What is mean by Group Discussion?
GD acronym is mostly used in interviews. A group discussion (GD) is a group of individuals, gather at one place in the form of a circle with similar interest to share the ideas, solve problems or give comments. GD is a popular methodology used by many organizations (company, institute, business school, etc.)
Why do we need group discussion?
It improves your thinking, listening and speaking skills. It also promotes your confidence level. It is an effective tool in problem solving, decision making and personality assessment. GD skills may ensure academic success, popularity and good admission or job offer.The Group Discussion helps them to analyze whether the candidates possess the required traits or not.GD also serves as a mass-elimination tool. When there are many candidates applying for limited seats, the GD can act as a benchmark to select the best among the lot.
Who conducts a Group Discussion?
Generally, group discussion is conducted by large bodies such as universities, top-rated b-schools, management institutions & colleges and even by MNC’s. To get admission in top B-schools GD round is one of the most important & crucial rounds.
Some tips for preparing group discussion…!!!
Stock yourself with information:
No one knows what the topic of GD is going to be. Hence, it will be a good idea to keep yourself abreast with topics like :
- Current affairs
- Historical topics
- Sports , Arts & Literature
- Data crunching
Understanding the topic:
When the topic is given, understand the topic carefully. If it is not clear initially or you have some doubt regarding the topic, ask immediately. Clarity of the topic is of utmost importance to ensure that you perform well in the GD.
Precise and sharp thoughts:
As you are gathering thoughts, try to stick to precise and concise thoughts. Remember, when you are communicating, what is more important is what you are communicating rather than how much you are communicating. In a Group Discussion, it is always quality over quantity. Let your views be relevant and to the point. To a great extent, try to do some out-of-the-box thinking so that your view stands out from the rest
Communicating your views:
You may have excellent views on the topic, but are you able to communicate them in an effective manner is the question. Here, is where your communication skills will come to your rescue. If you have good communication skills, well and good, or else you will have to work on developing the same. To develop communication skills, you can choose a topic, stand before the mirror and start talking about it. As you are talking, anticipate few questions from an imaginary audience and try replying them. Analyse what you are doing, try to spot flaws, if any, in your communication and then start working on them. This will help you come across as a confident person during the GD
Taking the initiative:
Speak only when you have understood the topic under discussion. Some people have the tendency to speak for the sake of it, for they think that this will help them dominate the discussion and shut the others up. But, this doesn’t work. When you start speaking, make it count. Make sure that the arguments you present are logical, sensible and relevant to the theme of the discussion.
GD puts you in unfamiliar setting amongst strangers, there is bound to be nervousness and hesitation in you. This may stop you from expressing yourself confidently. The way you speak has a bearing on how you are perceived and whether you are able to impress the panel or not. You will be able to take the initiative only when you possess a good command over the language. People will listen to you when you mix sound and logical arguments with fluent and appropriate use of the language.
Conclusion
When the discussion is about to end, try to conclude it by taking in the points that everyone has made and coming to a decent conclusion. This will indicate your analytical skills and also the way you structure your thoughts.
