How do I take my chance to speak: Trying to interrupt others while speaking would only harm your chances.

Instead, you may try to maintain an eye-contact with the speaker. This would show your listening skills also and would help you gauge from his eye-movement and pitch of voice that he is about to close his inputs. You can quickly take it from there. Also, try and link your inputs with what he has spoken whether you are adding to or opposing his arguments. This would reflect that you are actually being participative rather than just doing a collective monologue. How to I communicate in a GD: Be crisp and to the point. Be fact based and avoid making individual opinions that do not have a factual base. Make eye contact with all the members in the group and avoid looking at the panelists while speaking. The average duration of the group discussion provides an average of about 2-3 minutes per participant to speak and you should try to speak about 3-4 times. Hence, you need to be really crisp to reflect the most in those 30-40 sec. slots. How do I convince others and make them agree to my view point: A lot of candidates make it their mission to make the group reach to a conclusion on the topic. Do not forget that some of the topics have been eternal debates and there is no way you can get an agreement in 15 mins. on them. The objective is not to make others toe your line but to provide fact based, convincing arguments which create an impact. Stick to this approach. Do leadership skills include moderating the group discussion: This is a myth and many people do try to impose their order on the GD, ordering people when to speak and when not to. This only reflects poor leadership. Leadership in a GD would be reflected by your clarity of thought, ability to expand the topic in its different dimensions, providing an opportunity to a silent participant to speak, listening to others and probing them to provide more information. Hence, work on these areas rather than be a self-appointed moderator of the group. Listening: This is a key quality assessed during the GD about which many participants forget. Active listening can fetch you credit points and would also provide you with data to discuss. Also, if you have an average of 2-3 minutes to speak, the rest of the 20-25 minutes is required to spent in active listening. For this, maintain eye contact with the speakers, attend to them (like nodding, using acknowledging words like -I see ok, fine, great etc.). This would also make you be the centre of attraction as you would appear non-threatening to the speakers. Behaviour during the GD: Be patient; don't get upset if anyone says anything you object to. Stay objective and don't take the discussion personally. Also, remember the six C's of communication - Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness, Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy. Be appreciative & receptive to ideas from other people and open-minded but do not let others to change your own viewpoint. Be active and interested throughout. It is better to participate less if you have no clue of the topic. You may listen to others and take clues from there and speak. You would be assessed on a range of different skills and you may think that leadership is key, you need to be careful that you don't dominate the discussion. Quality Vs Quantity: Often, participants think that success in group discussions depends on how much and how loudly they speak. Interestingly, it's the opposite. Also, making your point on the topic, your views are important and the group needs to know. This will tell you are knowledgeable and that you participate in groups Summarizing: If you have not been able to initiate the discussion, try to summaries and close it. Good summarizing would get you good reward points. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favour or against the topic and most GDs do not have a closure. But every GD can be summarized by putting forth what the group has discussed in a nutshell. Keep the following points in mind while summarizing a discussion: o Avoid raising new points. o Avoid stating only your viewpoint. o Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD o Keep it brief and concise. o It must include all the important points that came out during the GD o If you are asked to summarise a GD, it means the GD has come to an end. o Do not add anything once the GD has been summarised.

Some Positive Task Roles in a Group Discussion: You may want to play one or more of them: Initiator Information seeker Information giver Procedure facilitator Opinion seeker Opinion giver Clarifier Social Supporter Harmonizer Tension Reliever Energizer Compromiser Gatekeeper Summarizer

Negative Roles to be Avoided Disgruntled non-participant Attacker Dominator Patronizer Clown

Group Discussions
A Group Discussion can be defined as a formal discussion involving ten to 12 participants in a group What is Group Discussion? As said earlier a GD is a formal discussion among a group of participants. These days GDs are being used as a tool for selecting the right candidate for the job along with the personal interview. In the competitive world of education we have many people who are academically very sound rather we have too many toppers these days. And they fair very well when it comes to assessing their knowledge base. So, How do we find the right candidate for the job among many academically brilliant people. GD helps the Interviewer judge the candidate in a group and conflict situation and is a very effective tool to judge a candidates ability to work, perform and manage in a team. Why a GD?

A GD is a group activity. It is a formal exchange of ideas among the members of a group. It is a reliable tool to test a candidate in a conflict situation and also lets the interviewer make a comparative assessment of the candidates. GD is an informal discussieson which in turn helps the interviewer understand about the candidates basic nature. Eg. Aggressive, Active, Passive etc. And thus can go a long way in choseing the right job mix for him/Her.

GD helps the interviewer identify the following traits in a person. Leadership Team Player Reasoning Ability Flexibility Assertiveness Initiative Creativity/ Out of the box thinking Inspiring ability Listening Awareness

1. Leadership During a GD no one is appointed to lead the conversation and since it is a free discussion may conflict situations can arise like1. A GD where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much. 2. A GD where participants get emotionally charged and the GD gets chaotic. 3. A GD where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a GD. So once identified this person then can be groomed to lead a team after gaining some more experience. Hence a leader Shows the direction and tries to steer the group towards the purpose (discussion topic) in case the group moves away from the topic, which can happen as at times we do have candidates who feel very strongly for a topic. Coordinates the efforts of different team members in a GD. He tries to strike a balance between for and against points while making contribution to the topic.

Contributes actively with effective and relent points. Inspires and motivates the passive participants to speak and contribute.

2. Team Player It is essential for managers to be team players. The reason: Managers always work in teams. At the beginning of his(manager) career, a manager works as a team member. And, later, as a team leader. Management aspirants who lack team skills cannot be good managers. A team player is always open to the Ideas and suggestions hence when someone makes a valid point while the discussion is on then one must appreciate it whether you agree with it or not and if you want to counter one point then do it by saying that you are right in saying that however I dont agree with you on that. Never shoo the person off or say anything which might sound offending or prove that you are trying to dominate and are nust not ready to listen to him/her. 3. Reasoning ability Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a GD. Whenever you are trying to make a point you must support it with a reason and a valid one dont try to say things based on your assumptions and ideas. Person [presenting a valid reason will make a better impact. 4. Flexibility You must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about.But first, remember: Never ever start your GD with a stand or a conclusion. You should always start a GD on a neutral note. Sometimes there are topics which can be of emotionally importance to few people. For example lets sat the topic to be discussed is Should India Ban women working at night for example call centres n all? Some participants tend to get emotionally attached to the topic and take a stand either in favour or against the topic, ie 'Yes, India should', or, 'No, India should not'. By taking a stand, you have already given your decision without discussing the topic at hand or listening to the views of your team members, which is not a good Idea. Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point at the 11th hour, you end up in a typical catch-22 situation e.g. If now you change your mind you are seen as a fickle minded and indecisive person and if you do not change your stance then you might appear inflexible and a stubborn person and in both cases it is not good for you. So it is always best to avoid such situation from the beginning and start your GD on e neutral note. 5. Assertiveness You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and confident manner.

Participants often confuse assertiveness with aggressiveness. Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on the other person, and can be a threat to the group. An aggressive person can also demonstrate negative body language, whereas an assertive person displays positive body language. To appear assertive you must keep a few things in mind speak in loud and clear voice, speak only valid points and if required support them with examples, be firm but not to the extent that you start shouting and banging hands on the table n all. 6. Initiative A general trend amongst students is to start a GD and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the initiator. But that is a high risk-high return strategy. Initiate a GD only if you are well versed with the topic. If you start and fail to contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the GD just for the sake of the initial points. Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it may work against you. Remember: You never ever get a second chance to create a first impression.

7. Creativity/ Out of the box thinking An idea or a perspective which opens new horizons for discussion on the GD topic is always highly appreciated.When you put across a new idea convincingly, such that it is discussed at length by the group, it can only be positive.You will find yourself in the good books of the examiner. 8. Inspiring ability A good group discussion should incorporate views of all the team members. If some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the opportunity to do so, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas or opinions will be seen as a positive trait. Caution: If a participant is not willing to speak, you need not necessarily go out of the way to ask him to express his views. This may insult him and hamper the flow of the GD. 9.Listening Always try and strike a proper balance between expressing your ideas and listening ideas. It will help you to counter argue in a better manner.

10. Awareness

You must be well versed with both the micro and macro environment. Your awareness about your environment helps a lot in your GD content, which carries maximum weight and for that ensure that you follow the current news and read newspapers as well. A cue which always helps in GD is that you must always carry a pen and a paper with you as it will help you to note down important points and try to make points both for and against the topic as it will help you make the counter arguments in a better way. You must always be seen trying to strike a balance and consensus as only consensus works at a work place and not conflict.

Sample topics for GD

Indian cultural values have nothing to fear from globalization The impact of economic reforms has been that rich people have become richer rich and poor people poorer. Management education is only for the rich. Reservation in parliament for women. The US dollar is no longer a stable currency.

The impact of Internet on India Behind every man there is a woman. Politicians are not interested in the future of our country. Wisdom does not come with age. Corruption is the main outcome of democracy. Is the consumer really the King in India? Conditional access system for cable TV watchers: boon or bane? Commercialization of health care: good or bad? Should agricultural subsidies be stopped? Do we lag behind China? Who says MNCs are superior to Indian companies? Food comes first, ethics later! Money is the sixth sense without which one can't enjoy the other five. English language as a mode of instruction in primary level. Men and Women are different. Whether reservation to women is beneficial? Modern cinema is a boon to Indian society. Should youth indulge in politics? Role of UN in peacekeeping. Position of Women in India compared to other nations. Environment Management. Is China better than India in software? Should SONIA Gandhi be made the PM BPOs in INDIA Govt contribution to IT Will punch lines rule the Advertisements? India or west , which is the land of opportunities "BALANCE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALISM AND FAMILY" Is it necessary to ban COCOCOLA in India? Cricket versus other sports

Present state of Indian Cricket team. Love marriage/Arranged marriage. Advantages of Co-education. Is peace and non-violence outdated concepts? Corruption is the price we pay for Democracy Foreign Television Channels are destroying our culture. What India needs is a Dictatorship. Kaun Banega Krorepati is less about knowledge but more about money and personality Beauty contests degrade womanhood Is dependence on computers a good thing? Should the public sector be privatized? Is India a Soft Nation? Value based politics is the need of the hour Religion should not be mixed with politics Why can't we be world players in industry as we are in software? Multinational corporations: Are they devils in disguise? Should there be private universities? Do banning fashion shows and New Year parties save our culture? The education system needs serious reforms Reality show are they harming the society. Showing Violence and Crimes should not be allowed in films and on television. Let us legalize gambling The objective of Management is to maximize profits Do professional managers have a chance in our family run businesses? The Internet is an exercise in hype Do Beauty and Brains Go Together? Marriage is a social trap Media is it good.

What should India strive for- Westernization or modernization? Developing countries need trade, not aid. Flexibility of labor laws is the key to attracting more Foreign Direct Investment. India should go for the presidential form of democracy. Reforms have to grow up. Is the consumer really the king in India?. Should businessmen run the finance ministry Should important services like transport be left to market forces? Globalization is good for developing countries Public sector being a guarantor of job security is a myth Religion is a private affair and should be of no concern for the state Decreasing defense expenditure and increasing social expenditure is the need of the hour Joint family is a blessing in disguise. Developing countries should spend more on development than on defence. Money is required to earn more money. Classical Music Heritage And The Growing Pop-Culture Nice Guys Finish Last All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy Bullet For Bullet: Is It The Right Policy? Should India Break Diplomatic Ties With Pakistan?

Strategies for Improving Your Discussion Skills

Asking questions and joining in discussions are important skills for jobs.If you find it difficult to speak or ask questions, try the following strategies.
Observe

Attend as many seminars and tutorials as possible and notice what other students do. Ask yourself: How do other make critical comments? How do they ask questions? How do they disagree with or support the topic? What special phrases do they use to show politeness even when they are voicing disagreement? How do they signal to interrupt, ask a question or make a point?
Practise

Practise outside to improve your discussion skills. Start in an informal setting or with a small group. Begin by:
asking questions. Ask for their opinions. Ask for information or ask for advice. Participate

If you find it difficult to participate in discussion, set yourself goals and aim to increase your contribution An easy way to participate is to add to the existing discussion. Start by making small contributions; agree with what someone has said or ask them to expand on their point (ask for an example or for more information); Prepare a question to ask beforehand. You can then work up to answering a question put to the group, providing an example for a point under discussion, or disagreeing with a point. What is an argument? To `argue' is to present an opinion through the process of reasoning, supported by evidence. An argument seeks to persuade through rational and critical judgement.

How do we argue at? The everyday meaning of the term argument implies a fight: an aggressive conflict or confrontation between adversaries, where one tries to dominate the other in order to `win'. In GD this kind of arguing is not appropriate. The aim of GD argument is to explore a question, proposition or an area of knowledge and achieve reasoned mutual understanding. It is not important who'`wins'what matters most is the quality of the argument itself. When you engage in GD argument in tutorial discussions, you are developing your ideas, advancing and clarifying your knowledge and learning to think critically . Participation: Voicing an opinion and arguing a point effectively

1. Voicing an Opinion in a Seminar Participating in a tutorial discussion can be a bit scary,specially when you want to disagree with a point of view and are not sure how to, or of which language structures to use. Voicing your opinion and using effective arguing techniques are valuable skills. You may have a great idea, but you need to communicate it effectively and support it. The three essential parts to a point of view are:

1. A valid opinion (a believable point of view)

I believe that ... I think that ... From what I understand ... As I understand it ...

2. A reason why
This is due to ... Because ... What I mean by this is ...

3. Evidence (relevant and up-to-date examples, statistics, explanations and/ or expert opinions). If you have actual data, examples or expert opinions on hand, refer to the source.
1.
o o o o o o o

This can be seen by For instance ... For example ... An example can be seen ... (Author's name) states that ... (Author's name) suggests... Statistics from (give a source) indicate ...

1. Arguing a Point: How to disagree effectively

Disagreeing can be problematic as people often speak before they think things through. It is also important to disagree politely. You may be trying to disprove another speaker's point, but

1. Acknowledge their point

I can see your point--however ... That's a good point, but ... I see what you're getting at, but ...

2. Then explain why you disagree

That's not always the case because ... That's not neccessarily true because ... This idea isn't supported by statistics/ evidence ... I thought the author meant that ...

3. Offer your opinion complete with reason and

support
From what I've read ... The statistics seem to show that ... I think what the author may actually be suggesting is ... Other studies by author/report show that ...

Now, be prepared for counter-argument and further discussion! Remember, confidence is the key. If you do your tutorial preparation and think things through, you can speak with confidence and believe that your contribution will

be valid. Discussion Etiquette (or minding your manners) In order to successfully negotiate discussion, courtesy is important. The following are a few ground rules for good conduct. Do Respect the contribution of other speakers. Speak pleasantly and with courtesy to all members of the group. Listen well to the ideas of other speakers; you will learn something. Remember that a discussion is not a fight. Learn to disagree politely. Respect that others have differing views and are not neccessarily `wrong'. Think about your contribution before you speak. How best can you answer the question/ contribute to the topic? Try to stick to the discussion topic. Don't introduce irrelevant information. Be aware of your body language when you are speaking. Keep it `open' and friendly. Avoid gestures that appear aggressive. Agree with and acknowledge what you find interesting. Stay with the topic. If the discussion does waiver, bring it back on topic by saying something like `Just a final point about the last topic before we move on' or `that's an interesting point, can we come back to that later? Try to speak clearly. Don't whisper; even if you're feeling uncertain about your ideas or language. Don't Don't take offence if a person disagrees with you. There will be times when other speakers will have different points of view. They may disagree with your ideas, and they are entitled to do so. Don't ridicule the contribution of others. Don't use comments like `that's stupid', that's ridiculous, or `you're wrong'. Don't try to intimidate or insult another speaker. Don't use a loud or angry tone. Others will not want to listen to you if you are being aggressive. Use a moderate tone and medium pitch. Avoid negative body language when speaking. Gestures like finger-pointing and tablethumping appear aggressive. Try not to dominate the discussion. Confident speakers should allow quieter students a chance to contribute. Avoid drawing too much on personal experience or anecdote. Remember not to generalise too much. Don't interrupt or talk over another speaker. Let them finish their point before you start. Listening to others earns you the right to be heard.

CRUCIAL CONCEPTS
EMOTION: When emotions run strong, the part of the brain controlling higher reasoning shuts down CONVERSATION: When stakes are high, opinions vary, emotions run strong. When entering a conversation focus on what your role is in it and what you want out of it. Establish a mutual purpose, which puts the other person at ease too. DIALOGUE: The free-flow of meaning between individuals or group MUTUAL PURPOSE: A shared goal that both parties can work towards making it safe POOL OF SHARED MEANING: As people contribute their opinions, the pool grows, making it possible to take a more informed decision Learn to manage your own emotions by focusing on actual reason for your reacting in that way DILEMMA: A false choice between two options where you need to find a way to do both. E.g. quality & productivity All of us may be capable of discussing matters in general with lot of patience and common sense, when it comes to crucial conversations, we tend to become stupid. Dont shut up!