The document provides guidance on how to prepare for and participate effectively in a group discussion as part of a job selection process. It discusses several key points:
1. Group discussions are used by companies to evaluate candidates on their communication skills, ability to work in a team, leadership potential, and how they handle complex situations.
2. Candidates should prepare by developing knowledge on various topics, structuring arguments, and practicing discussion skills. It is important to listen to others, disagree politely, and avoid dominating the conversation.
3. During the discussion, candidates should speak clearly and concisely, reference the topic, acknowledge other viewpoints, and try to bring the discussion back on topic if it diverges
Through this presentation, you will get great idea about what is group discussion? How you can participate effectively in Group Discussions? What are the Do's and Don'ts of a GD? Different types of GDs with Examples? What is being assessed while you are participating in a GD?
You will enjoy reading great content here!
Through this presentation, you will get great idea about what is group discussion? How you can participate effectively in Group Discussions? What are the Do's and Don'ts of a GD? Different types of GDs with Examples? What is being assessed while you are participating in a GD?
You will enjoy reading great content here!
In this presentation, you will get to learn about rules to follow while communicating with someone, and how to make communication effective. Here I have covered the tips and tricks for easy and effective communication to make your life (specially in corporate) easier.
This is what I prepared to present in Engineering and UG colleges. Add suitable activities to it. It will definitely be beneficial for you.
Feel free to contact me for any assistance.
Happy reading!
Communication skill is a crucial factor than technical knowledge in any corporate environment in which Group Discussion plays an important role for Personality Development.
A Group Discussion (GD) is a technique used by corporate companies, educational institutes, and other organizations to judge the communication skills of the participant.
Communication and GD are two relevant soft skills that are a must for anyone looking for a job in the IT or other fields.
In this ppt, you will learn about the importance of GD, Various skills required, different types of GD topics and Do's and Dont's during GD
How To Start A Group Discussion?
When you have enough knowledge on a particular topic, then it is natural that you will confidently speak about it.
Initiate:---- The first and foremost step to come in light among the group is to be knowledgeable enough to initiate the discussion.
It is not necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the topic with actual facts and figures but at least the basic information on the topic will be good enough to speak on it. In order to make your speech more interesting, you can start with a quote which is relevant to the topic or can start with a short and simple incident/story.
Lead:-------- There could be a situation where you do not have enough information on the given topic. It’s wise to Wait, Watch and Listen to what the other candidates speak until you get a chance to glide into the discussion. Take charge and start your conversation forward.
Once you take charge of the discussion, make sure that you speak to the point without dragging the topic for the sake of it. Always remember that less is more. The more you add to the speech, the more you may get prone to making mistakes. Hence, being precise and leading the discussion impactfully is the key.
To Summarize:-----Just as initiating a Group Discussion helps to grab the attention of the GD evaluators. Similarly, summarization is an opportunity to turn heads of the evaluators.
Putting together the whole discussion by highlighting the star points and concluding the results of the discussion is summarizing the discussion. The summary should be short and to the point and no new points should be added for further discussion. Make sure that the summary is not single-sided but an amalgamation of both sides of the discussion.
This presentation is about the Group Discussion activity which is very widely used by various colleges and recruiters for testing the knowledge and personality traits of students. It describes the various intricacies of this activity.
This presentation is based on Chapter 2 - Successful Group Discussion of the 17 part Group
Discussion series provided by exforsys.com. In this presentation you will learn about
various factors that influence the success of any group discussion such as discussion goals,
topic selection, time management, multiple perspectives, conflict management and openended
questions.
10 Ways to Crack the GD (Group Discussion)Vijay Shinde
Want to learn Software Testing from the Experts?
Visit this page:
http://SoftwareTestingHelp.org
Many companies and institutes are making group discussion as the first criteria for screening the candidates for face-to-face interviews. And there is reason too for giving huge importance for Group Discussion. First thing Group Discussion is used for mass elimination! And second thing group discussion selection criteria’s are based on actual company requirements.
In this presentation, you will get to learn about rules to follow while communicating with someone, and how to make communication effective. Here I have covered the tips and tricks for easy and effective communication to make your life (specially in corporate) easier.
This is what I prepared to present in Engineering and UG colleges. Add suitable activities to it. It will definitely be beneficial for you.
Feel free to contact me for any assistance.
Happy reading!
Communication skill is a crucial factor than technical knowledge in any corporate environment in which Group Discussion plays an important role for Personality Development.
A Group Discussion (GD) is a technique used by corporate companies, educational institutes, and other organizations to judge the communication skills of the participant.
Communication and GD are two relevant soft skills that are a must for anyone looking for a job in the IT or other fields.
In this ppt, you will learn about the importance of GD, Various skills required, different types of GD topics and Do's and Dont's during GD
How To Start A Group Discussion?
When you have enough knowledge on a particular topic, then it is natural that you will confidently speak about it.
Initiate:---- The first and foremost step to come in light among the group is to be knowledgeable enough to initiate the discussion.
It is not necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the topic with actual facts and figures but at least the basic information on the topic will be good enough to speak on it. In order to make your speech more interesting, you can start with a quote which is relevant to the topic or can start with a short and simple incident/story.
Lead:-------- There could be a situation where you do not have enough information on the given topic. It’s wise to Wait, Watch and Listen to what the other candidates speak until you get a chance to glide into the discussion. Take charge and start your conversation forward.
Once you take charge of the discussion, make sure that you speak to the point without dragging the topic for the sake of it. Always remember that less is more. The more you add to the speech, the more you may get prone to making mistakes. Hence, being precise and leading the discussion impactfully is the key.
To Summarize:-----Just as initiating a Group Discussion helps to grab the attention of the GD evaluators. Similarly, summarization is an opportunity to turn heads of the evaluators.
Putting together the whole discussion by highlighting the star points and concluding the results of the discussion is summarizing the discussion. The summary should be short and to the point and no new points should be added for further discussion. Make sure that the summary is not single-sided but an amalgamation of both sides of the discussion.
This presentation is about the Group Discussion activity which is very widely used by various colleges and recruiters for testing the knowledge and personality traits of students. It describes the various intricacies of this activity.
This presentation is based on Chapter 2 - Successful Group Discussion of the 17 part Group
Discussion series provided by exforsys.com. In this presentation you will learn about
various factors that influence the success of any group discussion such as discussion goals,
topic selection, time management, multiple perspectives, conflict management and openended
questions.
10 Ways to Crack the GD (Group Discussion)Vijay Shinde
Want to learn Software Testing from the Experts?
Visit this page:
http://SoftwareTestingHelp.org
Many companies and institutes are making group discussion as the first criteria for screening the candidates for face-to-face interviews. And there is reason too for giving huge importance for Group Discussion. First thing Group Discussion is used for mass elimination! And second thing group discussion selection criteria’s are based on actual company requirements.
Group discussion
What is GD
Types of Group discussion topic
GD Tips
Do's in GD
Don't in GD
Common mistakes in GD
Tips for GD
GD Topics
How is evaluation done in GD
How HR judges GD?
GD Dress tips
GD Dressing Tips
FAQ- GD
Material for PGPSE participants of AFTERSCHOOOL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. PGPSE is an entrepreneurship oriented programme, open for all, free for all.
1. What is Group Discussion?
2. Purpose of Group Discussion
3. Types of Group Discussion
4. How Group Discussion is conducted?
5. Evaluation criteria of Group Discussion
6. Preparing for Group Discussion
7. While in Group Discussion
8. Do’s of Group Discussion
9. Don’t of Group Discussion
Little Sprouts brings the life time opportunity to be a part of a rapidly growing sector which is expected to grow at 40% CAGR till 2018 to reach USD5 billion.
We intend to continue our success with like minded individuals in India. Our franchisee model not only ensures that you understand the business model well in terms of its process but also guarantees a host of training programs, marketing support ,operational support & administrative support. This support will ensure that you are protected against the risk of a loss which arises usually in a Start-Up Venture.
We, Little Sprouts are a pre-school franchisor & offering nationwide franchises of our brand. Little Sprouts is looking to setup its chain of pre-school, with a main ideology of being the most advanced and affordable Preschool Franchise in the industry.
Top Pre-School Franchise in India - Little SproutsAshok Vohra
We, Little Sprouts are a pre-school franchisor & offering nationwide franchises of our brand. Little Sprouts is looking to setup its chain of pre-school across India with a main ideology of being the most advanced and affordable Preschool Franchise in the industry.
For more details please check - www.littlesprouts.co.in
Little sprouts - Pre School Master Franchise Ashok Vohra
Opportunity -:
Our doors are open to anybody who shares our zeal to provide quality education and can partner with us in our endeavour of nation building. We are looking at dynamic people and organisation that not only have the resources but are well respected in the areas which they are residing in. We are creating an organisation which will one day become the most respected name in the field of education.
This is a great opportunity for a budding Entrepreneur, Organizations, Groups to take up a venture that fulfils a vital social need and has a great potential for setting up a highly profitable business. People who are involved in imparting education with dedication and commitment are always treated with respect in the society and society acknowledges their contribution towards future for their children. A feeling of pleasure & happiness for playing the role of an educationist who provides a learning experience to the children.
Little Sprouts - Pre- School Franchise Ashok Vohra
Franchise Facts -:
Little Sprouts is offering Nationwide Franchises of its Preschool.
The Nation wide Franchise network of Little Sprouts is expected to create ripples throughout the entire Pre-schooling Industry.
The target market for Little Sprouts, would be a market covering all towns and cities across the country with a basic business mindset and a willingness to invest on quality education with care, more importantly a passion to work with kids.
Opportunity - :
This is a great opportunity for a budding Entrepreneur, Organizations, Groups to take up a venture that fulfils a vital social need and has a great potential for setting up a highly profitable business. People who are involved in imparting education with dedication and commitment are always treated with respect in the society and society acknowledges their contribution towards future for their children. A feeling of pleasure & happiness for playing the role of an educationist who provides a learning experience to the children.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
2. Corporate needs
Group discussion
Personal interview
Verbal Ability
Aptitude & Reasoning
3. Capability to work with people & not just
ideas & objects
Capability to handle large volume of works
Good communication skills
Ability to define problems, develop solutions
Leadership qualities, Team work
Ability to cope up in complex situations
Result oriented
4. A number of individuals or things considered
together because of similarities
(Oxford Dictionary)
5. The action or process of talking something in
order to reach a decision or to exchange
ideas.
It is a participation in a systematic way on a
particular topic.
not a wrestling match to score points….
6. Debate- Either winning or losing
Discussion – Expression of your point of view
& respecting another’s point of view
A debate is a perfect situation for expressing
intense emotions.
A group discussion however, calls for a lot
more maturity & logic.
7. Methodology used by an organization to
gauge whether the candidate has certain
personality traits and/or skills that it desires in
its members.
In this methodology, the group of candidates
is given a topic or a situation, given a few
minutes to think about the same and then ask
to discuss it among themselves.
8. It is used for mass elimination.
To check ones interactive skills and how good one is at
communicating with other people.
To check how one behave, participate and contribute in a
group, how much importance one give to the group objective
as well as his own
How well one listen to viewpoints of others and how open-
minded one is in accepting views contrary to his own.
Selection criteria’s are based on company
requirements.
9. Group discussion has become an inevitable part of
recruitment process. It measures certain attributes
of candidates that are otherwise difficult to identify &
time consuming to assess.
Identify people who have such group
communication skills and people who do not
possess such group communication skills.
10. Body language
Knowledge & Confidence in subject/topic
Communication & Listening skills
Self confidence
Team skills
Influencing skills
Ability to present your views logically
Managing Situational stress
Leadership & Problem solving skills
Time management
12. Factual topics are about practical things, which
people are generally aware of.
Typically these are social, economical topics
These can be current topics (have been in the news
lately)
Factual topics give chance to prove that one is
aware of & sensitive to his surroundings
Ex. Politics, Corruption, Education policy, Price rise
Defense budget, Stock market, Tourism in India
13. These topics are argumentative in nature & are
meant to generate controversy
Idea is to check the maturity, if he is able to display
by keeping his temper in control by rationally &
logically arguing his point of view without getting
personal & emotional
Ex- Reservations should be removed, Women make
better managers etc.
14. These topics are about intangible things.
Often not given but possibility cannot be ruled out.
These topics test lateral thinking & creativity.
Ex- Tube light is better than bulb, Red laces of my
shoes, A is an alphabet, The number 10
15. Use of case instead of topics for variation
Tries to stimulate real life situation
Group is asked to resolve the situation
There are no incorrect answers or perfect solution
Objective is to make you think about the situation
from various angles
16. 1
8-10 students
are taken as a
group, though in
some cases, up
to 16 people may
be included in a
group. The GD
lasts for 10-15
minutes.
For a topic-based
GD, 2-3 minutes of
thinking time may
be given; though
the group is often
told to start right
away. For case
studies, however,
about 15 minutes
is given.
Evaluation is
done by experts.
These people are
experts and
observe all
details, even if the
GD is chaotic.
Candidates may
be seated in a
circle or in a
rectangular
arrangement,
with/out a table.
Seating
arrangements
may be prefixed.
Discussion may be
stopped at the set
time / even earlier.
Conclusion may be
asked for. A written /
oral summary may
be asked for at the
end from each
candidate.
2 3
54
17. Creativity- thinking out of the box
Communication- aggressive/assertive
communication, interpersonal skills, body language
Knowledge- subject matter, relevance & depth
Persuasion- ability to convince others without
arguing
Analytical- thinking rationally & logically
Personality- cheerfulness,enthusiasm,attitude,
confidence
Leadership- giving direction to the group in
terms of content
18. Content – combination of knowledge & ability to create
logical arguments.
Communication skills- Besides listening, evaluators observe
your ability to express ideas clearly & concisely, build on
others point, sum up the discussion made by the entire
group.
Group Dynamics – evaluators observe participants
willingness to listen & discuss ,appreciate good points, ability
to disagree politely.
Leadership – evaluators evaluate on the basis of
who initiates the discussion, allows others to
express their views.
19. Have you heard saying this post participating in a GD
“I couldn’t start”.
“I couldn’t finish”.
“Nobody let me speak”.
“I didn’t understand the topic”.
“Someone got sarcastic”.
“Someone else dominated the GD”.
How you can better prepare for GD…..
20. Content
Develop subject knowledge on current affairs, general awareness,
business trends.
Structure arguments (for & against) on selected topics considering both
sides to the arguments.
Plan for short & crisp points
21. Display Behavioral Traits
Leadership trait by showing direction to the group whenever group moves
away from the topic, coordinate the effort of participants.
Assertiveness is displayed when you put your point to group in a very
positive & confident manner.
Listening skills can be displayed by striking a proper balance between
expressing your ideas & imbibing
suggestons.
Creativity is reflected when you put across a new idea,
such that it is discussed at length by the group.
22. Practice
GD skills cannot be learned from books. It need to be practice with in the
groups.
Skilled people to observe and give feedback.
Spend a lot of time analysing your GD performance. Plan specific
improvements.
24. Do’s
Respect the contribution of
other speakers.
Speak pleasantly.
Listen well to the ideas of other
speakers;
you will learn something.
Learn to disagree politely.
Respect that others have
differing views.
Think about your contribution
before you speak.
Don’ts
х Don't take offence if a person
disagrees with you.
х Don't ridicule the contribution of
others by using comments like
`that's stupid', that's ridiculous, or
`you're wrong'.
х Don't try to intimidate another
speaker.
х Don't use a loud or angry tone.
Others will not want to listen to
you if you are being aggressive.
25. Do’s
Try to stick to the discussion
topic.
Your body language should be
`open' & friendly.
Agree & acknowledge anything
interesting.
Stay with the topic. If the
discussion does waiver,
bring it back on topic by saying
`that's an
interesting point, can we come
back to that later?
Try to speak clearly. Don't
whisper.
Don’ts
х Don't use aggressive gestures
like finger-pointing
and table-thumping.
х Try not to dominate the
discussion. Confident
speakers should allow others a
chance to speak.
х Avoid drawing too much on
personal experience.
х Don't interrupt or talk over
another speaker.
х Listening to others
earns you the right to be
heard.
26. Listen to the given
topic carefully.
Structure your
points on the
sheet provided.
Be prepared with
some of the
topics. Keep
yourself updated
on current affairs.
Summarize the
discussion if
the group has
not reached a
conclusion.
Be assertive not
dominating; try to
maintain a
balanced tone in
your discussion
and analysis.
Try to remember the
names of the
participants in the GD,
when you are
targeting individuals
address them with the
names.
27. Initiate the GD:
Initiate GD only
when you
understood the
topic clearly & have
some knowledge.
Allow others to
speak:
Do not interrupt
anyone while
speaking even if you
don’t agree with
his/her. Wait for
your chance.
Speak clearly:
Use simple words
while speaking.
Don’t be too
aggressive if you are
disagreeing with
someone.
Formal dressing:
No fancy and funny
dressing. You should be
comfortable while
speaking in group.
Positive attitude:
Be confident. Do not try
to dominate anyone. Keep
positive body language.
Show interest in
discussion.
28. You should speak
more (NO)
You should
dominate the
discussion (NO)
You should project
yourself in style (NO)
You should speak in
favor of topic (NO)
You should make others
agree to your point (NO)
29. 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.
Don't ever make the mistake of addressing the panel members while the GD is on. 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.
Should I address the panel or the group members?
It could be semi-circular, or circular, or seating alongside a rectangular
table, depending upon the venue. It is best not to bother about trivial issues
like this, which you have no control over.
What is the seating arrangement like?
30. 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 use pronouns
like "he" / "she.
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 counts.
Suppose I have a lot to say on the topic, should I say all of it?
Do not directly put someone who is consistently silent on the spot by asking
him / her to speak up. But 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.
Should I encourage others to speak up?
31. 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.
If participants are asked to sit in a circle or a semi circle, one position is as good as
another. But if you are asked to sit on either side of a rectangular table, then choose a
position as close to the centre as possible.
Is there any particular seating arrangement, which is favorable to the participants?
No. You should not. Leadership in a GD is established through one's
performance in a GD.
Should we begin the GD by appointing a leader amongst ourselves?
32. If I feel strongly about an issue, should I voice my feelings?
It is important to be cool and emotionally objective in a GD. If you react emotionally
you are likely to lose control over yourself during the group discussion. Be calm and
logical, not emotional in a GD.
If you have to use technical terms, do not use abbreviations. After mentioning the term in
full, explain to the group what it means. It is quite likely that other participants of the
group have a different academic background than you. Make sure you are all on a level
playing field.
Can I use technical terms , which is clear to me, but not to the group?
It is not likely that you will get a chance to ask for such permission. It may
also go against you (as appearing weak on your part).
Do I begin my participation by requesting the group's permission to do so?
33. What is the right time to enter a GD to ensure that I am heard properly?
In any GD, there are crests & troughs during the discussion. Crest - when the noise level is at its
peak. Trough - when there is almost total silence. Ideally, you should enter the GD during the
trough period. But in competitive GDs, crests occur often and troughs may not occur at all. In
such cases, enter the GD irrespective of the noise level provided you have a point to make.
You could try the following strategy:
• Identify most powerful speaker in the group, and note down the points that he/she is
making.
• The moment the noise level reduces, enter supporting the powerful speaker.
How do I participate when the noise level is too high?
You certainly do. Insensitivity to others displays a lack of maturity . It will act
against your favor.
Do I have to be cautious about participants' feelings (on sensitive
issues like religion, caste etc)?
34. Is it beneficial to be the first speaker in a group discussion?
Being the first speaker is a high risk, high return strategy. If you can make a good opening
statement, which is relevant and sets the tone for the GD, it will go in your favor. However if
you speak for the sake of speaking, not really having anything pertinent to say, it will be
remembered and will go against you.
Use of examples is helpful in elaborating your point, and helping others
understand your idea better. But remember to keep it short and simple
because in a competitive GD nobody has the patience to listen to long,
drawn out examples.
How necessary is it to use examples for illustrating an idea?
Command over English is certainly advantageous but will not compensate for lack of good
content. If your content is good, then even if your English might not be great, you must
speak it out, rather than be inhibited by lack of good English. You will get credit for
soundness of ideas.
How critical is my fluency in English to my performance?
35. How much or for how long should I participate?
In a 20 minute GD with 10-12 participants, try and participate at least 4 times with each
entry lasting at least 25-30 seconds. You could participate more depending on your
comfort level and the need for participation.
Depends on the situation. In a GD that is fairly relaxed, it may be acceptable. But in a
competitive situation, where the participants are tensed up, your attempts at humour
may fall flat.
Is it good to be humorous in a GD?
To avoid such situation, speak up in the first 4-5 minutes of the GD, else you
have two choices:
• Agree with the point made by that person and add to it to broaden the scope
of the argument.
• Drop the point and think of fresh points.
What do I do if someone else has already said what I wanted to say?
36. How is aggression taken and measured in a GD?
The moment you notice people reacting to you negatively or strongly, you may take it
that you are being too aggressive. The degree of the reaction is the measure of your
aggression.
There is a very thin line between aggression and assertiveness. You should always
aim to sound assertive and not stubborn.
What level of aggression is seen acceptable?
You may be asked about other participant’s response / views. Therefore it
helps to be alert all through the GD.
Will I be quizzed about my (or others) participation in the GD?
37. Is it true that the GD is used as an elimination technique rather than as selection tool?
Depends on the institute. In most premier institutes/companies it is used as a selection tool, not
as an elimination technique.
Depends on how it is done. If you openly request someone to speak, you may be putting
the other person in a difficult spot. It is better to use other means of motivation, such as
agreeing with a halting speaker, adding on to their points, supporting and giving them
direction.
Is motivating other people in the group to speak looked upon favorably?
This may happen if the GD becomes too noisy and if the level of discussion
deteriorates badly.
Can the moderator to stop or cut short the GD much before the stipulated time?
38. Can I be aggressive with a lady participant?
A GD is not the place to demonstrate gallantry. Being rude to any participant [male or
female] is downright unacceptable. You need not extend any special privileges to a lady.
It is alright to ask questions for the purpose of clarification but not for the purpose of
playing the devil's advocate and proving them wrong. By playing the devil's advocate you
hamper the flow of the GD. The pointed questions unsettle the other participant.
Is it all right to ask pointed questions to other participants during a GD?
By all means you can. It would demonstrate your creativity and originality. Just make sure it is
relevant to the topic.
Are we expected to stick to a line of thought or can we come up with something radical?
39. Is an end-summary absolutely essential?
No. If the group has not reached a conclusion, then it would be good if someone puts
the whole discussion into perspective by summarizing. But if there isn't sufficient time,
a summary may be avoided.
No. Topics are usually general in nature to give a level playing field to everyone.
Is voting an acceptable method of reaching a consensus?
No. Topics are usually general in nature to give a level playing field to everyone.
Are the topics decided on the basis of the academic background of the participant?
40. What do I do if one member is very stubborn and aggressive?
You could use any of the following methods:
• Ignore him and address the other members of the group.
• Be assertive and tell him that his argument is faulty.
• Point out to him that his point is well taken and that the group must progress further.
You can interrupt in any of the following ways:
• "Excuse me, but I feel that what you are saying isn't universally true ...“
• "Yes, I agree with your idea, and I would like to add on to it …”
What are the acceptable ways of interrupting somebody else, so that I may make my point?
The group should brainstorm for about two minutes and narrow down the
list of topics to 3-4. After this the group should prioritize them based on the
comfort level and ease of discussion of the topics.
How should a group select a topic if asked to?