Tricks to Excel in a Group Discussion

Gone are the days when only written tests were held for candidates to get admission in an institution. With new techniques that are used in today’s time to evaluate a student, Group Discussions have gradually become an integral part and have gained a lot of popularity as a means to test a student’s knowledge and personality. It is the best medium to understand a student’s personality and his deep knowledge and understanding about a particular topic. While good scores in the entrance and the academic record of the candidates qualify them for an interview, the final selections process largely depends upon the candidate’s performance in the ‘last innings’, i.e. the Group Discussions.

The candidates in a Group Discussion (GD) are expected to contribute their knowledge and skill meaningfully and finally arrive at a meaningful consensus. Always remember that t is not at all a platform for you to fight or dominate the co- participants. Therefore, flexibility in his/her opinion with the group is also something very important.

The panel who sits to judge the participants clearly tests the candidate, whether he/she knows the topic well and can well present their viewpoint in the most logical manner. Other than these, they also tests whether or not the candidates are a good listener and understands what others have to say about the same topic and accepts their view gracefully.

Also Read: Tips to Boost your Interview Skills

The personal traits of the candidate that the panel tries to look upon in the GD are:

Communication skills
Interpersonal Skills
Leadership Skills
Motivational Skills
Team Building Skills
Analytical /Logical Skills
Reasoning ability
Different Thinking
Initiative
Assertiveness
Flexibility
Creativity
Ability to think on ones feet

Outlined are the best GD suggestions and tips that will help you prepare well for:

The candidates should work on to have variety of skills that well comprises the decision-making skills, ability to handle stress, team skills, communication skills, analytical skills, etc. The panel clearly wants to judge if the candidate is able to think clearly about a particular situation in the short time and put up his point.

Preparation Tip - Students can train themselves to think analytically – it is an attitude that one can develop as opposed to not ‘think’ at all. Make it a habit to get to the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of issues – don’t take things at face value – think about them before you form an opinion.
It is seen that the communication skills among the modern day managers are lacking to a bigger extent. Hence, the candidate’s listening and articulation skills are being judged by the panel and hence the candidate’s ability to be a good listener is being tested.

Preparation Tip - Along with the speaking skill, the candidates should train themselves to be a good listener. Acknowledging everyone’s viewpoint is something very essential.
The candidates should beautifully put forward their viewpoint so that it is easy for the panel and the co-participants to comprehend.

Preparation Tip - A proper structuring of thoughts and then presenting them logically is something that the candidate should work upon.
The GD is the first and the best platform to test how good the candidate’s team skills are. Are you a good listener? How do you accept others points of view which is different from yours? Can you control the limit from being assertive to being aggressive? These are some of the very important points that the panel look for and it becomes quite evident to them even amidst the chaos that marks a typical GD.

Preparation Tip - Inculcate in yourself the habit of respecting other for what they are. Take out opportunities to have good discussion about a particular topic of mutual interest in diverse groups.

Now, there are certain myths among students’ as they start preparing for the GD.

MYTH #1: Candidates do well in the GD because they are soft spoken and smooth.

REALITY: The candidates actually do well in the Group Discussion because they structure in their mind what they are going to speak and then speak logically. They only talk sense with sufficient meaning in what they say.

MYTH #2: The academic excellence of the candidates is what matters.

REALITY: Completely disagreeing to this point, indiaeducation.shiksha puts forward its point by showing how candidates who have scored less and are with lower academic achievements, demonstrate a far better performance and showcase their learning to practical situations.

MYTH #3: Good communication is all about using a stylish accent and speaks a lot using big words.

REALITY: Good communication is about speaking logically and at an appropriate time with the use of the most simple and easy-to-understand English language, which everyone can easily comprehend.

MYTH #4: The dominating candidates in a group discussion only do well in GDs.

REALITY: The candidates who respect everyone’s viewpoint and always ready to work with the group score high marks in a group discussion.

Quick Tips For GD Success

Be a good listener: The first and foremost of all is to be a good listener. The candidates should train themselves to be a good listener and should develop the patience to listen attentively what the co-participants have to say.
Value each person’s viewpoint: It is always very important to acknowledge and value everyone’s viewpoint.
Be more expressive: Learn to articulate your viewpoint in such a way that the panel and the co-participants find it easy to comprehend.
Speak Logically: A proper structuring of thoughts and then presenting them logically is something very important to remember while sitting for a GD.
Reading matters: The candidates should start developing a keen interest in the current affairs and start devoting more time to read good books.
Be open-minded: It is very important for the candidates to remember that fact that different people think differently about issues. Hence, respecting each other’s view is something very essential.
Be analytical: Learn to think analytically.