GROUP DISCUSSION
08/17/20 August 2006 1
What Do Employers Look For ?
* Knowledge and Basic Skills
* Life-long Learning
* Attitude
* Reliability
* Honesty
• Decision-making Skills
• Interpersonal skills
08/17/20 August 2006 2
WHY GROUP DISCUSSION?
To evaluate group behaviour
To evaluate initiative and drive
Analytical approach to a problem/situation
Ability to communicate and convince people
Ability to logically conclude a discussion
08/17/20 August 2006 3
Lectures useless till
practiced regularly
08/17/20 August 2006 4
How does GD Help in Job?
Get suitable Managerial level staff, as they
• sit in a group of same or junior or senior level
staff
• analyze past or implement present or plan future
• aim to obtain “Unity in Diversity”
• problem solving, ideas, implementation ways,
logistic, estimates vary but “Unified Thought”
required
• goals of individual, section, divisions may vary
but prime is “Organization Goal”
08/17/20 August 2006 5
HOW IN GD ?
• Manager of a shop attending Board meeting
(including get-up)
• Group members are Manager of other shops
• Not Individual’s presentation but Group
Discussion
• Present ideas to floor and not individuals
• Listen attentively with a smile
• Never be harsh/rough (Language/Gesture) as
after meeting UR colleague again
• Never get anchored to own ideas only
08/17/20 August 2006 6
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
A. Rules of the game
B. Penalties
C. Myths (over confidence)
08/17/20 August 2006 7
A. RULES OF THE GAME
(a) Topic oriented 60% - 40%
(b) Behavior oriented 40% - 60%
1. Skill never more important than the
attitude – (Harvard Management Update
2002)
2. Do they care / cheer fellow colleagues
08/17/20 August 2006 8
A 1: TOPIC ORIENTED
• Starting
• Mid Entry
• Value addition
• Topic related contents
• Conclusion
• Speaking abilities
08/17/20 August 2006 9
A 2: BEHAVIOUR ORIENTED
• Expression and Etiquette
• Attitude
• Getting involved
• Attentively listening
• Leadership
08/17/20 August 2006 10
VALUE ADDITION (Most Imp.)
• Quality points
• 2-3 points enough
• Make presence felt by contribution
STARTING (Beneficial only if)
• Instead of clarification, sound points
• Provides confidence in Group
• Gives a direction to discussion
08/17/20 August 2006 11
MID ENTRY
Common complaint “others didn’t allow entry”
It’s natural as others are competitors
• Avail chance when someone is about to
finish a statement and not when finished
(local train/bus)
• Use tact : “May I……”, “Gentlemen….. a
point in your interest”, “In support of
you”, “Your point well taken”, “We are
fortunate to hear your views” etc.
08/17/20 August 2006 12
TOPIC
Non-matching w.r.t. Target
group/Stream/Branch
• No harm if explanation asked
• Indicates keen interest for meaningful
contribution
• Don’t quote Figs. and Name – if not 100%
sure
• Ex. only if relevant, short and crisp
• Never initiate with solutions
• Search Prob(s) Pros & Cons of Prob(s)
Implementation way(s) Solution(s)
08/17/20 August 2006 13
CONCLUSION
Single & Unanimous not Compulsory
in the Time Frame
• Try moving towards conclusion
• Conclude - only from what’s discussed
earlier in GD
- but don’t add further points
- but never end with your own view
• Conclude on behalf of the group
• Alert – Panel may ask anyone to conclude
08/17/20 August 2006 14
SPEAKING
Practice for smooth, attention catching,
short sentences with no long pauses
• Be crisp, pleasing and talk precise to the point
• Don’t tell stories
• Don’t venture for flowery/high-tech words
• Involve others e.g. “I am sure you would agree”,
“This would strengthen the view earlier
suggested”, etc.
• If interrupted, use e.g. “May I complete my
sentence”, “Please let me complete” etc.
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BEHAVIOUR ORIENTED
EXPRESSION & ETIQUETTE :
Adhere to Body language rules
(a) While not speaking (more important)
• No slouching, resting, restless behaviour
• Neither “Stony” nor “Self-contended” nor
“Who-bothers” type face
• Avoid disapproving expressions and
gestures
• Never ridicule/laugh irrespective of other’s
stupidity/ irrelevance
• Be cheerful, alert, attentive and courteous to
speaker
08/17/20 August 2006 16
BEHAVIOUR ORIENTED
EXPRESSION & ETIQUETTE :
Adhere to Body language rules
(b) While speaking
• No sweeping hand movements
• Maintain eye contact with group. It gives -
confidence to others – creates interest in
you
• Keep a smiling and pleasing face
08/17/20 August 2006 17
ATTITUDE
Be Assertive but not Antagonistic
• Persist if
- someone steals your point
- others unduly try to interfere
• Don’t be Harsh be Diplomatic
“Sorry to interrupt but this point has
already been
proposed by me”,
“Thank you for supporting my point”
etc.
• Better not get Emotional
08/17/20 August 2006 18
GETTING INVOLVED & LISTENING
(Most neglected)
Listening is better than stirring oratory
and powerful voice
• Careful listening makes entry easy
• Helps avoiding repetition of point
• Unknown topics understood
• Helps linking what’s already said thereby
improved receptibility by group.
• Concentrate, don’t listen like tape-
recorder. Humility and patience be
expressed on face.
08/17/20 August 2006 19
LEADERSHIP
(Act like Traffic Police)
• Guide the group in right direction
• Try emerging as natural leader i.e. cool,
contended, unperturbed
• Try involving everyone (if required)
• Act so that group accepts your credentials
08/17/20 August 2006 20
B. PENALTIES
(Aspects severely penalised)
Never ever try to short-circuit –
• Talk / Whisper / Gesticulate with others
when someone speaks
• Form sub-group for passing chances to
speak
• Form sub-group to support each other
08/17/20 August 2006 21
C. COMMON MYTHS
( that need be smashed)
1. TAKING STAGE FOR MOST TIME IS
GOOD
Usually leads to
• Being ignored
• Committing mistakes
• Blabbering on the same idea
• Be interrupted
• Repeat ideas
08/17/20 August 2006 22
2. STAGE DOMINANCE IS
LEADERSHIP
It usually leads to
• Louder and unacceptable Voice /
expressions
• Aggressive attitude
• Suppression of ideas of group members
• If more member of similar attitude then
shouting and cancellation of total group
from selection
08/17/20 August 2006 23
3. STARTING & CONCLUDING
ASSURES LEADERSHIP
Its harmful if
• Solid points and directionality not
provided in starting
• Fair, crisp and non-judgmental
conclusion not made
08/17/20 August 2006 24
4. ALIEN TOPICS ENSURES
NON-SELECTION
• Absolutely wrong perception
• No one is expected to know everything
• Can be easily maneuvered towards
selection if few solid points are made
(even after explanations) with “self-
analysis” and “Patient Hearing”
08/17/20 August 2006 25
5. IMPRESSING PANEL
ASSURES SELECTION
• Forget their presence
• Never make eye-contact. Once done you
either choke or be over enthusiastic
• Group gets ignored and you become
tense
• You lose sense of time and your position
in the group
08/17/20 August 2006 26
GD TOPICS
• Single Sentence
• Short case studies
• Long case studies
08/17/20 August 2006 27
DISSECTION OF THE TOPIC
• SINGLE SENTENCE / PHRASE
APPROACHES
1. Key word approach
2. Views of affected parties
3. Socio-cultural, political, legal,
technological aspects
EXAMPLE
Excessive exposure of female anatomy in
advertising should be banned?
08/17/20 August 2006 28
G D MADE EASY IN 3 STEPS
• Look at all aspects mentioned earlier
• Practice, Practice and Practice
with self, friends and preferably a Teacher
• Think, Behave and Put a cloak of a
Manager
08/17/20 August 2006 29
THANK YOU
08/17/20 August 2006 30
