can pick up the thread
of discussion and continue. It is easy for the selection panel to identify poor
listeners as their discussion lacks continuity.
Clarity of thought and
expression - The panel's perception of a candidate's personality , and his/her
ability to influence and convince others depends greatly on using the right
tone, voice, fluency, modulation, good delivery and articulation. Slang,
jargon, and an artificial accent are to be avoided in a group discussion.
Apt language - Language
should be accurate, free of grammatical errors. Also, it should be direct,
clear, and precise, with ideas flowing in an organized fashion. Using long,
winding sentences should be avoided.
Appropriateness of body language – Emotions
such as anger, frustration, warmth, excitement, boredom, defensiveness and
competitiveness etc are conveyed through body language. The selection panel
observes appearance, frequency, eye contact, postures, gestures and facial
expressions.
3. Group behaviour (Team spirit):
Team spirit is reflected
in the ability to interact with other members of the group on brief
acquaintance. Emotional maturity, balance, more people centric and less
egocentric promotes interpersonal relationships.
4. Leadership skills:
The candidates should
possess functional and coordinating ability to emerge as a leader. Functional
ability involves traits such as knowledge, mental and physical energy,
emotional stability, objectivity, integrity and emotional intelligence.
Coordinating ability involves traits such as group adaptability and motivation.
Types of Group Discussion:
GDs can be
Topic-based or Case-based.
1. Topic based GDs can be classified into three types:
Factual
Topics - Factual topics are about practical things, which an
ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life. Typically these are about
socio-economic topics. These can be current, i.e. they may have been in the
news lately, or could be unbound by time. A factual topic for discussion gives
a candidate a chance to prove that he is aware of and sensitive to his environment.
E.g. The education policy of India, Tourism in India, State of the aged in the
nation
Controversial Topics - Controversial topics are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate controversy. In GDs where these topics are given for discussion, the noise level is usually high, there may be tempers flying. The idea behind giving a topic like this is to see how much maturity the candidate is displaying by keeping his temper in check, by rationally and logically arguing his point of view without getting personal and emotional.
E.g. Reservations should be removed, Women make better managers
Abstract Topics - Abstract topics are about intangible things. These topics are not given often for discussion, but their possibility cannot be ruled out. These topics test your lateral thinking and creativity.
E.g. A is an alphabet, Twinkle twinkle little star, the number 10
2. Case-based GD:
Ø
Another variation is the use of a case instead of a topic. The
case study tries to simulate a real-life situation. Information about the
situation will be given to you and you would be asked as a group to resolve the
situation. In the case study there are no incorrect answers or perfect
solutions. The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the
situation from various angles.
IIM A, IIM Indore and IIT SOM Mumbai have a case-based discussion rather than topic-based discussion in their selection procedures.
IIM A, IIM Indore and IIT SOM Mumbai have a case-based discussion rather than topic-based discussion in their selection procedures.
Tips for Success in
Group Discussions
Ø Be thorough with current issues.
Ø Always enter the room with a piece of
paper and a pen.
Ø Listen to the topic carefully.
Ø Jot down as many ideas as possible in
the first few minutes.
Ø Try to dissect the topic and go into
the 'underlying causes or consequences’.
Ø Organize ideas before speaking.
Ø Speak first only if something sensible
to say. Speaking first is a high risk, high-return strategy.
Ø Try to contribute meaningfully and
substantially every time. Don't speak just for the sake of saying something.
Ø Identify the supporters and opponents
and allow supporters to augment the ideas.
Ø Keep track of time and share time
fairly.
Ø Have an open mind and listen to
others' views.
Ø Maintain eye contact while speaking
and listening.
Ø Do not indulge in parallel
conversations.
Ø Use tact, humour, and wit.
Ø Display a spirit of cooperation and an
accommodative nature.
Ø Draw out the silent members and
encourage them to speak.
Ø If things get chaotic, take the
initiative to restore order by providing a fresh direction to the discussion.
Ø
Attempt
to arrive at a consensus though your ultimate aim is to reach a conclusion.
Within the specified time, your group may not be able to arrive at a consensus.
But working towards consensus will reveal the capability and inclination
towards being a good team player.
A few examples of Group Discussion:
Factual topics:
- Conspiracy is a very common form of political behaviour.
- The pros and cons of having a credit card.
- A chain gang is a modern form of slavery.
- Why drinking and driving is dangerous to yourself and others.
- Passive smoking is equally harmful.
Controversial
topics:
- Sustainable urban living without the use of excessive natural resources must be our future.
- Are there extraterrestrials who influence events on Earth?
- Marijuana has a medical value.
- Direct mail is a special form of junk mail.
- The pros and cons of a female President.
Abstract
topics:
- The Nostradamus Code
- Breast Implants
- Bribery in Business
- Computer Viruses
- Bigamy
Case
based:
- Leadership - What necessary changes are needed in your community organization and how do you want to lead the process?
- Malpractice Insurance - Doctors walk out on the job to protest the rising malpractice insurance costs. What to do about it?
- Work Ethics - Can we shape workers who have the sense that they serve the company ánd community?
- School Violence - What are the real causes of violence and bullying in Schools?
- Recycling - Sort out how to make money with recycling.
PROCEDURE:
There are generally eight to fourteen people in a group discussion. The candidates who assemble for a discussion are assigned serial numbers such as 1, 2, 3 and so on. Clear instructions are given that they should not disclose their names. They bear the number tags during the course of discussion and numbers addresses each.
STRATEGIES:
Once the topic for discussion is chosen, the candidate should
have sufficient facts either to contradict or to support the issue. The
language should be simple and lucid. The candidate should be tactful while
contradicting the views of other participants. Blunt statement such as ‘Your
arguments are baseless’, or ‘You are absolutely wrong’, is not in good taste.
The candidate has to disagree without sounding rude by saying things such as ‘I
beg to differ’.
Some patterns of starting a discussion:
·
We have assembled here to discuss …
·
Let us get down to business.
·
Shall we set the ball rolling?
·
Shall we make a start?
Some patterns for interrupting a discussion:
·
Sorry to interrupt you …
·
Excuse me, but …
·
Could I make a suggestion, please?
·
Could I say something …?
·
Sorry to disagree with you.
·
If I could make a point here …
Some patterns of ending a discussion:
·
I think that covers everything.
·
It is time to wind up.
·
Shall we close the discussion then?
Time allotted:
Normally, each group is given 15 to 20 minutes for
discussing the topic. However there can be variations in the time that is
allowed for the discussion. In some cases, the Group Discussion may be
terminated much earlier or it can be extended to 30 minutes or more. One point
that you should bear in mind is that the time required for the discussion does
not depend on the group size. Whatever the size of the group, 15 to 25 minutes
is what is normally required (and is normally given) for a Group Discussion.
Sometimes the moderator may not pre – specify the duration of the GD.
How to improve your performance in Group Discussion:
Now that we have understood what Group Discussions are all
about and what the moderator looks for in the participants, let us understand
how you can enhance your performance in a GD. There are definite ways of
improving your participation and performance in a Group Discussion. There are
three different aspects that you should take care of to improve your
performance in GDs. They are:
Building your knowledge base
Generating ideas about the topic
Improving your participation in
GD
Displaying Positive Body
Language
Respecting the opinions of other
participants
Being polite with the other participants
Click here for List of GD topics
