Business Communication

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
GROUP DISCUSSION SKILLS
SUBMITTED BY:
URSILA NASIR
SHAFALI VATS
SHALINI YADAV
AKANSHA TYAGI
DEVIKA SINGH
ANJU SINGH PARMAR
INTRODUCTION
BRAINSTORMING
OBJECTIVE IS TO GRASP PERSONALITY TRAIT

AND SKILLS
BODY LANGUAGE
TIME PERIOD – 15 TO 20 minutes
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS- 8 TO 12
What is meant by GD?
A GD is a methodology used by an
organization to gauge Whether the
candidate has certain personality
traits and/or skills that it desires in
its members.
TYPES OF GD
GDs can be topic-based or case-based.
Topic based Gds can be classified into three

types :-
1. Factual Topics
2. Controversial Topics
3. Abstract Topics
TOPIC BASED GROUP DISCUSSION
Factual topics are about practical things, which an
ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life.
Typically these are about socio-economic topics. These
can be current, i.e. they may have been in the news
lately, or could be unbound by time. A factual topic for
discussion gives a candidate a chance to prove that he
is aware of and sensitive to his environment.
Controversial topics are the ones that are
argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate
controversy.
Abstract topics are about intangible things. These
topics are not given often for discussion, but their
possibility cannot be ruled out. These topics test your
lateral thinking and creativity
Case-based GD
The case study tries to simulate a real-life situation.

Information about the situation will be given to you and
you would be asked as a group to resolve the situation. In
the case study there are no incorrect answers or perfect
solutions. The objective in the case study is to get you to
think about the situation from various angles.
Normally this type will be used by management institutes

FACTORS
Communication skills
Knowledge and ideas regarding given subject
Capability to co ordinate and leads to exchange of

thoughts
Addressing group as a whole
Thorough preparation
GROUP
DISCUSSION
SKILLS
1. Team Player
The reason: Managers always work in teams.
At the beginning of each person’s career,
everybody works as a team member. And,
later, as a team leader.
Management aspirants who lack team skills
cannot be good managers.
2. Reasoning Ability
 Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing
your opinions or ideas at a GD.
 For example, an opinion like 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will
affect quality' can be better stated by demonstrating your
reasoning ability and completing the missing links between
fees and quality as:
 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will result in less funds being
invested on study material, student exchange programmes,
research, student development activities, etc.
 'Moreover, it costs money to attract good faculty, create good
infrastructure and upgrade technology.
 'With reduction in fees, less money will be available to
perform these ,activities which will lead to deterioration in
the quality of IIMs.'
3. Leadership
There are three types of situations that can arise in a
GD:
 participants are unable to establish a proper
rapport and do not speak much.
 participants get emotionally charged and the GD
gets chaotic.
 participants discuss the topic assertively by
touching on all its nuances and try to reach the
objective.
Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates
the third situation at a GD.
So a leader should have the following
qualities:
shows direction to the group whenever
group moves away from the topic.
coordinates the effort of the different team
members in the GD.
contributes to the GD at regular intervals
with valuable insights.
inspires and motivates team members to
express their views.
4. Flexibility
 You must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation
of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about.
 Eg.,if the topic of a GD is, 'Should India go to war with
Pakistan?'
 Some participants tend to get emotionally attached to the
topic and take a stand either in favour or against the topic, ie
'Yes, India should', or, 'No, India should not'.
 By taking a stand, you have already given your decision
without discussing the topic at hand or listening to the views
of your team members.
 Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point
at the 11th hour, you end up in a awkward situation:
 If you change your stand, you are seen as a fickle-minded or a
whimsical person.
 If you do not change your stand, you are seen as an inflexible,
stubborn and obstinate person.
5. Assertiveness
 You must put forth your point to the group in a very
emphatic, positive and confident manner.
 Participants often confuse assertiveness with

aggressiveness.
 Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on

the other person, and can be a threat to the group.
 An aggressive person can also demonstrate

negative body language, whereas an assertive
person displays positive body language.
6. Initiative
 A general trend amongst students is to start a GD
and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the
initiator.
 But that is a high risk-high return strategy.
 Initiate a GD only if you are well versed with the
topic. If you start and fail to contribute at regular
intervals, it gives the impression that you started
the GD just for the sake of the initial points.
 Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it
may work against you.
7. Creativity/ Out of the box thinking
An idea or a perspective which opens new
horizons for discussion on the GD topic is
always highly appreciated.
When you put across a new idea
convincingly, such that it is discussed at
length by the group, it can only be
positive.You will find yourself in the good
books of the examiner.
8. Inspiring ability
 A good group discussion should incorporate
views of all the team members.
 If some team members want to express their
ideas but are not getting the opportunity to do
so, giving them an opportunity to express their
ideas or opinions will be seen as a positive trait.
 Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak,

you need not necessarily go out of the way to
ask him to express his views. This may insult
him and hamper the flow of the GD.
9. Listening
Always try and strike a proper balance

between expressing your ideas and
imbibing ideas.
10. Awareness
You must be well versed with both the micro

and macro environment.
Your awareness about your environment
helps a lot in your GD content, which carries
maximum weightage.
THANK
YOU

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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

GROUP DISCUSSION SKILLS

OBJECTIVE IS TO GRASP PERSONALITY TRAIT

TIME PERIOD – 15 TO 20 minutes

GDs can be topic-based or case-based.

Topic based Gds can be classified into three

The case study tries to simulate a real-life situation.

Normally this type will be used by management institutes

Knowledge and ideas regarding given subject

Capability to co ordinate and leads to exchange of

Addressing group as a whole

 Participants often confuse assertiveness with

 Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on

 An aggressive person can also demonstrate

 Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak,

Always try and strike a proper balance

You must be well versed with both the micro

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