Mastering Group Discussions - Jai Shankar K

Getting mentally prepared for different scenarios that may arise during a Group Discussion (GD) is absolutely vital. Since this article is mainly aimed at students who wish to appear for competitive exams like CAT, CET etc. I believe each one of you by now must have figured out which way is best to fight stress and nervousness. It is but natural to have butterflies in one's tummy just prior to a GD. What I am going to suggest is something that would work positively for one and all and help to improve performance in tense situations. Just before you enter the GD or examination hall, inhale and exhale as forcefully as possible, make sure your exhalation process is accompanied by a 'hmm' sound. This is a very effective tool to overcome nervousness.

Preparation for a GD cannot be achieved overnight. A prerequisite for attempting GDs successfully is to keep oneself abreast of all the day-to-day occurrences in the world. You are expected to know something about everything. The fields may be as diverse as genetics and sports or even politics and art. The rationale behind acquiring knowledge from all fields goes beyond performing well in the GD. You are all shaping up to be managers one day, during the course of which interacting with people from different backgrounds is inevitable. Your success hinges on your ability to convince people of your competence in understanding their background and needs.

Before the GD try and speak to your fellow participants and understand his/her background and try to figure out what kind of people they are. In the sense, some people may be verbose, some may be aggressive. On the other hand some may be introverts who may require a bit of coaxing to come out with their ideas. This would hold you in good stead once the GD gets underway.

During the process of introduction, which is the first step in a GD, make a diagrammatic representation of the seating arrangement with all the participants’ names. Addressing your fellow participants by their names not only helps to build a rapport with them, but is also an important step towards attracting attention and thereby gradually assuming the mantle of the leader. Never volunteer for the leader's position if your group is asked to choose a leader from within. In case you volunteer leadership before the discussion, and during the course of the discussion you are unable to navigate the discussion effectively, then your rating takes a severe blow. Remember, the natural leader will automatically establish his/her supremacy.

At the start of the GD while introducing yourself to the group be sure not to create an impression that you are an expert on the topic (even if you are an expert!). Always try to be the one to begin a conversation. It could send your rating skyrocketing due to the fact that it takes time for people to organise their thoughts and decide to express it. To avoid being among the ones to follow the leader you must think through what your objectives for the GD are. With the different facets of the topic in mind you must pen down 2 or 3 open-ended questions (ones that cannot be answered in 'yes' or 'no', ones that will enthuse fellow participants to come up with their own views).

 GDs call for a combination of active and reflective listening. Restate or paraphrase comments from time to time to show fellow participants that you are listening and subtly reaffirm the value of their points. You need not be supportive, be neutral but surely do not cast their comments in a negative light. While restating, make sure you use their exact words, do not change their comments to a particular point.
Solicit participation from all group members. Try and encourage comments from quiet participants. Make sure that the GD is not dominated by a few people. In case of a challenge don't overreact, just acknowledge the point the participant makes. If possible, find merit in what he/she has said, agree with what you can, then move on.
If a participant asks you a question and you cannot answer, check to be sure you understand the point and if you do not know the answer say so openly and see if others in the room know the answer or offer to get it.

If a participant brings up a point again, acknowledge it the second time ("Yes, we heard you said that…"), paraphrase it the next time ("It sounds like you are very concerned about…")
If a participant makes an irrelevant point try and integrate it into the topic if possible and restate the intended subject of the discussion before you go ahead.

If a participant seems to speak up too often for others to talk, try and pick up someone who wants to make a point but is shy to make his way through.

At the completion of a GD, be sure you are the one to summarise the major findings and consensus. The purpose of a GD is best served when the participants can present bits of data until the entire group has gleaned enough information to reach a consensus when initially faced with conflicting information. Your abilities to lead a group without being overtly aggressive but assertive, incorporating all the participants' views to reach a consensus and one-to-one rapport with almost all the participants will help you surmount a highly competitive GD with relative ease. One must take care of the mood in a GD. It always helps to maintain a sense of humor.

To put it in a nutshell, keep in mind the following points while attempting a GD.

1. Jai Shankar K.

CONCISENESS - "Get quickly to the point and do not beat around the bush."
LISTENING - "Pay close attention to what is being said."
EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES - "All in the group have to speak."
DEVELOPING THE ARGUMENT - "Dig deeply into the topic being discussed."

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