HOW TO HANDLE GROUP DISCUSSIONS

How to Handle Group Discussions

Many companies conduct group discussion after the written test so as to check on your interactive skills and how good you are at communicating with other people. The GD is to check how you behave, participate and contibute in a group, how much importance do you give to the group objective as well as your own, how well do you listen to viewpoints of others and how open-minded are you in accepting views contrary to your own. The aspects which make up a GD are verbal communication, non-verbal behaviour, conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as true as  possible to these aspects.


General Tips for Group Discussion

A good level of general awareness will come in handy so that you aren't at a loss of words on certain issues. Understand the topic and analyse it mentally before speaking. Be clear about the purpose and content of your viewpoint.
One should be able to communicate his views in an effective manner to  everyone. Be clear in speech, audible but not too loud and above all remain confident.

Remember the six C's of effective communication -- Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness, Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy. You should mantain eye contact with all others in the group and not focus on a particular person for he may benefit from that. Be responsive to ideas from other people and seem to be very receptive and open-minded but don't allow others to change your own
viewpoint..

Starting the discussion is considered to be good however it isn't that important; what is important is that you speak for a period long enough for you to be able to communicate your viewpoint. Always mantain your calm and never get aggresive. If you haven't been able to talk then one can cut in saying "Excuse me, but what I think is .........." or something of that sort.

Never lose your temper and never attack anyone on a personal front.
Your attitude should be one of cooperation and not one of conflict.
Don't lose sight of the goal of the discussion.
Listen to any criticisms and give them a thought before trying to defend your views.

How is Evaluation Done in a Group Discussion

Winners' skills Group discussion is an important dimension of the selection process. Any institute requires students to work with others for effective functioning. Therefore, people skills are an important aspect of any MBA program.

In today's context, the educational institutes and organizations are interested in team players rather than individual contributors. During the Group Discussion, the panel essentially evaluates the candidate's potential to be a leader and also his/her ability to work in teams. Remember that institutes are typically on the look out for candidates who will inspire to lead and succeed and for that you need to be a good team player.

Here is a sample list of skills assessed during a group discussion:

Leadership skills:
Ability to take leadership roles and ability to lead, inspire and carry the team along to help them achieve group's objectives. http://www.ChetanaS.com
Example: To be able to initiate the group discussion, or to be able to guide the group especially when the discussion begins losing relevance or try to encourage all members to participate in the discussion.

Communication skills:
The participating candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of  thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others views.
Example: To be able to use simple language and explain concepts clearly so that it is easily understood by all. You actually get negative marks for using esoteric jargons in an attempt to show-off your knowledge.

Interpersonal skills:
Is reflected in the ability of the individual to interact with other members of the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.
Example: To remain cool even when someone provokes you by with personal comment, ability to remain objective, ability to empathize, non-threatening and more of a team player.

Persuasive skills:
Ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives without hurting the group members.
Example: While appreciating someone else's point of view, you should be able to effectively communicate your view without overtly hurting the other person.

Problem solving skills :
Ability to come out with divergent and offbeat solutions and use one's own creativity.
Example: While thinking of solutions, don't be afraid to think of novel solutions. This is a high- risk high-return strategy.

Conceptualizing skills:
The ability to grasp the situation, take it from the day to day mundane problem level and apply it to a macro level.
Example: At the end of the discussion, you could probably summarize the findings in a few sentences that present the overall perspective. Don't be disheartened if you don't make it after your first group discussion. The best possible preparation for a group discussion is to learn from one's past mistakes...