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2. But if you are participant always try to be the most vial/key participant.
3. put points firmly and always try to get others support too.
4. If you find that the discussion is going off track then never loose an opportunity to bring it back to stream
this is the best point to score max.
5. Try to keep latest information on the topic.
6. be very polite, people may try to provoke you to get more points but try to keep cool.
7. Most important don't wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on. Interrupt politely if you want to put
forward your points.
8. Last but not the least keep a tab on the time given for discussion. Score points by wrapping up the
discussion if you feel that the discussion is heating but the time is going to be over.
9. During conclusion, do end with the conclusion note. That shows your leadership quality.
Best scoring points are:
1. Initiation of discussion,
2. Always keeping/trying to keep discussion on track
3. Conclusion on time.
4. Your capability to keep your cool and listen as well as putting your points.
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Related Questions
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2. My GD Experience
3. May 22nd 2005 - Infosys Interview Hyderabad - Naveen
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8. REALLY VERY GOOD INFOSYS INTERVIEW SESSION WITH GOOD OPTIONAL ANSWER
9. Accenture Placement Question Paper
10. Infosys Test, 6 Nov, Hyderabad.
Many companies conduct group discussion after the written test so as to check on your
interactive skills and how good you are at communicating with other people. The GD is
to check how you behave, participate and contribute in a group, how much importance
do you give to the group objective as well as your own, how well do you listen to
viewpoints of others and how open-minded are you in accepting views contrary to your
own. The aspects which make up a GD are verbal communication, non-verbal behaviour,
conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as
true as possible to these aspects.
1. In a group discussion what should my objectives be and how should I achieve them?
2. Is it wise to take a strong stand either in favor or against the topic right at the start of
a Group Discussion ?
3. Is it a good strategy to try and be the first speaker on the topic in a GD?
4. In an interview how does one handle the question "Tell us about yourself?".
5. Is it better to have a longer selection interview or a shorter one?
6. In the MBA entrance interview how do I justify my decision to pursue the MBA
programme?
In a group discussion what should my objectives be and how should I achieve them?
In order to succeed at 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 by the evaluator to have made a meaningful contribution
in n attempt to build the right consensus.
In other words you must ensure that you are heard by the group. If the group hears you
so will the evaluator. You must get at least some airtime. If you are not a very assertive
person you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those 15 minutes. If you get
cowed down easily in an aggressive group, you can say goodbye to the business school
admission.
Many GD participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact
of the matter is that in no GD 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 suggests
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.
Therefore, think things through carefully. 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. Can you state something different? Can
you take the group ahead if it is stuck at one point? Can 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, in times of chaos a person who restores order to the group
is appreciated. Your level of participation in a fish market kind of scenario 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 a person who provides
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?
The reason why an attempt to build a consensus is important is 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.
What are the ways that you can try to build consensus?
First, you must not just talk, you should also listen. You must realize that other people
also may 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 of others.
You must try and resolve contradictions and arguments of others in the group. You
must synthesize arguments and try 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.
Try and summarize the discussion at the end. In the summary do not merely restate
your point of view; also accommodate dissenting viewpoints. If the group did not reach
a consensus, say so in your summary.
You must carry people with you. So do not get emotional, shout, invade other people's
private space.
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 others in the GD as well as the examiner is to appoint
yourself as a de facto chairperson of the group. Do not try to impose a system whereby
everyone gets a chance to speak in turn. A GD 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 is no substitute
for discussion.
Do not address only 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. 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 stand either in favor or against the topic right at the start of a
Group Discussion?
In theory yes. If you believe something why shouldn't you 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 strong and dogged stance 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. We therefore recommend that after you hear the topic you think about it for a
minute with 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 a balanced
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 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 try and be the first speaker on the topic in a GD?
In most GD's the opening speaker is the person who is likely to get the maximum
uninterrupted airtime. The reason is simple - at the start most other participants in the
GD 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 is a double edged sword. If the opening speaker talks sense naturally he will get
credit because he opened and took the group in the right direction. If on the other hand
the first speaker doesn't have too much sense to say, he will attract the undivided attention
of the evaluators to his shortcomings. He will be marked as a person who speaks without
thinking merely for the sake of speaking. 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
GD performance depending how you handle it. Speak first only if you have something
sensible to say. Otherwise keep shut and let someone else start.
In an interview how does one handle the question "Tell us about you?"
An often asked opening question. Perhaps the most frequently asked question across
interviews. Your opening statement needs to be a summary of your goals, overall
professional capabilities, achievements, background (educational and family), strengths,
professional objectives and anything about your personality that is relevant and
interesting. This question represents an opportunity to lead the interviewer in the
direction you want him to go e.g., your specialty or whatever else you may wish to
highlight.
Your intention should be to try to subtly convince the interviewers that you are a good
candidate, you have proved that in the past, and have a personality that fits the
requirement. Remember that the first impression you create will go a long way in the
ultimate selection. Keep in mind, most candidates who are asked this question just blurt
out their schooling, college, marks and qualifications. All this is already there in the CV.
A final word on approaching this question. Once you have said what you have to say -
shut up. Don't drone on for the sake of speaking for you just might say something
foolish. Sometimes interviewers don't interrupt in order to give the candidate the
impression that he has not spoken enough. This is just a stress inducing tactic. Don't fall
for it, if you feel you have spoken enough. In case the pause gets too awkward for you
just add something like,
"Is there something specific that you wish to know about me?"
If the panel feels that it has gathered enough information about the candidate in 15
minutes of the interview commencing and that it has no further questions to ask the
interview will be terminated in 15 minutes. If on the other hand the panel takes an hour to
gather the information required to take a decision the interview will last for an hour. In
either case the decision could be positive or negative. It is a fallacy to believe that
interview panels take longer interviews of candidates whom they are more interested in.
No panel likes to waste its time. If an interview is lasting longer than usual then it only
means that the panel is seeking more information about the candidate in order to take a
decision.
In the MBA entrance interview how do I justify my decision to pursue the MBA
programme?
When you are asked this for God's sake don't tell the panel that you are looking for a
"challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". That is the first
answer that most candidates think of. Unfortunately it is the last answer that will get you
admission. In the answer to a direct question on this subject you must convey to the
interview panel that you have made a rational and informed decision about your career
choice and your intended course of higher study. There are broadly six areas which your
answer could touch upon :
Career Objectives : You could talk about your career objectives and how the two year
MBA programme will help you achieve them. This implies that you have a clear idea of
what your career objectives are and how you wish to achieve them. For example you may
want to be an entrepreneur and wish to set up your independent enterprise after doing
your MBA and then working for a few years in a professionally managed company. You
could explain to the panel that the MBA programme will provide you with the necessary
inputs to help you run your business enterprise better. But then you must be clear about
what the inputs you will receive in the MBA programme are.
Value Addition : That brings us to the second area that your answer should touch upon.
What is the value you will add to yourself during your two year study of management.
Value addition will essentially be in two forms knowledge and skills. Knowledge of the
various areas of management e.g. marketing, finance, systems, HRD etc. and skills of
analysis and communication. You will find it useful to talk to a few people who are either
doing their MBA or have already done it. They will be able to give you a more detailed
idea of what they gained from their MBA.
Opportunities and Rewards : You could also at this stage mention the opportunities
that are opening up in organizations for management graduates. Highlight with
examples. At the end you may mention that while monetary rewards are not everything
they are also important and MBAs do get paid well. You must not mention these reasons
as your primary motivators even if that may be the case.
General Tips
• A good level of general awareness will come in handy so that you aren't at
a loss of words on certain issues.
• Understand the topic and analyse it mentally before speaking.
• Be clear about the purpose and content of your viewpoint.
• One should be able to communicate his views in an effective manner to
everyone. Be clear in speech, audible but not too loud and above all
remain confident.
• Remember the six C's of effective communication -- Clarity,
Completeness, Conciseness, Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy.
• You should maintain eye contact with all others in the group and not focus
on a particular person for he may benefit from that.
• Be responsive to ideas from other people and seem to be very receptive
and open-minded but don't allow others to change your own viewpoint.
• Starting the discussion is considered to be good however it isn't that
important; what is important is that you speak for a period long enough for
you to be able to communicate your viewpoint.
• Always maintain your calm and never get aggressive. If you haven't been
able to talk then one can cut in saying "Excuse me, but what I think is
.........." or something of that sort.
• Never lose your temper and never attack anyone on a personal front. Your
attitude should be one of cooperation and not one of conflict.
• Don't lose sight of the goal of the discussion.
• Listen to any criticisms and give them a thought before trying to defend
your views.
SOME GD TOPICS
Define secularism. Constitution calls our country such a state, but how things have
changed over the last 50 years. Spread of nationalism. Division into majority and
minority groups-e.g. benefits given to minority groups perceived as a threat by others.
Role of non-tolerant neighbors in fuelling fundamentalism. It is a passing phenomenon.
We have the national character to overcome this.. Points along these lines can be
discussed.
A nation of 950 million, we fail to produce great champions barring the occasional
Vishwanathan Anand or Geet Sethi. Sports system steeped in bureaucracy. Overriding
popularity of cricket leading to neglect in other sports.Traditionally, sports not accorded
much importance by us as a career. Need to develop sports from the primary school level-
"catch em young". Various incentives to be given to budding sportsmen like academic
credits, sports in lieu of a few other subjects etc. Development of sports infrastructure,
making it amenable and affordable...etc.....
Talk what you know about this topic . Talk of its relevance in day to day life( or
irrelevance if you feel so..). Talk of its influence in literature e.g. Influence of Kant on the
romantic poets especially Wordsworth or of Bacon, Voltaire et al on the "Enlightenment"
period etc. Talk of its influence in politics e.g. Influence of Nietszche on Hitler and
subsequent genocide during Nazi regime etc. Talk of ethics and morals and their
importance in life. talk of Indian philosophy. the Gita. Discuss whether we use any of
these in our lives and their importance in moulding our values...etc...
The most important skill for success in to have people on your side. One can get a lot of
work done by superiority and hierarchy but one cannot be a leader of men unless one
maintains excellent human relations.Its importance not only in professional life but
personal life too.Knowledge and expertise does one no good if one cannot maintain
proper human relations...etc.
The Indian products and manufacturing techniques. Why are we unable to sustain against
global competition.Our mindset towards quality. Indian attitude of "chalta hai" which
leads to an undemanding customer which in turn lets people get away with substandard
products and services. Today competition is forcing our industry to adhere to global
standards so we are getting there in terms of quality. Examples of our software industry
which is recognised for its ability to meet global standards etc. Since the topic is general,
we can extrapolate it to our quality of life-the air , the water , the facilities we have, the
infrastructure we have, the services we get and put up with ....etc......
This is a topic which provides ample scope for dialectics. One can argue for and against
it. One of the best examples is Bill Gates who went on to become the richest man in the
world despite dropping out of hid education. Closer home we have the example of
Dhirubhai Ambani. What a person learns and what he really wants to do has no
correlation many a times. A person succeeds only if he likes what he does.The argument
for education will be that, in practice, it is your marks and qualifications that opens doors
for you. While one can become successful without education, education brings about a
richness in one's life. One is able to appreciate many facets of life due to the extended
knowledge that education provides. It opens a new window and provides a different
perspective towards things, ability to distinguish between ethical and unethical, moral
and amoral ....etc. http://www.ChetanaSinterview.com
But despite this there are also many examples which have not been repeated ( or rather
not brought out to the fore as they were not repeated). This could mean we have indeed
learnt from history and avoided those mistakes. In fact that has been the purpose of
teaching history so as not to repeat them. Today fear of war is directly due to the record
history places before us...etc....
A typical Indian villages and its myriad problems. Lack of basic amenities and
infrastructure. their contribution to the economy both in goods and services vis-a-vis their
urban counterparts. they could be an even bigger drivers of our economy if they are made
self reliant by improving infrastructure and reducing the general disparities between cities
and villages ...etc...etc
Speaking for the topic one can argue the following- time and again it has made us self
reliant in food. This increases our bargaining power tremendously in the world economy.
Internally also food prices can be kept low and this will have a direct bearing on inflation.
This would bolster the economy and provide us freedom from world bodies and other
nations.
Against the topic-agrarian economy is at the mercy of climatic conditions. A bad summer,
monsoon, or winter could bring the nation down. It will have a spiral effect as increased
prices will lead to inflation and problems associated with it. World bodies and other
nations will dictate terms..etc....
Wishful thinking indeed! It would be the key element for world peace. There will be no
instrument to wage a war. It will also remove fear and distrust among various nations. We
wont have a defence budget. This means more funds channelised into other productive
areas. Reduced terrorism and very little separatist groups
But the disadvantage could be imposition by one group, anarchy, laissez faire politics,
lawlessness..etc..
The role of some countries in "disciplining" others. Assuming on itself to decide what is
right and what is wrong for the whole world. Bullying others into submission by its sheer
economic power. Overriding the brief of world bodies in world politics C he ta naS
Suggest alternatives like more authority to world bodies like UN etc which is more
representative of everyone's interests. More assertiveness to be shown by other nations to
such policing nations . making more nations self reliant so that we have less of "Big
Brother" Syndrome....etc.....
Some undesirable practices over a long time. Dowry- prevalent even among the educated
class, Sati- recent example of a lady in North India, Child marriages- still prevalent in
backward areas etc. Reason on why do we still follow such customs. Traditional
subjugation of women-present even in big cities among upper class society. Allied
problems due to such customs- intolerance, fundamentalism, exploitation, etc
http://www.ChetanaSinterview.com
Suggest ways out of this like education the masses, indicating the outmodedness and
irrelevance of such practices today...etc...
As every one tries to be one up on the other in the race for industrialisation, deforestation
is taking place on a large scale. This effect is more pronounced in developing countries. It
has made a perceptible difference in the last 50 years with rising temperatures. Global
warming. Greenhouse effect. Ozone layer depletion. El Nino type effects. Similarly it has
affected other living beings-both plant and animals driving many of them to
extinction..etc...
But people have realised it now. A lot of NGOs and voluntary bodies are working on it.
Infact there is even a Greens party in Germany which has been winning elections using
the environmental plank...etc....
NGOs have become very powerful today. They have a major role to play in politics as
they swerve peoples opinion. They enjoy a lot of support and goodwill of the people.
They can also make or break a business. They protect the interests of the people and
represent a collective voice against anything that goes against their interests. Most of the
times NGOs are more capable in securing a fair deal for the general good. Also the NGOs
have shown that they are in a better position to handle social issues than most
governments ...etc...