Tips: Group Discussion

Remember the days where you used to have discussion with 2 or more of our friends sitting over a small wall wasting our time usefully on some topics like current affairs, sports, cinema, debates etc ?

If you remember those, that is what this post is all about. Group discussion takes place in many places where the people in the discussion are given the freedom to express their thoughts. Like what I said above, Parliaments, Group discussion(GD) in interviews etc.

I would like to mainly concentrate on GD in interviews and like to give some tips for GD. I have already said what is Group Discussion (GD) in general. When it comes to hiring people for Job, GD is used as one of the tool to short list people. A batch of people are allowed to speak over some topic and your way of approach, your knowledge, body language etc is analysed to select you for the next stage in the hiring process. It is next important step in hiring process after tests, so here are some tips for that.

1) First thing is we must have confidence to speak. Think of your GD mates as your friends (on small wall).

2) It is more obvious that if we know more about the given topic, we will have more confidence and we speak without problems. So try to be updated with current affairs, and know about general topics.

3) People watching your discussion see at your body language, the way you speak, the way you show your presence at the GD, the way you move with other people etc.

4) Take a pen and paper with you. Make note of important points that you have in mind and what others say.

5) When some topic is given, always grab the opportunity to speak first. The person who speaks first and last will have good attention among the people watching you.

6) If you are the first to speak, start with greetings. Say good afternoon gentleman or whatever. Introduce yourself. If you haven't done before. Just saying your name will be sufficient.

7) Just because you want to start first, don't blabber something. It will be a black mark till the end of the discussion. Understand the topic and if you are sure about your points start the discussion. First impression is the best impression.

8) Don't be too loud. Speak with a volume level that will be sufficient for the other members to hear you.

9) Don't point on to others with your finger. Use your pen (hold casually between pointing and middle finger) to point at someone.

10) Validate your points with stats. Give proofs/incidents to make your point more effective.

11) How long or how first you speak doesn't matter, The point you give is what matters.

12) Don't speak for more time. It will show your dominant character. Give chance to others. (Say if the GD time is 10 minutes. Don't keep on speaking for 5 minutes).

13) If you have 5 or 6 points on a topic. Don't say all of them at the same chance. It will make you idle for the rest of the discussion. Use 2 or 3 points and leave the rest for the next chance. But make sure you get another.

14) Have a flow in your points. Don't jump from one point to another abruptly.

15) Don't keep on repeating the same point again and again. If the discussion gets centered at the same point, try to bring in new dimension to the discussion with your points.

16) Keep your points short and simple. It will help others to understand you easily and will help you save time and you could give more points. Also don't be too fast. Speak at the nominal speed. You need not need to master the language, all that you need is to make others understand what you think, in a simple way.

17) Don't use highly technical words on general topics. Use words that others can understand.

18) If any person from the group is not coming forward to speak for a long time, kindly request him to give his views.

19) If somebody else speaks for more time, ask him to let others a chance to speak.

20) If you don't know much about the topic, listen to what the first two or three persons say and start speaking related to the topic.

21) Don't speak irrelevant to the topic. If the discussion drifts away from the topic, pull it back.

22) Don't sit quiet for a long time or till all the people finish speaking. Grab your chance as soon as possible

23) If you want to stop a person who is speaking for a long time, look at his eyes for a long time. Make him look at you. If he pauses for a moment somewhere use the opportunity.

24) If you don't want anyone to pause you, don't look at a constant place or person. Look at all the people. Move your heads/eyes towards all the people. Don't leave a pause between two points.

25) Don't look at some where else. More important don't look at the people who are seeing your discussion (evaluators).

26) Listen to what others say. Make note of points if possible. Generate points from others views.

27) If the discussion becomes like a fish market, bring it back. Stop fighting and shouting at each other all at a time.

28) Don't go hard at other persons views. Use polite words and explain your point denying his views. Use words like "My points differs from your point" instead of negatives like "I don't agree with you", I strongly object" etc.

29) Try to use words like "As my friend said", "As my friend rightly pointed out", "I agree with what he/she said" etc. If you know his/her name, use his/her name.

30) Your body language is very important. Don't shake your legs. Move your hands according to what you speak. Maintain eye contact with others while you speak or when some other person speaks look at him/her. Your gestures and mannerism are more important than what you speak.

31) Don't allow the discussion to go idle. If no one has any points to say, don't be silent. Ask others whether they have any other points. If not, conclude the discussion.

32) Grab the opportunity to conclude the discussion. During conclusion, list out all the important points that are pointed out by all the person in the discussion. You can make use of tip no 29. If someone else have already made the conclusion don't add extra points after it and start the discussion again, remember its already ended.

33) Main objective of the discussion is to select people who can work as a team. You need to go along with the group fluently, listen to others point, make valuable contributions, express your views, etc. Don't be emotional.

Keep yourself cool throughout the discussion and be the winner. All the best.