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Group Discussion (GD)

Group Discussion

A group discussion (GD) is a simulated exercise, where you cannot

suddenly put up a show, since the evaluators will see through youeasily. In this page you can fnd tips on GD and how to handlethem to ensure a positive outcome.

Here's how most group discussions work

Normally groups o !"#$ candidates are ormed into a leaderlessgroup, and are given a specifc situation to analy%e and discusswithin a given time limit.

&he group may 'e given a case study and as ed to come out witha solution or a pro'lem.

&he group may 'e given a topic and as ed to discuss on the same.

A panel will o'serve the proceedings and evaluate the mem'ers o thegroup.

OBJECTIVEets start rom the 'asic. *ne needs to now what one+s o' ective in the

group is. A good defnition o your o' ective is " to 'e noticed to havecontri'uted meaning ully in an attempt to help the group reach the rightconsensus . -hat does this essentially mean

#. &he rst imp!ic"tion is that #ou shou!d $e noticed 'y thepanel. /erely ma ing a meaning ul contri'ution and helping thegroup arrive at a consensus is not enough. 0ou have to 'e seen'y the evaluating panel to have made the meaning ul contri'ution.-hat does that mean in practice

0ou must ensure that the group hears you. I the group hearsyou, so will the evaluator. &hat does not mean that youshout at the top o your voice and 'e noticed or the wrongreasons.

http://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/consensus.shtmlhttp://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/consensus.shtmlhttp://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/consensus.shtmlhttp://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/consensus.shtml

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0ou have to 'e assertive. I you are not a very assertiveperson, you will have to simply learn to 'e assertive orthose #1 minutes. 2emem'er, assertiveness does not mean'eing 'ull"headed or 'eing arrogant.

And most importantly, you have to ma e your chances./any group discussion participants o ten complain that theydid not get a chance to spea . &he act is that in no groupdiscussion will you get a chance to spea . &here is nothingmore unaccepta'le in a GD than eeping one+s mouth shutor ust murmuring things which are inaudi'le.

3articipate in as many practice GDs as possi'le 'e ore youattend the actual GD. &here is nothing li e practice to helpyou overcome the ear o tal ing in a GD.

4. &he second import"nt imp!ic"tion is that ma ing ust any sorto contri'ution is not enough. 0our contri'ution has to 'emeaning ul. A meaning ul contri'ution suggests that

0ou have a good know!edge $"se 0ou are a'le to put orth your arguments logically and are a

good communicator. &he 5uality o what you said is more valua'le than the

5uantity &here is this myth amongst many group discussion

participants that the way to succeed in a group discussion is'y spea ing loudly and at great length. *ne could not 'emore wrong. 0ou must have meat in your arguments.

&here ore, &hin &hings through care ully.

Always enter the room with a piece o paper and a pen. In the frsttwo minutes ot down as many ideas as you can.

%hen #ou &ot down points keep these pointers in mindI it is a topic where you are expected to ta e a stand, say or

http://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/group_discussion_topics/gd-pi-topics.shtmlhttp://gdpi.ascenteducation.com/india-mba/group_discussion_topics/gd-pi-topics.shtml

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&he reason why an attempt to 'uild a consensus isimportant is 'ecause in most wor situations you will haveto wor with people in a team, accept oint responsi'ilitiesand ta e decisions as a group.

0ou must demonstrate the act that you are capa'le and inclined to woras part o a team.

Group Discussion (GD) Dos "nd Donts

The *scent te"m sh"res with #ou some GD tips to gi+e #ou theedge &he tips given 'elow are appica'le in any GD. &he only di

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9e assertive not dominating@ try to maintain a 'alanced tone inyour discussion and analysis.

Don+t lose your cool i anyone says anything you o' ect to. &he eyis to stay o' ective= Don+t ta e the discussion personally.

Always 'e polite= &ry to avoid using extreme phrases li e= Istrongly o' ect+ or I disagree+. Instead try phrases li e= I wouldli e to share my views onB+ or *ne di

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;ye"contact istening ully

8larity istening attentively

/odulation 8ontri'uting new acts

3ersonali%ed presentation ollowing systematic procedure

8onviction Giving chance to all the mem'ers3oint o *rder

&ime 2aising 5uestions or clarifcations; 1 Achieved

Emotion"! C!im"te

istless # 4 : > 1 Animated

&ense, Fostile # 4 : > 1 riendly atmosphere

Dogmatic, Encooperative # 4 : > 1 ery 8ooperative

Thought

ittle use o in ormation # 4 : > 1 Ade5uate in ormation

re5uently o< the su' ect # 4 : > 1 2elevant

7uperfcial # 4 : > 1 &hought, deep

Aimless, 8on used # 4 : > 1 /ethodical@ group hassense o direction

Beh"+iour

* ten interrupt eachother # 4 : > 1 *rderly, attentive

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ong contri'utions # 4 : > 1 9rie contri'utions

G.D #$ x 1 H 1$ mar s2eport 4$ mar s

&otal $ mar sIndividual /ar s= :$ (*ut o #$$)

(1 x : H #1) # 4 : > 1 > : 4 #

3assive Active Domineering

(1 x : H #1)

# 4 : > 1 Enclear ery 8lear

Group Discussion (GD) Common /ist"kes

%ise men !e"rn .rom others mist"kes whi!e the !ess .ortun"te.rom their own

Fere+s a list o the most common mista es made at group discussions

Emotion"! out$urst2ashmi was o

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Fer 'ehaviour would have 'een perceived as immature anddemotivating to the rest o the team

0u"!it# Vs 0u"ntit#

Gautam 'elieved that the more he tal ed, the more li ely he was to getthrough the GD. 7o, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. Fedid this so o ten that the other candidates got together to prevent him

rom participating in the rest o the discussion. Assessment is not only on your communication s ills 'ut also on

your a'ility to 'e a team player. ;valuation is 'ased on 5uality, and not on 5uantity. 0our

contri'ution must 'e relevant. &he mantra is 1Contri$uting me"ning.u!!# to the te"m's

success 1 Domination is rowned upon.

Egotism -howing o2 Jrishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared

or. 7o, he too pains to pro ect his vast nowledge o the topic. ;veryother sentence o his contained statistical data " 64$K o companies@4>.4 K o parliamentarians elt that@ I recently read in a Lupiter 2eportthat...6 and so on so orth. 7oon, the rest o the team either laughed athim or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that hewas coo ing up the data.

;xercise restraint in anything. 0ou will end up 'eing rowned uponi you attempt showing"o< your nowledge.

acts and fgures need not validate all your statements. Its your analysis and interpretation that are e5ually important " not

ust acts and fgures. 0ou might 'e appreciated or your in"depth nowledge. 9ut you

will ail misera'ly in your people s ills.

7uch a 'ehavior indicates how sel "centered you are and highlights yourina'ility to wor in an atmosphere where di

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7ri umar new that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion.7o as soon as the topic " 6Discuss the negative e