Group Discussion Tips

1. Always be the initiator and concluder of the GD then being a participant.

2. But if you are participant always try to be the most vital/key participant.

3. put points firmly and always try to get others support too.

4. if you find that the discussion as going offtrack then never loose an opportunity to bring it back to stream this is the best point to score max.

5. try to keep latest information on the topic.

6. be very polite , people may try to provoke you to to get more points but try to keep cool.

7. most important don't wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on. interrupt politely if you want to put forward your points.

8. last but not the least keep an eye on the time given for discussion. score points by wrapping up the discussion if you feel that the discussion is heating but the time is going to be over.

9. during conclusion, do end with the conclusion note. that shows your leadership quality.

Best scoring points are:

1. initiation of discussion,
2.always keeping/trying to keep discussion on track
3. conclusion on time
4. your capability to keep your cool and listen as well as putting your points.

Common Mistakes In Group Discussions

Wise men learn from others mistakes, while the less fortunate, from their own.
Here's a list of the most common mistakes made at group discussions:
Emotional outburst :Rashmi was offended when one of the male participants in a group discussion made a statement on women generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Rashmi finally got an opportunity to speak, instead of focussing on the topic, she vented her anger by accusing the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on to defend women in general. What Rashmi essentially did was to
* Deviate from the subject
* Treat the discussion as a forum to air her own views.
* Lose objectivity and make personal attacks.
Her behaviour would have been perceived as immature and demotivating to the rest of the team.
Quality Vs Quantity Gautam believed that the more he talked, the more likely he was to get through the GD. So, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. He did this so often that the other candidates got together to prevent him from participating in the rest of the discussion.
* Assessment is not only on your communication skills but also on your ability to be a team player.
* Evaluation is based on quality, and not on quantity. Your contribution must be relevant.
* The mantra is "Contributing meaningfully to the team's success." Domination is frowned upon.
Egoism Showing off
Krishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. So, he took pains to project his vast knowledge of the topic. Every other sentence of his contained statistical data - "20% of companies; 24.27% of parliamentarians felt that; I recently read in a Jupiter Report that..." and so on so forth. Soon, the rest of the team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that he was cooking up the data.
* Exercise restraint in anything. You will end up being frowned upon if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.
* Facts and figures need not validate all your statements.
* Its your analysis and interpretation that are equally important - not just facts and figures.
* You might be appreciated for your in-depth knowledge. But you will fail miserably in your people skills.
Such a behavior indicates how self-centered you are and highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where different opinions are expressed.

Get noticed - But for the right reasons
Srikumar knew that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the topic - "Discuss the negative effects of India joining the WTO" - was read out, he began talking. In his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word "negative" in the topic. He began discussing the ways in which the country had benefited by joining WTO, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then corrected his mistake.
* False starts are extremely expensive. They cost you your admission. It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions.
* Spending a little time analyzing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about. Use a pen and paper to jot down your ideas.
* Listen! It gives you the time to conceptualize and present the information in a better manner. Some mistakes are irreparable. Starting off the group discussion with a mistake is one such mistake, unless you have a great sense of humor.
Managing one's insecurities
Sumati was very nervous. She thought that some of the other candidates were exceptionally good. Thanks to her insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to remain silent.
* Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read.
* Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion.
* Your confidence level is being evaluated. Decent communication skills with good confidence is a must to crack the GDs.
Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.

Group Discussion

About 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 contribute 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 behavior, conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as true as possible to these aspects.

What is the normal duration of a GD?A GD is generally of 15-20 minutes duration.
How many panel members are there to evaluate?There are usually 3-4 panel members to evaluate.
Is there time given for preparation after the topic is given and before starting the GD?
Usually some time (2-5 minutes) is given to collect one's thoughts, but there could be instances when this does not happen, so it is best not to bank on this.
Should I address the panel or the group members?Don't ever make the mistake of addressing the panel members. The GD is between you and the other members, not the panel members. You must avoid even looking at the panel members while the GD is in progress. Just ignore their existence.
What is the seating arrangement like?It could be semi-circular, or circular, or seating along side a rectangular table, depending upon the venue. It is best not to bother about trivial issues like this, which you have no control over.
How should I address the other group members?If you are initiating the discussion, you could do so by collectively addressing the group as "Friends". Subsequently, you could use names (if the group has had a round of self-introduction prior to starting the discussion and you remember the names) or simply use pronouns like "he" or "she".
Suppose I have a lot to say on the topic, should I say all of it?You would not be looked upon favorably if you kept speaking all the time and did not listen to anyone else. Contrary to the misconception, the person who talks the most is not necessarily the one who is judged the best. The quality and not the quantity of your contribution is the success factor.
Should I encourage others to speak up?Do not directly put someone who is consistently silent on the spot by asking him/her to speak up. If someone has been trying to speak and has a good point but is cut off constantly, you may encourage him/her to continue with her point as you would like to hear her out.
Are the group members supposed to keep track of the time or will the panel keep track?
It would be good if you are conscious of the time, but not to the point of getting so distracted looking at your watch that you do not contribute to the discussion