What is judged in a Group Discussion?

What is judged in a Group Discussion?

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What are the parameters that the evaluators and moderators look for in the candidates? This is a very pertinent question and the answer to this question is actually the key to success for cracking group discussions. Apart from the other qualities the following are the parameters on which the aspirants essentially are judged in Group Discussion:

1. Content
2. Communication
3. Group behavior
4. Leadership skills

Content

·       Content is the life and blood of any Group Discussion.

·       Speaking quality and topical content is the single most important attribute that can do wonders in Group Discussions.

·       The moderator would like to understand how well-versed you are with the knowledge relevant to the topic.

·       The content you speak will show how well-read you are.

·       All your man-management skills, etc. will be of no use in an organization unless you are sound on subject and knowledge.

·       That is the reason for content to become such an important aspect of the evaluation process.

·       It is very important for you to clearly display your understanding of all the issues pertaining to the topic.

·       The more valid points you make, the more marks you score.

·       The aspirants are expected to add value to the Group Discussion while they speak or intervene.

·       The group should gain from its interaction with you.

·       It is very important for any candidate to understand that he/she has to come across as knowledgeable and well-read.

·       Do not miss any opportunity whatsoever to exhibit your knowledge of the topic in a Group Discussion.

·       Knowledge pertains to the “what to say" aspect of the Group Discussion.

Communication

·       If content is the life and blood of any Group Discussion, the Communication Skills act like the skin.

·       Like the skin in the body, the communication skills makes the first and most prominient impression about the personality of the aspirant.

·       Communication covers three different aspects. There are

1. Correctly conveying what you want to say
2. Listening
3. Language

​Correctly conveying what you intend to say

§  ​Even if you have excellent ideas and content in your mind but you are not able to communicate them during the Group Discussion, there is no mechanism by which the moderator and evaluator would be able to understand or reach to those ideas. Thus ideas must be expressed in a lucid manner.

§  The first aspect pertains to how you say what you want to say.

§  A number of times, we find that the listener “understands" what we were saying very differently from what we intended to convey.

§   This only means that we have not been able to put across our ideas properly and correctly.

§   There must not be any gap between the idea that have conveyed and that is revieved and percieved by the listener. Thus dont be adhock with the words rather choose them correctly.

§  There is a lot of scope for such communication gaps in any communication situation.

§  It is the responsibility of the speaker to ensure that what he/she intended to communicate has been communicated correctly and understood the way it was expected to be understood.

§  This aspect of communication also includes your thought process - how you put your ideas together. The moderator is interested in knowing how your thought works i.e. are you clear about what you want to communicate.

Listening

§  It is  almost as crucial as a component of a Group Discussion as speaking.

§  Do not think that Group Discussions are only about speaking.

§  They are as much about listening to others ideas in the group as about telling them your ideas.

§  You have to make sure that you focus your attention on what other group members are saying instead of concentrating only on speaking.

§  You should understand that it is very easy for the moderator to make cut (on the basis of what you say when you get an opportunity to speak during the Group Discussion) whether or not you have been listening to what other group members are saying.

Language

§  The third aspect, language, is an area where a number of students end up making a mess of things.

§  Unfortunately, that is the case with students who are not fluent in English as well as with students who are fluent in English.

§  The students who are not fluent in English inhibited while speaking and hold themselves back in a Group Discussion.

§  The students who are fluent with English sometimes tend to use flowery language to show their English-speaking skills.

§  In the process of trying to show off their vocabulary, they end up using words in the wrong context.

§  What you should realize is that language- has only a small role in a Group Discussions - what maters is ideas. As long as you are able to convey your ideas in reasonably correct English, your fluency does not matter.

§  Those of you who may feel that you are not very fluent in English should just not worry about your lack of fluency but go right ahead and start speaking.

§  Do not worry about the mistakes that you may make while you are speaking.

§  Those of you who are pretty comfortable with the English language should remember that simple language is what you should use.

§  Do not look at Group Discussion as a plateform to show your language skills or vocabulary skills and do not use complex and long-winding sentences.

§  Break up your sentences into simpler and shorter ones. This is what will help you the most.

§  Your communication should be effective - it should convey what you intend to convey.

§  Your communication should also be efficient - you should make your point in as few words as possible.

§  If you take too long to get to the point, someone else would have started speaking before you can make your point.

Group Behavior

·       The third parameter on which a moderator evaluates the participants in a Group Discussion is the Group Behavior.

·       Group  Behaviour deals with the socialization of aspirants in the group. It also deals with style, manners and body language of the aspirants.

·       It is evaluated to what extent the aspirant is a team player. Also the crucial parameter in this attribute is the extent to which an aspirant aligns the personal interests with the group.

·       Unlike in a debate or elocution, in a group Discussion all the participants are free to speak any number of  times.  

·       Hence how each participant interacts with the other members of the group become very important.

·       Even in a real life situation in an organization, all interaction it is imperative that every individual is able to interact with everybody else in a natural manner.

·       The moderator will be looking at this aspect of the participant's personally. You need to exhibit  a rational approach as an adult to adult interaction with the other group members you should listen to and understand the views expressed by the other group members, integrate them with your ideas, present a cogent picture of the group’s view and help arrive at a consensus in the discussion.

·       All this clearly means that actions such as shouting to gain attention and making snide remarks about others contributions will not do you any good at all.

·       The will only show you up as boorish and intemperate hardly the quintiles you would have hoped to display to the moderator.

Leadership skills

·       Participants who have leadership skills will get recognized for such abilities.

·       However, you should remember that leadership does not mean speaking the loudest or the most in the group.

·       Leadership means giving vision to the group and aligning group members to this vision through positive motivation.

·       A leader, is not the person who speaks the most in a group - a leader is the person who is spoken to the most.

·       It is not possible for all members of a group to display leadership skills.

·       If you get an opportunity to lead the group, do so by-all means. However, do not go out of your way to establish yourself as a leader.

·       It is quite adequate if you are able to display your knowledge, communicate effectively and behave maturely with your fellow group members.

·       Remember that the moderator in a Group Discussion is looking for a person with balanced thinking.

·       Never get emotional about the topic or any part of the discussion. Whatever your views are and however strongly you may hold such views, what is required in a Group Discussion is an objective and balanced approach.

·       Remember one important rule - you have gone for the Group Discussion in order to get selected for the management school/ organization of your choice.

·       You are not there to make policy decisions for the government. Nor are you there to convince all you fellow group members that your point of view is the only one that they should follow.

·        You are only there to contribute to the group in a manner that convinces.

·       Everything that you do or say should keep this all-important fact in mind.