Big group discussion coming up and you are wondering how to get noticed? Tried several group discussion tips and tricks but none have helped so far? If the answer is a yes, then this post is all you need to read. In this article, you will be taught how to handle a group discussion, what are the merits and demerits of attending one and what is a group discussion. On that note, lets get going!
What is Group Discussion and Types of Group Discussion?
A group discussion is defined as a process where ideas and opinions are exchanged and spoken about. The different kinds of group discussions include topic based and case study based where you are expected to learn about a certain topic, whereas there are other group discussion topics for discussion such as opinion seeking and controversial topics, abstract and knowledge-based topics.
How To Prepare for Group Discussion: Tips and Tricks:
Here are some great tips and tricks you can try in order to do a great job and stand out during group discussions. Effective group discussions are tough but if you keep these points in mind, you are going to sail through them like a pro!
1. Maintain eye contact when you are talking:
When you are speaking in group full of people, always remember to keep your eyes open. In fact, you should look directly at the evaluators. Remember to maintain some sort of eye contact with every member of the team when you are talking. If you close your eyes or even shy away from the evaluators, you will actually begin to look like you don’t have confidence. So in order to show that you are awesome and definitely worth getting noticed, stay alert, keep your eyes open and maintain eye contact!
2. Don’t forget to initiate:
One of the best ways in which you can kick ass in a GD is by initiating the conversation. But you should always keep in mind that initiating a conversation only makes sense when you have understood the topic properly and have enough knowledge to speak about it. You must also have a good idea about what you are speaking otherwise you will end up making a bad impression. Initiating is always a great idea, provided you are a confident person and know how to handle these difficult and tough situations. Plus always remember there will be people who will speak against you. You have to know how to tackle them.
3. Give others the chance to talk:
There is no need to interrupt others when you are speaking. Even if you do not agree with their thoughts, there is no need to snatch their chance. You will be given the turn of speak. So use it wisely and make the right choice. You could actually jot some notes down when someone else is speaking so that you are able to make better points when your chance comes. That would be a better way to kick some butt during the GD.
4. Speak with some clarity:
When you are in a group discussion interview, always remember to speak with some clarity. What you say should be loud and clear to the other people. The words you speak should be simple enough to understand and even if you are disagreeing with someone, let them know. Express your feelings in a way that is calming. You should also remember to be polite. There is a way to get your feelings out and the better you express yourself, the bigger chances you have of getting noticed.
5. Always remember to keep the discussion on track:
If you feel like the topic is not making much sense at this point and needs someone to bring it on track, you should be the first person to do it. Bringing the discussion on track is very important. Not only does it make things simple for you but also to the people around you. Plus helping the discussion come on track can really take you a long way when it comes to the evaluators. They are really going to like you. Your impression will be good.
6. Maintain a positive attitude:
When you are speaking in an interview, always remember to maintain a positive attitude. In that way, you will be able to show how confident you are as a person and that you deserve to be a part of the discussion. Not just that, by doing this you will boost your chances of getting noticed a lot more.
7. Speak in a very sensible manner:
You don’t have to keep speaking just to increase the time of your speaking. There is no need to worry even if you are speaking very little. Your thoughts should always be very sensible and relevant and even if you are speaking very little, there is no need to worry too much about it as far as you are making sense in what you are saying. Maximize your speaking time and do what you think is right!
8. Listen to what others have to tell:
It is a great thing to speak but it is a greater thing to listen. You should always learn to pay attention when you are speaking to others. This will make the discussion coherent and you will be more involved in the group in a positive manner. You will also make more people like you and agree with you. This could also be a great chance for you to make friends. So keep your eyes and ears open and take down some points. There are other people who can give you some really interesting points if you’re just alert enough.
9. Dress up properly:
How you dress among the judges could really make or break the situation. There is no need to take things casually. You have to dress formally. Make sure your shoes are clean and clothes well ironed. Your body language should be good and make sure to smell fresh that day.
10. There is no need to go into details:
There is no need for you to go into the details. Keep things short and simple! Always remember that you don’t have all the time in the world so you don’t have to be all that analytic. Just keep things simple and to the point. There are ways to convey your thoughts and you can always do it in a way that is simple and straight forward. There is no way to keep things complex. Otherwise, it would become too boring for the person to hear and read.
Different Types of Group Discussions:
Here are some of the different kinds of group discussions
Factual topics:
Factual topics for group discussion are those where you are expected to talk about facts, pros and cons etc. Some of the topics that fall under this category include slavery, hazards of drinking and smoking etc.
Controversial group discussion:
This kind of discussion includes talking about those gd topics that are controversial. Some topics that fall under this category include life imprisonment, online dating, marijuana and its medical value, direct mail etc.
Case study group discussions:
Case study group discussions mean you are given a problem and it is your duty to come up with a solution that is satisfying. Under this category, there could be topics like leadership, work ethics, recycling, dropouts etc.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Decision Making:
Here you will learn about the advantages and the disadvantages of group discussion or decision making. Read them carefully to be sure on this topic!
Advantages of group discussion:
1. Synergy:
Group decision usually comes with two advantages which are usually made by individuals. They include the sharing of information as well as synergy. Now synergy is one idea where we believe that the whole happens to be much greater than all the other sums of its parts. When any group makes its decisions collectively, the judgement will become much keener. With the help of some discussions, questioning and some collaboration, there are some group members who can identify much better with some new collections as well as recommendations.
2. Sharing of information:
When you share information with other members of the group, you make it another huge advantage that comes with decision making. Now group decisions should always look at the broader section of information since most of the group members always tend to contribute towards information that is unique and has some sense of expertise. Sharing info will not just boost understanding, clarify some of the big issues and will also facilitate movement that will help in making a collective decision.
Disadvantages of group discussion:
Diffusion of Responsibility:
One of the biggest disadvantages that come with group decision making is that it tends to create some sort of diffusion of responsibility which tends to result in a lack of accountability for the outcomes. Moreover, these group decisions always tend to make it easy for the other members just to deny some personal responsibility and also they tend to put the blame on others for making decisions that are bad.
Less efficiency:
Group decisions often tend to be less efficient than those which are made by a person. Group decisions might take up some extra time because there will be the participation of the group members, some discussion as well as coordination among the group members. Without any kind of facilitation or any structure, the meetings tend to get a little bogged down in very little details which could matter a lot to a particular person but not to other people.
Having loyalty towards the group will also need the individuals to stay away from topics that are highly controversial. This leads to uniqueness and some sort of creativity and independent thinking. These groups are often dysfunctional and the dynamics of the group and it will produce some sense of illusion.
What do judges really look for in group discussions?
This section will make your doubts much clearer. Here you will learn all the things that judges look for among their contestants in group discussions in the interview! Hopefully, you will be able to work on them better and get noticed faster.
1. Your communication skills:
The first thing the judges will always look for in a group discussion is that they want to see how good you are at communicating. The better your communication skills, the bigger chances you have of doing better in this round. So make sure that you are sounding good, that you have some sense of clarity and that your speech is making sense. Low self-confidence and poor self-esteem never works in cases like these.
2. How open-minded you are:
Being open-minded is a second thing that really counts. These guys will always want you to be open minded. If you are too conservative and shy, you will probably not get what you are looking for. Being smarter and putting yourself out there is what counts more, so make sure you are open-minded and keeping yourself more alert. Plus evaluators will always prefer someone who is not all that conservative. They want a person who is fun loving and outgoing. So be prepared!
3. Your leadership qualities:
A third thing that matters a lot is how good you are at making decisions. Are you good at solving problems? Can you handle difficult situations? Are you a good leader? These are some of the things they are always looking out for. You have to be able to cater to the needs of these people so make sure to show the leader hidden inside you.
Conclusion:
With that, we would like to bring the post to an end. Always remember it’s your confidence and knowledge that sells well. There are several people in a GD but if you want to make a good impression and a long lasting one, you have to follow the points that are given above. On that note, we would like to wish you good luck. And in case there are some things you would like to let us, please feel free to drop a comment in the box below. We are waiting to hear from you.
