GROUP DISCUSSION

All about cracking Group Discussion in an Interview with all proven tips and techniques

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GD is different from a Debate GD is different from Public Speaking GD is a group activity carried out by participating individuals It is a technique or a method used for screening candidates as well as testing their potential It is a situation test where group worthiness and potential as a worker is analyzed It is an exchange of ideas among the individuals of the group on a specific topic It is also known as a leaderless discussion The quality and not the quantity of your contribution is the success factor

Activity 1 : Brainstorming Session

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

What is EXPECTED of you in a Group Discussion? Participating Individuals ROLES of an individual in GD INTERVIEWERS PERSPECTIVE What is tested in a GD? Types of TOPICS How to prove your LEADERSHIP QUALITIES in GD? Other ATTENTION GRABBERS

Thinking points of the Session

 Communication Skills. Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject. Knowledge and power of expression. Exchange of thoughts. Addressing the group as a whole. Capability to co-ordinate and lead. Openness and flexibility towards new ideas.

What is tested in Group Discussion?

Roles of an individual in Group Discussion

The two most important roles are: 1. Initiation 2. Summarization

 High profit-High loss strategy The initiator grabs the attention of the examiner and the fellow candidates.

INITIATION

Initiate one and only if you have in-depth knowledge about the topic at hand.
Poor communication or wrong facts and figures might damage the image.

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

QUOTES Ex: Customer is King. - There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company.

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

DEFINITION Advertising is a Diplomatic Way of Telling a Lie. Start with the definition of advertising.

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

QUESTION It means asking a question, and answering it yourself.

Ex: Should India go to war with Pakistan? - 'What does war bring to the people of a nation? We have had four clashes with Pakistan.

SHOCK STATEMENT

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

Ex: The Impact of Population on the Indian Economy. - There are 33 births a minute in India which calculates to about 12 million every year. That is roughly the size of Australia. As a current political slogan puts it, 'Nothing's impossible when 1 billion Indians work together'.

FACTS, FIGURES AND STATISTICS

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

China, a Rising Tiger. - 'In 1983, when China was still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only stood at $636 million. China actually utilized $60 billion of FID in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its 1983 statistics.

SHORT STORY

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

Ex: Attitude is Everything. - 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled balloons, whether a blue-colored balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-colored balloon. The balloon vendor told the child, it is not the color of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.

GENERAL STATEMENT

INITIATION TECHNIQUES

Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India? Instead of saying yes or no, one can actually start saying, lets first analyze the qualities required to become a PM and then associate it with Sonia Gandhi.

SUMMARIZATION

Difference between Summarization and Conclusion The whole group decides in favor or against the topic

& CONCLUSION

One can summarize what the group has discussed in the GD in a nutshell

INITIATOR

Opportunity missed?
PRESENT MORE INFORMATION

Opportunity missed?

Roles of an individual in GD
Opportunity missed?

PRESENTING ONES OWN VIEWS

Opportunity missed?

ELABORATE THE IDEAS OF OTHERS

SUMMARIZE

Factual topics

TYPES OF GD TOPICS

Topics are about practical things. Might be current topics and aims at testing the candidates awareness about his/her environment. Ex: The education policy of India, Tourism in India.

Controversial topics
Topics are argumentative in nature .

TYPES OF GD TOPICS

Analyzes the candidates ability to keep his/her temper in check and argue his point of view without getting personal and emotional. Ex: Reservations should be removed, Women make better managers.

Abstract topics Topics are about intangible things.

TYPES OF GD TOPICS

These topics test the candidates lateral thinking and creativity. Ex: A is an alphabet.

DOs
DOs AND DONTs IN A GD
Speak pleasantly and politely to the group. Respect the contribution of every speaker. Remember that a discussion is not an argument. Learn to disagree politely. Think about your contribution before you speak. How best can you answer the question/ contribute to the topic?

 Try to stick to the discussion topic. Don't introduce irrelevant information.

DOs CONT.

Be aware of your body language when you are speaking. Agree with and acknowledge what you find interesting. Stick to the duration of time.

 Do not lose your temper. A discussion is not an argument. Do not shout. Use a moderate tone and medium pitch.

DONTs

Do not use too many gestures when you speak. Gestures like finger pointing and table thumping can appear aggressive.

DONTs CONT.

Do not dominate the discussion. Confident speakers should allow quieter students a chance to contribute. Do not draw too much on personal experience or anecdote.

Do not interrupt. Wait for a speaker to finish what they are saying before you speak.

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS

Don't ever make the mistake of addressing the panel members.

The quality and not the quantity of your contribution is the success factor.
Do not directly put someone who is consistently silent on the spot by asking him/her to speak up.

 Keep track of time but do not look at your watch very frequently. Carry a piece of paper and a pen, if allowed. Do not ask the moderator to explain the topic, if you do not understand it. Demonstrate your creativity and originality but make sure it is relevant to the topic.

CONT.

 If you have to use technical terms, do not use abbreviations.

CONT.

Insensitivity to others feelings displays a lack of maturity and viciousness.

Command over English is certainly advantageous but will not compensate for lack of good content.

 You should try and participate at least 4 times with each entry lasting at least 25-30 seconds.
It is best to avoid using slang.

CONT.

You will have to stick to English language.

Be alert throughout the discussion.

What do I do if someone else has already said what I wanted to say?

CONT.

Agree with the point made by that person and add on to it with your own views. Drop the point and think of fresh points.

 One who expresses his ideas well

What is expected of you in GD?

One who shows keenness and interest One who has sufficient knowledge of his subject and convinces the group by his assertive presentation. One who has a logical and systematic approach.

COURSE OUTLINE

Thinking points of the Session (RECAP)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

What is EXPECTED of you in a Group Discussion? Participating Individuals ROLES of an individual in GD INTERVIEWERS PERSPECTIVE What is tested in a GD? Types of TOPICS How to prove your LEADERSHIP QUALITIES in GD? Other ATTENTION GRABBERS