Group Discussion

The Dynamics of a Group Discussion:
The Group Discussion is an important assessment tool for admission in Management courses and it is counted in the ultimate rank a candidate is awarded. In order to succeed in any unstructured group discussion, you must define what your objective in the group is. A good definition of your objective is - to be seen to have contributed meaningfully in an attempt to achieve the right consensus. The key words in this definition are 'seen', 'meaningfully', and 'attempt'. Let us understand what each of these imply in terms of action points: The first implication is that merely making a meaningful contribution in an attempt to achieve consensus is not enough. You have to be seen and heard by the evaluator to have made a meaningful contribution in an effort to build the right consensus. In other words you must ensure that the group hears you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator. You must get some airtime. If you are not a very assertive person you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those fifteen minutes. If you are the kind of person who gets cowed down easily in an aggressive group, you can say goodbye to the business school admission.

Grabbing a Chance to Speak:
Many Group Discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact of the matter is that in no Group Discussion do you get a chance to speak. You have to make your chances. The second important implication is that making just "any" sort of contribution is not enough. Your contribution has to be meaningful. A meaningful contribution implies that you have a good knowledge base, are able to structure arguments logically and are a good communicator. These are qualities that are desired by all evaluators. Many Group Discussion participants feel that the way to succeed in a Group Discussion is by speaking frequently, for a long time and loudly. This is not true. The quality of what you say is more important than the quantity. Don't be demoralized if you feel you have not spoken enough. If you have spoken sensibly and have been heard, even if only for a short time, it is usually good enough. You must have substance in your arguments. Therefore, think carefully before you begin. Always enter the room with a piece of paper and a pen.
In the first two minutes jot down as many ideas as you can. It pays to think laterally. Everybody else will state the obvious. But it is important to be able to do the following:

"Would you be able to state something different"?
"Can you take the group ahead if it is stuck at one point"?
"Will you take it in a fresh and more relevant direction"?

You may like to dissect the topic and go into the underlying causes or into the results. One way of deciding what sort of contribution is meaningful at what point of time is to follow two simple rules. First, if you can restore order in times of chaos, and bring order to the group you will greatly appreciated. Generally the Group Discussion scenario is like that of a fish market where everyone tries to sell his ideas loudly. Your level of participation can be low, but your degree of influence must never be low. In other words you must make positive contributions every time you speak and not speak for the sake of speaking. The second rule is applicable when the group is floundering. In this situation if a person can provide a fresh direction to the group is given credit. The third implication is that you must be clearly seen to be attempting to build a consensus. Nobody expects a group of ten people, all with different points of view on a controversial subject to actually achieve a consensus. But did you make the attempt to build a consensus? Why you should try to build is important because in most work situations you will have to work with people in a team accept joint responsibilities and take decisions as a group. You must demonstrate the fact that you are capable and inclined to work as part of a team.

How can I build consensus in the group?
First, you should just not talk but also listen to what the other participants are saying. You must realize that other participants may also have valid points to make. You should not only try to persuade other people to your point of view, but also come across as a person who has an open mind and appreciates the valid points made by others. You must try and resolve contradictions and the arguments of the other participants in the group. You must strive and synthesize arguments and achieve a unified position in the group. Try to think of the various arguments of yours' and others' as parts of a jigsaw puzzle or as building blocks of a larger argument for or against the topic. Try and lay down the boundaries or the area of the discussion at the beginning. Discuss what the group should discuss before actually beginning your discussion. This will at least ensure that everyone is talking about the same thing. You must try and summarize the discussion at the end. In the summary do not merely restate your point of view; you must also accommodate dissenting viewpoints. If the group did not reach a consensus, say so in your summary. You must carry people with you. Don't get emotional, shout, and invade other people's private space. Do not bang your fist on the table except in extreme circumstances. If you have spoken and you notice that someone else has tried to enter the discussion on a number of occasions and has not had the chance to do so maybe you could give him a chance the next time he tries. But do not offer a chance to anyone who is not trying to speak. He may not have anything to say at that point and you will just end up looking foolish. The surest way of antagonizing the participants and the evaluator is by trying to be the chairperson of the group. Do not try to impose a system whereby everyone gets a chance to speak in turn. A Group Discussion is meant to be a free flowing discussion. Let it proceed naturally. Do not ever try to take a vote on the topic. A vote cannot be a substitute for a discussion. Make it a point to address everyone in the group not just one or two persons when speaking. Maintain eye contact with as many members of the group as possible. This will involve others in what you are saying and increase your chances of carrying them with you. Do this even if you are answering a specific point raised by one person. And there is one last point. You must not agree with another participant in the group merely for the sake of achieving consensus. If you disagree, say so. You are not there to attempt to build just any consensus. You have to attempt to build the right consensus.

Is it wise to take a strong position either in favor or against the topic right at the beginning of the Group Discussion?
Yes it is to some extent. If you believe in something you should say so. If we are convinced about something our natural response is to say so emphatically. However in practice what is likely to happen if you take a very intense and dogged posture right at the beginning of the interview is that you will antagonize the people in the group who disagree with you and will be unable to carry them with you and convince them of the validity of your argument. It is therefore recommend that after you hear the topic, think about it for a minute, keep an open mind and note down the major issues that come to your mind. Don't jump to any conclusions. Instead arrive at a stand in your own mind after examining all the issues in an objective manner. Only then begin to speak. And when you do so outline the major issues first and only then state your stand. In other words give the justification first and the stand later. If you were to state your stand first chances are that the others in the group who disagree with your stand will interrupt to contradict you even before you can elaborate on the reasons why you have taken that stance. In this situation the evaluator will only get an impression of what you think and not how you think. Remember you are being evaluated on "how" you think and not "what" you think.

Is it a good strategy to be the first speaker on the topic in a Group Discussion?
In most Group Discussions the opening speaker is the person who is likely to get the most uninterrupted airtime. The reason is simple - at the start most other participants in the Group Discussion are still trying to understand the basic issues in the topic, or are too nervous to speak and are waiting for someone else to start. Therefore the evaluators get the best chance to observe the opening speaker. Now this can be a double-edged sword. If the opening speaker talks sense naturally he/she will get credit because he/she opened and took the group in the right direction. If on the other hand the first speaker doesn't have too much to say or is not levelheaded, he/she will attract the undivided attention of the evaluators to his/her shortcomings. He/She will be marked as a person who speaks without thinking merely for the sake of speaking. He will be perceived as someone who leads the group in the wrong direction and does not make a positive contribution to the group. So remember speaking first is a high-risk high- return strategy. It can make or mar your Group Discussion performance depending how you handle it. Speak first only if you have something rational to say. Otherwise stay quiet and let someone else initiate the discussion.

Here are some of the questions that were asked in IIMs interviews around the country. The management studies aspirant has to be savvy about a vast majority of topics ranging from History to Economics to general questions on current events. There is no single fool proof way to prepare for these all you have to do is be well read and think on your feet. You can make a judgment as to which areas you must concentrate on. The interviewers normally begin the interview with ice breaking questions, these are asked to relax you, however your attitude to the questions may also be taken into consideration at the time of selection.