Group Discussion

Group Discussion, popularly labeled as GD, is a popular methodology used by an many organizations (company, institute, business school, etc.) these days to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits such as interpersonal communication skills, confidence in public speaking, team spirit, leadership abilities, social behaviour and problem-solving skills. GDs form an important part of the short-listing process for recruitment or admission in a company or institution.

1. Increases confidence : The GD allows the participants to speak in public, which increases their confidence to speak without any hesitation.
2. Focuses on Deep thinking : It tests the knowledge of a candidate. The participants get only a few minutes (3 to 5) for the preparation. In such a small duration, they have to make a list of points to speak. The participants in a group listen and understand other participants points of view, making them think deeply about the topic.
3. Improves Communication Skills : GD helps the students to represent their views and ask the questions. It not only increases the confidence of a candidate but also enhances their communication skills.
4. Removes hesitation of speaking : Some candidates usually have hesitation in speaking in public. At starting, such candidates might face difficulty while speaking. But, after two or three Group Discussion, it improves. Group Discussion helps such candidates to speak loudly and express their views on the topic. It further removes their hesitation in speaking.
5. Team Work : Group Discussion is also based on teamwork. In a company, it is very important to work as a team for the assigned project. Due to this, the quality of working together with team members is checked in the Group Discussion. The panelist also judges the cooperation of participants in the group. It allows participants to share their views with other participants in the group.
6. Behavior : It helps to understand the attitude and behavior of the candidates towards other participants in a group.
7. Listening Skills : GD improves the listening skills of the candidates. For example, the panelist may ask any candidate in a group to summarize the discussion. A candidate can only summarize if he/she has good listening skills. Due to this, every candidate presents in the discussion listens carefully. It further improves the listening skills of the candidates.
8. Diversity in the Ideas : The Group Discussion involves sharing ideas with other participants in the group. Every participant shares his/her thoughts in the group, which makes the diversities in the ideas.
9. Recruitments : Group Discussion is widely used for the recruitment process. It helps panelist to select a few candidates from the group. It also helps them to judge that the candidate is suitable for the organization or not.

Types of Group Discussion
There are two types of Group Discussion, which are listed below:

Topic-Based Group Discussion
A. Case Study Based Group Discussion
B. Topic-Based Group Discussion

There are few candidates in a group, where each group is given any topic. The group members discuss the topic, which is called a Group Discussion.

A. The topic-based Group Discussion can be further classified as:

1. Controversial Topics
2. Knowledge-Based topics
3. Abstract Topics
4. Conceptual topics

Let’s discuss the above topics in detail.

1. 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.

2. 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’.

3. 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’.

4. 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.’

B. 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’.

There are some rules of a Group Discussion. The rules of Group Discussion are listed below:

A. Prepare well for the topic.
The quick trick is to note all the important points during the preparation time. Do not write brief paragraphs. Try to write short points and explain them briefly in the discussion.

B. Be confident about your content
It would help if you always were confident about your content. If you are not confident, you may hesitate while speaking, which will create a negative impression.

C. Participants Introduction
Most participants only focus on their content. You should be aware during the introduction of all the participants in your group. To get attention, you can call out the person’s name when the discussion gets diverted.

D. Body Language
Always take care of your body language. Do not focus only on the content.

E. Leadership
Try to take the lead in the group if you are confident about the topic and the knowledge.

F. Avoid false starts or commitments
Do not initiate the discussion if you are not sure about your content. Do not present any wrong information.

G. Follow your Domain
Every company has its own culture. Prepare your content according to the company requirements. For example, industrial companies will focus more on technical talks, while marketing companies seek the combination of creative and oriented content.

H. Do not fight
In the Group Discussion, some candidates often get aggressive. Do not fight during the discussion. Most of the companies require sensitive and polite candidates rather than aggressive ones.

Group Discussion forms an important stage of admission process in top B-schools. Apart from the knowledge and communication skills, candidates are judged on the basis of their mannerisms and etiquettes. Candidates are required to present their personality traits in a limited time. A successful group presentation demands a certain degree of decorum. Here are certain things to keep in mind to enhance your score in a group discussion:

1. It is very important to dress formally and arrive on time. The way you walk to your allocated seats speaks about your personality. Be confident but not arrogant.

2. Take a pen and a notepad. It makes you look organized.

3. Listen to others carefully, jot down the relevant points and list down your own points.
Organize your thoughts before you speak. This will help you express with confidence and clarity.

4. Pay attention while others are speaking. This will enable you contribute to the discussion in a positive way.

5. Do not to deviate yourself from the topic. Talking about unrelated things puts a bad impression.

6. Do not interrupt the speech of other participants and wait till they complete.

7. Maintain a balance in your tone while objecting to the points made by other participants. Avoid raising your voice too much or shouting.

8. Respect the opinion of others. Agree and acknowledge what you find good points expressed by others. Use phrases like “What you have said here, sheds light on another aspect…”.

9. Express your disagreement in a polite, dignified and convincing manner. Do not use negative comments like ‘‘this point is wrong” or “your argument doesn’t make any sense.” Instead use phrases like “You have a good point but there’s another aspect to it… ”.

10. Do not try to dominate other participants. It is a discussion and not an argument or debate.
Keep your body language positive. Table thumping, pointing fingers, looking here and there, etc, are negative gestures.

11. If someone becomes openly antagonistic to you, and says things directly contradicting your points of view or makes personal attack, stay calm and relaxed. A situation like this is a good opportunity to demonstrate your conflict handling skills and maturity.

12. If the counter-argument is valid, concede to the point gracefully using statements like “I think you have an important point there that I did not think of”.

13. If the counter-argument is not valid, use statements like “let’s seek the opinion of other participants” and turn to others, seeking their opinion with statements like “we seem to have different views here…what do you feel?”

14. If the attack is directed against you as a person, then the best strategy is to just ignore it and get on with the discussion, without any animosity towards the attacker. This is hard to do but if you manage, it will be the best advertisement for your maturity.

18. Losing an argument is not bad – even if you are convinced about the correctness of your stand, don’t stand on it – let the other person “win” it by saying “I know that you may disagree, but my point is…, however, we need not keep debating this, maybe we need to proceed”. Losing an argument does not lead to loss of points. Sometimes, it helps demonstrate your flexibility and maturity.

Finally, your team skills are evaluated on the basis of the way you carry on with the other participants. It doesn’t matter how long you speak but what you spoke and how you put your opinion into words.

Group Discussion forms a crucial stage in the admission process of top B-schools. Apart from knowledge, you are evaluated on the basis of your communication and group skills. Given below is a list of 15 must-know things to consider while appearing for a GD:

15 Do’s in a GD:

1. Make sure your first entry is well planned. The first impression goes a long way in establishing your credentials. Enter the discussion with a strategy, rather than a random input.

2. If you are the first speaker understand the difference between starting and initiating the discussion. Initiating is about imparting an overall direction to the discussion and panning out an agenda for the group. Starting is merely speaking for the sake of speaking.

3. Establish eye contact with the key participants, but do not ignore the other participants. While the active participants need to be acknowledged more frequently, the passive ones should not be completely overlooked. You may follow Pareto’s 80-20 rule here, with 80% of the attention being given to the key participants and the balance 20% being given to the other lot.

4. Use a strong voice, clear diction and correct grammar. This gives you an operational advantage.

5. Try getting as many likes as possible. Eventually the discussion boils down to group dynamics and collaboration. Creating likeability may help you to navigate more effectively through the course of the discussion. However this doesn’t imply lack of constructive arguments wherever required.

6. Do take counter arguments gracefully and display good listening skills, projecting you as a good learner.

7. Do acknowledge the previous speaker before putting across your point of view. Discussion implies an action-reaction interface. Not reacting to the preceding input may show your inability to do so.

8. Do support your viewpoint with examples and facts. These will add conviction to your point of view and corroborate your stand.

9. Do demonstrate an ability to look at a topic from multiple dimensions. This reflects your ability to think laterally and treat the topic in a more mature and wholesome manner.

10. Do try to understand the right exit points. Please appreciate that the challenge is not to hold the main-stage all through, but to add value at appropriate points of the discussion. Your exit strategy is as crucial as the entry strategy.

11. Do recapitulate the main points of the discussion when required. This helps you to consolidate the flow of the discussion at critical points and also demonstrates your ability to assimilate the view points of others.

12. Do present yourself as a team player with an ability to balance individual excellence and group performance. The group discussion is not just about your perspective; you have to respond to the others’ perspectives as well and enlarge the scope of the discussion.

13. Address group members with respect and dignity. This shows professional courtesy and etiquettes.

14. When asked to conclude, summarize the main points of discussion. The conclusion is not about what you feel about the topic; it is about what the group felt as a whole. This needs reference to the main points which emanated in that span and the overall stand of the group.

15. Maintain a calm and balanced disposition throughout the discussion. This demonstrates your ability to manage stress effectively.

15 Don’ts in a GD

Go through the list of things to avoid so as to crack a GD:
1. Don’t start for the sake of starting. This may project you as an impulsive person with lack of planning and organizing skills, which totally discounts your candidature for a management program.

2. Don’t speak randomly without a plan and structure. This may give an impression to the panel that you are speaking and not adding any value to the discussion.

3. Don’t be arrogant, overaggressive or vain. This may evince a negative attitude with poor interpersonal skills.

4. Don’t show a lack of attention or energy. This may show that you are indifferent to the task at hand. Kindly appreciate that energy is the capacity for doing work and any compromise on adequate energy levels will portray you as someone who is not task driven.

5. Don’t look at only the key speakers in the discussion. It is your responsibility to respect all members of the group. The key speakers should definitely be given more attention, but this should not imply that the passive speakers are totally neglected.

6. Don’t condemn or severely criticize anyone’s view point. Everyone has a right to his/her opinion. It is possible that some members of the group get aggressive while expressing themselves but they need to be managed in a certain other way.

7. Don’t indulge in cross discussions when the main discussion is in progress. This amounts to transgression and does not conform with formal etiquettes.

8. Don’t form cartels to visibly monopolize the discussion. This is seen as an act of violating the essence of an open, natural discussion. This also projects you a s a person vying for undue control/power.

9. Don’t get restless and jittery when someone counters your point. It is natural that in a discussion your point gets contradicted. You are supposed to respond with facts/examples/illustrations/logic.

10. Don’t get into unnecessary arguments or futile conflicts with other speakers. This will only add to the opportunity cost.

11. Don’t look at the panel while making a point. This may project you as an attention seeker and an insecure person.

12. Don’t fold your arms or cross your legs to slip into an over casual posture. It is a formal occasion and you cannot portray an informal/casual appearance/attitude.

13. Don’t enter your neighbour’s private space while making a point. This is a violation of his/her intimate space and will be seen as a breach of a code of conduct.

14. Don’t over gesticulate. This may project you as an impulsive person.

15. Don’t scream and shout to prove your point as it negates the importance of poise and composure

The individual skills are listed below:

A. Communication Skills
All the participants in the Group Discussion present their views on the given topic. The language used should be simple so that everyone present in the discussion can easily understand.

B. Content
The content is an essential part of the discussion. The content is the words spoken by every candidate. The content should not be copied, repetitive, and wrong. It creates a negative impression. The candidate should not get diverted from the topic. If the content is correct and relevant to the topic, the panelists examine the content and give scores based on your content. They also check that the content is in-depth or superficial.

C. Analytical Skills
The analytical skills include the exploration of the asked question. Such skills are more focused on a case study Group Discussion. It primarily includes exploring ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the subject content.

D. Creativity
It includes how you can think differently from other participants or present your views in different ways. You can also abstract the topic differently. All these points will make you unique.
It will also gain more focus from the panelists on you.

E. Decision Making
GD helps in evaluation of the topic and reaching towards the specific decision. It is based on the suggestions given by the members of the group. The task of selecting suitable candidates from the group also becomes easy for the panelist or boss.

F. Covering Mistakes
The panelists give the topic at the time of the Group Discussion. You usually get a few minutes to prepare. Sometimes while speaking, mistakes often happen. But, it does not mean that we should stop the discussion in between and get nervous. In such cases, never lose confidence. Always correct the mistakes and come back with confidence.

G. Reasoning Skills
The panelist checks how much a participant is right in his/her logical skills. They also check how good you are in supporting standpoints, how you respond to the other participants, and weaken or strengthen other arguments in the discussion.

H. Voice
Voice can range from high-pitch to low-pitch. A high-pitch sometimes seems irritating, while low-pitch may not be understood by everyone present in the discussion. So, voice plays a very important role.

High-pitch is useful when the Group discussion becomes a market where everyone is speaking, and no one is audible. At that time, your high-pitch can calm the participants. So, you should adjust your voice and pitch as per the circumstances.

I. Fluency
A participant of a Group Discussion should have fluency in his/her spoken English. Everyone in the discussion listens to you carefully. Improper fluency will distract the listeners. So, it is essential to be fluent while speaking.

J. Enthusiasm
Group Discussions are generally unpredictable. Various candidates are keen to share their views with others. The more enjoyment you feel while sharing views, the better will be your performance in the discussion. If you are not interested in the Group Discussion, you may not be able to express your views clearly.

K. Initiative
Initiative means to take the lead in the discussion. If you are confident and have good knowledge about the topic, take action. Do not hesitate and be the first one to start the discussion. It will get you the bonus points.
You can also take the initiative between when the discussion is diverted or going out of the topic.

The group coordination includes the qualities that are evaluated based on group situations, which are listed below:

A. Body Language
The panelists mainly focus on eye contact and hand movements. Your way of sitting is also essential. Hand movements are the sign of your keen interest in the discussion. You cannot sit randomly as you are in your home. You have to be very careful about the ways you sit, speak, etc. The speaker should maintain eye contact with every participant in the discussion. But, it does not mean that you should not maintain eye contact when you are not speaking. You are required to be aware of the whole discussion period.

The improper body language is considered as a lack of interest or a lack of confidence. It will also distract the attention of panelists from your words. Do not participate in the unusual activities, such as playing with pens and hairs, tapping on the desks, and laughing. You should grab your focus only on the topic.

B. Behavior
The behavior of the candidate in the Group Discussion should not be aggressive. It should be polite. Remember that the B-schools or organizations are looking for sensitive and polite candidates, not violent bouncers.

C. Listening Skills
The panelist observes that every candidate is listening to the discussion or not. They can also ask any candidate to summarize the discussion at the end. The panelist may infer the poor listener in many ways, such as lack of confidence, poor eye contact, or poor summary at the end. Hence, it is a rarest and essential skill to be a good participant in a Group Discussion.

D. Leadership Quality
In a group, one or two participants play the role of a lead. They define the essential points of a topic and try to hold the grip of the group to achieve a common goal. Such candidates often score bonus points. But it does not mean that the candidate who spokes first will get bonus points while others not. It mainly depends on the content. If the first person’s content is not impressive compared to the other candidates, he/she will get fewer scores.

E. Team Work
In any company, we need to work as a team for the projects. Due to this reason, penalists also check the coordination of the participants in a team. You should not infer any participant while speaking. Do not try to prove that other participants are not speaking correctly.

Most of the candidates in a Group Discussion are not aware of some mistakes. Little mistakes can have an adverse impact on our impression towards the judges, which are listed below:

A. Stop taking leads if you do not know much
We should not take the lead in a Group Discussion if we are not much aware of the topic. If we are confident and have much knowledge about the topic, we can initiate the discussion of that group. Otherwise, wait for others to start.
Being second, third, or fourth in the group helps you better understand the topic by listening to other candidates.

B. Do not hesitate to initiate the discussion
If you have much knowledge and are confident about the topic, try to take the lead.

C. Do not copy anyone else ideas or comments
You should not copy the ideas and comments of other participants in the group. It creates a negative impression. In case you do not have any idea about the topic, it’s better to act smart. Analyze and listen to other participants, add some points, and convert it in your own words.

D. Do not avoid eye contact with other participants while speaking
When you start a discussion, you should not forget that it is a discussion with multiple candidates. It means that you are not only speaking but having conversations or debates with them. Avoiding eye contact is considered a sign of disrespect and a lack of confidence.

E. Do not lose confidence in the whole discussion
The group discussion is not carried for a long duration. It is just for a short span of time. Try always being confident. Do not get nervous if some point goes wrong. Mistakes often happen, but how to recover is more important. Take a challenge to correct your mistakes and come back again with confidence.

G. Do not speak slowly
You should always speak loudly in a Group discussion so that everyone can hear and understand your words. Sometimes, the scene of a GD becomes like a market where everyone speaks, but no one is clearly audible. If you have a low voice, there is no chance for you to stand. You can increase your volume and try to settle down the commotion. It will also leave a good impression.

H. Try to contribute in a discussion rather than just speaking

Some candidates often speak continuously in a single go. The reason may be the fear of not getting another chance. You should try to cover one keyword at a time by breaking the points into two or three different parts. The words we speak should be valuable without any repetition.

It might be complicated for a beginner to crack a Group Discussion. Let’s discuss some simple hacks to crack a Group Discussion for beginners, which are listed below:

A. Create a structure before beginning
During the preparation time, prepare a structure of your discussion. As soon as your discussion starts, look at your structure, and start speaking serially. You can also discuss the agenda with your group and work together on it. It gives a logical flow to your discussion. In this way, you and your group mates can together plan the discussion. To avoid the off-track discussion, keep summarizing in between so that everyone remains on track.
The structure can be in the form of:
1. A flowchart
2. block diagram
3. Simple steps
4. Notes

B. Speak point to point
The organizations are interested in hiring candidates who speak point to point and have effective communication. They do not want to hire those who just beat the rush only to leave a good impression. You should be confident about your words, prepare the discussion according to the topic, and do not hesitate.
Your points should be clear and precise. Do not include large paragraphs in your discussion.

C. Be yourself
Do not compare yourself with others. When you apply for an organization or a company, you know that the work culture will fit your needs. Do not speak to create an impression. Speak that you feel correct.

D. Attitude
During the discussion, if you found any incorrect statements, inequality to someone, disrespects, comments, ethnicity, etc. that you are not satisfied with, start and present your views. Do not focus on what others will think or say. Raise your voice and hold the chance to speak. But be polite while objecting to someone’s point of view. Always be friendly and kind to your group mates.

E. Clarity
You should be clear with your words. Your voice should be audible to everyone present in the discussion. Do not speak fast to cover all the points. You should always be confident even if you make mistakes.

F. Maintain eye contact
A beginner often feels nervous in a Group Discussion, due to which he/she is unable to keep eye contact with other group members. It makes a negative impression that the candidate is not confident.
So, always maintain eye contact with other group members in the whole discussion.

G. Be formal
You may be confident while speaking in a Group Discussion. But, always take care of your body language, dressing style, and gestures. Remember, it is a formal discussion, not a casual discussion.

H. Be careful
Sometimes, candidates only focus on their speech and matter. Do not concentrate only on yourself. You should always be careful in a Group Discussion. Listen to other participants as well. The panelists at the end can ask anyone to summarize the discussion. The summarization includes all the essential points discussed by everyone in the discussion. If you are unable to summarize, it will create a negative impression.

I. Include examples
You should always try to include examples in the Group discussion. Such candidates are awarded bonus points.

Most of the people are confused about their rejection in the Group Discussion. Let’s understand that rejection does not mean that you are not capable of doing anything. Every successful person begins his/her journey with rejections. You should always consider rejection a lesson to start with more confidence and learning.

Rejection means that you have got an opportunity to improve your personality. Prepare the Group Discussion according to all the steps discussed in this topic. You can also score yourself and prepare again and again till you scores yourself best. The more confident you feel about your preparations, the better will be your performance in the discussion.

Let’s discuss some ten questions. Assess honestly based on the given questions. At last, calculate your total score. You will automatically find your mistakes. Work on them, and you will surely crack the Group Discussion next time.

So, let’s start.

A. Did you represent the information correctly as per the given topic?
You should have proper knowledge of the topic given in the discussion. Incorrect and repetitive information about the topic creates a negative impression. If you do not know much about the topic, do not initiate the discussion, listen to others carefully, add your points, convert it into your words, and represent the information confidently.

B. Were you polite with your group mates?
Teamwork is the skill judged in most of the Group Discussions. If you were not polite with your group mates, it seems that you cannot work together with your colleagues in the company.

C. Be positive
Try to always be positive during the discussion. Let’s understand by an example, women empowerment. It would help if you were not negative that why there are separate facilities for women.
You should think positively that due to current differences between men and women, it is a better option. It will allow more women to continue their studies, pursuing different career options, etc.

D. Were you confident during the whole discussion?
If your heartbeat suddenly increased during the discussion, your hands and feet were shivering, it means that you were not confident. Always think that it is your own place and speak with confidence. No one will scold and laugh at you.
If you know much about the topic, do not wait for others to start. Be confident and start your discussion. Do not take any pressure. Be calm and participate in the group discussion without any hesitation.

E. Have you included examples in your discussion?
Examples are the best way to make your discussion impressive. It also hides your little mistakes. You can also use some famous quotes and statistical data.

F. Have you focused on your voice and fluency?
Your voice should reach every comer of the room. It should not be very loud but at a medium pitch. If your voice is not audible to everyone, you may lose some points. You should always focus on your fluency. Do not take many breaks between your discussions.

G. Behavior issues
Do not suffer from arguing, attitude, and arrogant problems. It always creates a negative impression. Always remember that companies are hiring for the candidates who can handle every situation without misbehaving. Some candidates also argue on an inevitable fact, due to overconfidence that they will be highlighted, which is not true.

H. Research
Some candidates do not know about the company, organization, or institute. Whenever you go for any selection round, always go for research about the company, organization, or institute.

I. Focus on your body gestures
Do not sit randomly in a Group Discussion. The panelists always focus on how you sit and how you react to different situations during the discussion. In a Group Discussion, sit straight, do not lean back on the chair, and don’t play with your pens. Don’t get easily distracted when someone opens the door or comes to discuss anything with the panelists. Do not look back, see here and there to see who is coming in the room or not.
You should avoid other gestures like shaking or swinging legs, yawning, etc. Always dress-up properly for a Group Discussion.

J. Were you active during the discussion?
You should always be attentive during the discussion. Focus on your listening skills.
Sometimes, candidates are not aware about the GD’s topic, because they were not active when the topic was given.

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