Group Discussion

Prepared By-
Aditi Gairola Kathpalia
Meaning
• Group: A collection of individuals
• Discussion: A process which involves exchange
of information and ideas by two or more people
in order to achieve a common set of goals

Therefore, Group Discussion is an act of

exchanging ideas by a group of individuals to
reach a common conclusion.
Objectives
Group Discussions are widely conducted by
organizations (Companies, B-Schools, etc) to
achieve the following objectives:

• To identify the personality traits of individuals

• To identify the skills of individuals
• To shortlist candidates for recruitments or
admissions
Basis of Judgement
• Interpersonal Skills:
• Communication Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Team Work Skills
• Social Skills

• Intrapersonal Skills and PersonalTraits:

• Initiative Skills
• Listening Skills
• Knowledge
• Confidence
• Body Language
• Conduct( Manners)
• Reasoning Abilities
• Assertiveness
• Flexibility
• Creativity
• Receptiveness
• Cognition
• Patience
Types of Group Discussions
• Factual Topics ( Egs. Caste System in India;
Education System in India)
• Opinion- Based Topics ( Egs. Social Media - a
Curse or a Boon; Food for Man or Man on
Moon)
• Abstract Topics ( Egs. Pink Pyjamas at the
Red Fort; Zero)
• Case-Study Based Topics (Cases related to
Management, Philosophy etc)
Topic Analysis Techniques - Use the following
acronyms/ steps to analyze your topic
• Factual and Opinion-Based Topics:
HELPSTIR : Historical, Economic, Legal, Political, Social, Technological,
International & Religion.Use these angles to analyze the topic.

• Abstract Topics:
POP-BEANS: People, Objects, Place, Behavior, Events, Actions, Nature &
Society. Additionally, use the angles suggested for Factual and Opinion Based topics.

• Case- Study Based GDs:

Step1: Situational Analysis
Step 2: Problem Definition
Step 3: Statement of Objectives
Step 4: Evaluation of Alternatives
Step 5: Recommendation
Step 6: Plan B, if any
General Techniques
How to initiate the GD:

Do not start the GD by straightaway stating your viewpoint. Use any

of the below-mentioned techniques to introduce the topic and form a
strong foundation for the discussion:

• Meaning of the topic

• Quote
• Definition
• Question
• Shock Statement
• Facts, Figures and Statistics
• Short Story
General Techniques (Continued)
Points to be remembered during the GD:

• Ensure that you’re seated comfortably. Maintain a smart posture throughout the GD.
Body Language really matters.
• Do not make distracting sounds with pens/ accessories/ other objects.
• Do not exhibit clumsy/ nervous behavior including shivering, constant moving of
legs/ hands, sweating etc during the session.
• Do not have restricted eye -contact . Maintain eye-contact with every participant. A
good eye -contact reflects confidence and sensitivity to other people’s presence.
• Maintain eye-contact with even those candidates who are not participating actively.
• Understand the topic well. Relate it to current scenarios at all levels- regional,
national and international; analyze the topic from every angle, including political,
legal, social, economic, technical and religious perspectives. Use the aforementioned
techniques.
• Look for opportunities to initiate/enter into the discussion but do not be in a hurry. Speak
only when you have understood the topic clearly.
• Justify your points with examples.
• Speak clearly so that others understand you well.
• Use polite language and phrases.
• Be assertive and not aggressive.
• Be appreciative.
• Do not show rigidity/ stubbornness.
• Do not interrupt others.
• Do not mock others.
• Be an active listener.
• Encourage others to speak.
• Exhibit presence of mind.
• Do not be mechanical. Try to bring human element in the discussion. Your sentences should
not seem as if they’ve been memorized by you or fed in by someone else.
• Follow the rules of the discussion stated by the moderator/evaluator. To be on the safer side,
request them to list the rules before the commencement of the GD.
General Techniques(Continued)

How to conclude the GD:

• If required, seek permission from the group to conclude on their behalf.

• Do not rush to conclude. Keep a track of time or wait for the moderator
to give signals to conclude.
• Always use ‘We’ in the conclusion and not ‘I’. For eg. Begin the
conclusion by saying – ‘As a group we have come to this conclusion’ and
not – ‘I would like to conclude’
• No new points must be raised.
• Keep the conclusion coherent and concise.
• Cover all the important points raised during the discussion.
• Present a well-structured conclusion.
• Refrain from stating only your viewpoint.
• Note: Always remember that the Conclusion is
the most crucial part of the discussion. The
quality of the conclusion determines whether the
discussion has been successful or not. The
simple reason behind this is, the objective of
every discussion is to come to an acceptable
conclusion. If there is no substantial conclusion,
the entire discussion becomes futile.
Major Focus Areas of GDs
• Leadership Skills
• Team Work Skills

For evaluating the rest of the traits and the skills,

we even have Personal Interviews and other
rounds. But GD is the only evaluation method
which gauges your leadership and team-spirit.
So do not leave any stone unturned to exhibit
these two winning traits during the GDs.
 Opportunities to exhibit Leadership Skills:

1) Initiate the GD: The one who initiates the

discussion leads by example and shows
courage; hence exhibits his/her leadership
qualities .

(Caution: Go back to the guidelines for

initiating the GD, and take this step only if you
are very confident about the topic.)
2) Motivate others: A leader always encourages others. A leader is sensitive to his
surroundings.
a) If you notice that someone is constantly making attempts to enter into the
discussion and is failing repetitively to get a chance to speak, request the group
to give them a chance to put their point.
You may say, I think ABC has some really great input to share, and we all should
hear it from them.
b)If you notice that someone hasn’t spoken at all and the group is almost
approaching towards the end of the discussion, invite that person to share their
thoughts.
You may say, We haven’t heard ABC’s viewpoint yet, I think it will be great if
they could share their ideas with us.

(Caution: Do not use these tactics if you haven’t spoken anything yourself. By
saying this without giving your input, you’d end up making a fool out of yourself)
3) Handle Chaotic Situations : The one with leadership
qualities monitors the conduct of the group and deems
himself responsible for pacifying a chaotic situation.

You may say, We need to remind ourselves that we are

partipicipating in a civilized discussion and we all need to
value it. So, I request all of you to please maintain the
expected decorum.

(Caution: Again, this will be appreciated only if you have

been actively involved in the discussion yourself.)
4) Show the right direction: A leader shows the right path to the
group. If the discussion gets deviated and haywire, the one with
leadership qualities guides the group towards the right direction.

You may say, I believe we are going off-track right now. Please
allow me to reiterate the actual topic of the discussion to the
group. Our topic for the day is ‘Demonetization’ and not
‘Terrorism and Terrorist Funding’ which just happens to be a
subset of the former. So let’s all concentrate on the given topic,
considering we have time-constraint.

(Caution : As mentioned in the previous examples)

5) Give a new dimension to the discussion: A leader
always shows a new and novel direction. If the
discussion is getting lopsided, the leader must take
charge of bringing in new thoughts, ideas and
angles to the discussion.
• You may say, I am glad we have come up with a lot
of positive points related to the given topic. Let’s
also focus on the downside of the given situation.

(Caution : As mentioned in the previous examples)

Examples of Cushion Statements
• While showing agreement:

1. I appreciate your valuable input. Even I

would like to add a few points to it…..
2. I totally agree with you. You’ve made a
wonderful point. Adding more to this
point……
3. I competely agree to your point and I would
like to take it further….
• While showing disagreement:

1. With due respect to your thought, I would like to explain it

from a different angle…..
2. You’ve made a strong point. But I am afraid I might not have
the same view-point as yours….
3. Well, while I appreciate your point, I would like to differ here
slightly….

(Caution: Never use strong statements like, I totally disagree or

You are totally/ completely wrong. Do not show obnoxious and
aggressive behavior while disagreeing with other participants)
• While responding to another candidate’s question:

1. That’s a great question you’ve raised. I would like to

answer your question…..
2. I am glad that someone has come up with such an
important question. I think I would like to take up this
question….

Note: Please remember that this list is not exhaustive.

Please use your ideas, as well but ensure that your
sentences are polite and refined.
• Try to follow the below-mentioned approach while agreeing and
disagreeing with someone:

The Triple As

• 1) Acknowledge
• 2) Appreciate
• 3) Go Ahead

Note: Maintain good eye-contact with the concerned person while

addressing and acknowledging them but soon after that, include
everyone in the discussion by making eye-contact with these
participants also.
Important Tips
• Nothing can substitute knowledge. So, read a lot.
• Be well aware of current affairs.
• Work on your communication skills.
• Remember that if your communication skills and
knowledge are strong, you’ll automatically be
confident.
• You need to have the right amount of confidence. You
should neither be over-confident nor under-confident.
• Have regular practice sessions with your friends.
• Dress up professionally when you participate in GDs.