GROUP DISCUSSION

 Group discussion is an important activity in

academic, business and administrative spheres.
 It is a systematic and purposeful interactive
oral process. Here the exchange of ideas,
thoughts and feelings take place through oral
communication.
 The exchange of ideas takes place in a
systematic and structured way.
 The participants sit facing each other almost in
a semi-circle and express their views on the
given topic/issue/problem.
Why GD is Important ::
It is an effective tool in problem solving, decision
making and personality assessment. GD skills may
ensure academic success, popularity and good
admission or job offer. Thus it is important to be
able to take part in a GD effectively and
confidently. Participants should know how to
speak with confidence, how to exhibit leadership
skills and how to make the group achieve the
goals.
Objective / Purpose of GD::
 Collecting data
 Breeding fresh ideas and taking inputs from a
particular group
 Perception of common people on a particular topic
 Identify a solution to a specific problem or issue
 To reach a solution on an issue of concern.
 To generate new ideas for solving a problem.
 For choosing the applicants after the written test for a
job or for admission to educational institutes.
 To train ourselves in various interpersonal skills.
Objective / Purpose of GD in Recruitment ::
 the ability to fit into the group
 the ability to influence the group
 the ability to solve problems
 the ability to communicate effectively
 the ability to remain calm and composed in a stressful
situation
 the ability to stay positive irrespective of his/her views
being accepted or rejected
Importance of Group Discussion in Business

Suggestions: It is through group discussions that a

meaningful and practically implementable solution
can be reached. The Collaboration of these
suggestions gives rise to a new one, creating a space
for the best possible output.

Wide Approach: Group discussion helps to provide a

wide approach to any concern under consideration,
as it includes employees from different sections of a
particular business organization.
Decision Making: Group discussion helps in evaluation of
a problem and reaches to a suitable decision, based on
suggestions presented by the members. It also makes it
easier for the boss or chairperson to able to take even the
toughest of decision with an ease because by group
discussion he/she can know that the decision to be taken
will be supported by other members of the company also.

Exchange of Ideas: With the help of group discussion the

exchange of ideas is taken place. As every member
participated in the discussion put his/her thoughts on the
table and this makes the diversity in the ideas.

Productive Activity: Group discussion is always supposed

to be a productive way in terms of business concern. It is
the proven method which always helps to procure the best
possible decision for a concern.
SKILLS EVALUATED IN A GD

 Communication Skills
 Interpersonal Skills
 Leadership Skills
 Motivational Skills
 Team Building Skills
 Divergent Thinking
 Listening skills
 Presentation Skills
 Analytical / Logical skills
WHAT DO EVALUATORS LOOK FOR?
The evaluators look for the following qualities in a
participant.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

 fluency of language
 the use of clear, concise and error-free language
 the use of right accent and intonation
 the use of vocal variety
 the right match between language and body language
 expressing thoughts clearly and giving no room for
ambiguity
KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOPIC :

 range of ideas and depth of thoughts

 presentation of details in support of main points
 error-free presentation of facts avoiding doubtful
quantitative figures and numbers.
 exploring the topic in depth
 command over the topic and the various ideas
discussed
BODY LANGUAGE

 Eye contact(Shows that you are listening and are

interested in the discussion)
 Facial expression(Shows emotions such as boredom,
interest, happiness, sadness or anger)
 Gestures(Show emotional states e.g. nail biting can
show nervousness or impatience)
 Posture(Also shows emotions e.g. anger can cause a
tense posture, and confidence an open stance)
PERSONALITY TRAITS
 Leadership
 taking initiative and starting the discussion
 giving direction to the discussion
 summing up at regular intervals
 bringing the group back when it deviates/digresses
from the topic
 involving the shy and hesitant members in the
discussion
 giving cohesion to the points expressed by the
members

Reasoning/analytical ability
 the use of sound and logical arguments
 the use of relevant examples and illustrations
 the use of multiple perspectives/outlooks
Ability to influence
 persuading members to see the relevance of your views
 creating the right impression on the group
 ability to motivate and sell ideas
 convincing arguments
Flexibility
 flexibility in the approach(changing or revising
stand/ideas, if necessary)
 readiness to accept the weaknesses of arguments
 ability to accept criticism gracefully
 consideration for others
 not being one-track minded or rigid
Assertiveness
 being forceful, confident and firm in your expressions
 ability to stand up to bullying
 faith/conviction in viewpoints
 saying "yes" when you want to, and saying "no" when
you mean "no"
 having the confidence to defend your position, even if it
 provokes conflict
 understanding how to negotiate in tricky situations

Creativity
 coming up with novel ideas/solutions
 exploring different perspectives
 suggesting new angles for discussion
Roles in a Structured GD:

 Initiator
 Information seeker and giver
 Procedure facilitator
 Opinion seeker/giver
 Clarifier
 Summarizer
 Social supporter
 Harmonizer
 Tension reliever / Conflict Manager
 Energizer
 Attacker
 Dominator
Positive Task Roles in a Group Discussion (GD)
Here are some positive roles that will help you get points
in a group discussion. Make sure you are

Initiator – Starting a Group Discussion, giving definitions

and introducing and suggesting new ideas.

Information giver – During GD sharing facts and

information.

Information seeker – In a Group Discussion, gathering

and soliciting information from others.

Opinion seeker – Asking other participants of the GD for

their opinion.
Procedure facilitator – Leading a GD round by keeping
track of the discussion.

Clarifier – Clarifying all the opinions and ideas discussed

during a GD.

Opinion giver – Giving your opinion in a Group Discussion

on the statement provided by the other participant.

Tension Reliever – Discussing and Presenting the problem

from a broad perspective.

Social Supporter – Giving support to ideas and

suggestions of all participants of a GD.
Compromiser – Creating harmony between different
opinions by giving compromising solutions.
Energizer – Encouraging other participants to explore
some new ideas during a Group Discussion.

Gatekeeper – Involving other participants/ members in the

GD by asking for their opinion

Summarizer – Concluding or Summarising a GD by

including all important points discussed during a Group
Discussion round.
Negative Task Roles in a GD

Following are some roles that you should avoid at all costs
during a GD.

Disgruntled non-participant – Not contributing to the GD

Dominator –Taking control of the discussion and not

letting others speak in a GD.

Attacker – Disapproving opinion of other participants of a

GD aggressively

Clown – Not taking GD seriously and disrupting it through

inappropriate humour.
Dos
 Understand, clearly and correctly, the topic given for
discussion.
 Be cheerful and sport a smile.
 Stay active and interested in the discussion.
 Try to analyze the pros and cons of a situation.
 Be willing to listen and discuss various points of view.
 Be focused and do not allow your mind to wander
away.
 Look at the individual who is talking.
 Speak to the whole group, looking each candidate in
the eye.
 Keep the duration of arguments short but relevant and
interesting.
 Substantiate your views with suitable examples.
 Speak in an understandable way, using simple and
clear words with correct pronunciation
 Give time for others to make their own contributions.
 Be helpful, accommodative and encourage all the
group members.
 Sum up the arguments at regular intervals, so that
further contributions can be made.
 Express your views slowly but steadily, so that others
can follow your line of argument.
 Be polite, friendly and acceptable to the other members
of the group.
 Show appreciation for the good points made by others.
 Be willing to change your ideas, if your original
opinions are proved to be wrong.
 Be considerate to others.
 If someone wishes to say something, request others to
give him a hearing.
 Use hands and facial expressions to make your point
more emphatic.
 If the discussion is revolving around a certain point for
too long, give a different direction by suggesting a new
angle to it.
Don’ts
 Don't speak too loudly.
 Don't shout at others
 Don't adopt a negative attitude that results in counter-
arguments.
 Don’t look at the members of the group casually and
carelessly.
 Do not feel that you are superior to others.
 Don't use emotional gestures, in desperation or in
anger.
 Don't talk too fast or too slow.
 Don't be too generous and provide opportunity for
others to speak at your own expense.
 Don't be emotional and shout or thump on the table.
Emotional outbursts destroy your equable temper and
affect your coherence of thought and expression.
 Do not be shy, hesitant and inhibited.
 Do not engage yourself in asides or subgroup
conversations. If more than one individual is talking at
the same time, politely request for order and appeal
for cooperation.
 Do not bluff. If someone proves you wrong, just accept
it.
 Do not keep looking at the evaluator(s) or address
yourself to evaluator(s).
 Do not be rigid in your views.
 Do not feel offended or sulky, if someone picks up
flaws in your arguments.
 Do not waste time on futile arguments.
 Do not use gestures excessively.
 Do not stare at the floor, at the ceiling or out of the
window. This might be interpreted as a sign of being
uninterested or inattentive.
 Do not be distracted by looking at your watch.
 Do not repeat your viewpoints.
 Do not use long sentences.
 Do not try too hard to involve the shy ones. If you do so
they might feel offended.
 Do not dominate or monopolize the discussion.
 Do not be a problem to the group.
 Do not interrupt suddenly.
The following points will help you with your preparation
for GDs
 Cultivate general awareness on various topics.
 Be aware of current developments.
 Update your knowledge on major issues/events.
 Collect information on topic that interest you would be
clear about various sources.
 Make notes as you read so that you would be clear
about various ideas.
 Interact with people from different walks of life.
 Get into practice groups and practice regularly.
 Get people to observe and give feedback.
 Analyze each GD performance using GD evaluation
checklists.
 Plan strategies to improve your performance.
TYPES OF GROUP DISCUSSION

There are two types of Group Discussion, which are listed

below:
Topic-Based Group Discussion
Case Study Based Group Discussion
The topic-based Group Discussion can be further
classified as:
Controversial Topics
Knowledge-Based topics
Abstract Topics
Conceptual topics
Controversial Topics
The discussion on controversial topics becomes a debate.
Such topics are given to judge the participants' temper
and how they can handle the discussion without losing
their calm. It shows that how a candidate can represent
his/her views without arguing with other participants.
The example of the controversial topics can be
Reservation System, Religion equality, etc.
Knowledge-Based topics
The participants should have a proper understanding of
the topic before proceeding for a discussion. The
information should be enough to convince the panelists.
The essential thing is to be confident. Do not initiate the
discussion if you are not aware of the topic.
The examples of Knowledge-Based topics can be 'CAT vs.
GATE' and 'Government jobs vs. Private jobs'.
Abstract Topics
The abstract topics test the creativity and thinking of a
candidate. It also tests the communication skills.
The example of Abstracts topics can be 'A walk to
remember'.

Conceptual topics
The conceptual topics are widely used today by
companies. It tests the knowledge, logical, and aptitude
skills of a candidate. The topic for the discussion is
randomly selected, giving panelists a space to judge the
participants' creative thinking and ability to handle the
situation.
The example of Conceptual topics can be 'Life is a Puzzle.'
Case Study Based Group Discussion
The Case study based Group Discussion is generally
followed by the MBA Institutes, such as IIM, etc. In such a
discussion, a problem is given, and the participants are
asked to resolve them. The preparation time is also higher
as compared to other discussions. The panelists test the
teamwork and decision-making skills of the participants.

The participants need to active and updated with the

things around them. It also tests the observation
capability of the participants.

The example of Case study based topics can be 'Discussion

between boss and manager'.