still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only

stood
at $636 million. China actually utilised $60 billion of FDI in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its
1983 statistics."

~ Short story

Use a short story in a Group Discussion topic like, Attitude is Everything.

This can be initiated with, 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled
balloons, whether a blue-coloured balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-coloured balloon. The
balloon vendor told the child, it is not the colour of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.'

~ General statement

Use a general statement to put the Group Discussion in proper perspective.

For example, if the topic is, Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India?, you could start by
saying, 'Before jumping to conclusions like, 'Yes, Sonia Gandhi should be', or 'No, Sonia Gandhi should
not be', let's first find out the qualities one needs to be a a good prime minister of India. Then we can
compare these qualities with those that Mrs Gandhi possesses. This will help us reach the conclusion in a
more objective and effective manner.'

Summarisation Techniques

Most Group Discussions do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole group decides
in favour or against the topic.

But every Group Discussion is summarised. You can summarise what the group has discussed in the
Group Discussion in a nutshell.

Keep the following points in mind while summarising a discussion:

Avoid raising new points.

Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the Group Discussion.
Keep it brief and concise.
It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the Group Discussion.
If the examiner asks you to summarise a Group Discussion, it means the Group Discussion has come to
an end. Do not add anything once the Group Discussion has been summarised.

1. always be the initiator and concluder of the Group Discussion then being a participant.
2. But if you are particaipant always try to be the most vianl/key participant.
3. put points firmly and always try to get others support too.
4. if you find that the discussion os going offttrack then never loose an oppurtunity to bring it back to
straem 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 to get more points but try to keep cool.
7. most important don't wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on. inturrupt politely if you want to
put forward your points.
8. last but not the least keep atab 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 clonclusion, do end with the conclusion note. that shows your leadership quality.

Best scoring points are:

 Group Discussion

GD Tips
GD FAQ
Common Mistakes
GD Preparation
Facing GD
Need for GD
GD for MBA
GD Types A Group Discussion can be defined as a formal discussion involving ten to 12
participants in a group.

It is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills
that it desires in its members. In this methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few
minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss the it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

As in a football game, where you play like a team, passing the ball to each team member and aim for a common goal,
GD is also based on team work, incorporating views of different team members to reach a common goal.

Here are some of the most important personality traits that a candidate should possess to do well at a GD:

• Team Player
• Reasoning Ability
• Leadership
• Flexibility
• Assertiveness
• Initiative
• Creativity/ Out of the box thinking
• Inspiring ability
• Listening
• Awareness

1. 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.

2. Reasoning Ability

Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a GD.

For example, on India's growth and its effect's:

Any Answer for this should be based on reasons, not assumptions.
3. Leadership

There are three types of situations that can arise in a GD:

~ A GD where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much.
~ A GD where participants get emotionally charged and the GD gets chaotic.
~ 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.

A leader would have the following qualities:

~S/he shows direction to the group whenever group moves away from the topic.
~S/he coordinates the effort of the different team members in the GD.
~S/he contributes to the GD at regular intervals with valuable insights.
~S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views.
Caution: Being a mere coordinator in a GD does not help, because it is a secondary role.
Contribute to the GD with your ideas and opinions, but also try and steer the conversation towards a goal.

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.

Say the topic of a GD is, 'Should India Ban night work for Women at night hours?'

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.
Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point at the 11th hour, you end up in a typical catch-22 situation:

~If you change your stand, you are seen as a fickle-minded or a whimsical person.
~If you do not change your stand, you are seen as an inflexible, stubborn and obstinate person.

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.

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 imbibing ideas.

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 weightage.

Group Discussions are an important part of the short-listing process for admission to B-
Schools.

Why? Because business management is essentially a group activity and working with groups
is perhaps the most important parameter of career success as a manager.

These are the four main areas tested in your GD:

i. Content
ii. Communication skills
iii. Group dynamics
iv. Leadership

Content

Content is a combination of knowledge and the ability to create coherent, logical arguments on the basis of
that knowledge. Merely memorising facts is pointless. We need an in-depth understanding of various
issues as well as the ability to analyse the topic and build arguments.

For example, take the topic 'Are peace talks between India and Pakistan useless or useful?' The candidate
should be clearly aware that this is not a test of patriotism. Nor should he or she forget that the purpose of
the discussion is getting into a good B-School, and that his or her influence on India's foreign policy is
zilch. So, an emotional response would, in all probability, get you disqualified.

Go for a balanced response like, "Even though little has resulted from talks, it is certainly good to see the
talks continue." Please remember that your opinion does not matter. The depth of knowledge and logical
analysis you show is critical. Unfortunately, such analytical skills are rarely taught at the school and
graduate level, so learn and practise first.

ii. Communication skills

Communication is a two-way process, and the role of the listener is critical.

 • The listener has his own interpretation of what you say. Unless you listen to him, you cannot figure
out whether he or she has understood you.
• Unless you listen, the points you make may not fit in with points made by others. It is easy for an
experienced evaluator (moderator) to realise you aren't listening.

Besides listening, you also need the ability to:

• Express your ideas in a clear and concise manner.

• Build on others' points.
• Sum up the discussion made by the entire group.

iii. Group dynamics

As mentioned before, a GD is a formal peer group situation and tests your behaviour as well as your
influence on the group. Formal language and mutual respect are obvious requirements. In addition, you
need to have:

• Willingness to listen and discuss various points of view. Do not take strong views in the beginning
itself; try and analyse the pros and cons of a situation.
• Learn to disagree politely, if required. In fact, it is far better to put forward your point of view without
specifically saying 'I disagree' or 'You're wrong'.
• Show appreciation for good points made by others. You can make a positive contribution by
agreeing to and expanding an argument made by someone else.
• Size the opportunity to make a summary near the end or, even better, a part summary. Partial
agreement or part consensus is a sign of the group's progress. Complete agreement is impossible
in the timeframe allotted.

Leadership

One of the most common misconceptions about leadership is that it is all about controlling the group.
However, for the GDs we are talking about, leadership is all about giving direction to the group in terms of
content.

It is about initiating the discussion and suggesting a path on which the group can continue the discussion.

A good leader is one who allows others to express their views and channels the discussion to a probable
decision or conclusion on the given topic.

Types of GDs

i. Topic-based

~ Knowledge intensive: Here, the background knowledge of a subject is required for effective participation
(for example: Should India go in for full convertibility of the rupee?).

~ Non-knowledge intensive: Requires structured thinking, but subject knowledge is not required (for
example: Do women make better managers?)

~ Abstract: Requires out-of-the-box thinking, analogy and example-based discussion (For example: Money
is sweeter than honey, blue is better than red).

ii. Case studies

A structured discussion of a specific situation is given as a case. Sometimes, you will be asked to enact a
role play where each participant is allotted a role to play, with relevance to the case study.

iii. Group tasks

These are an extension of case studies where specific objectives are to be achieved as a group.

Conducting GDs

While there is a great deal of variety in the methodology of conducting a Group Discussion, let's discuss
the methodology commonly used for B-School selections.

Normally 8-10 students are taken as a group, though in some cases, up to 16 people may be included in a
group. The GD lasts for 10-15 minutes.

For a topic-based GD, 2-3 minutes of thinking time may be given; though the group is often told to start
right away. For case studies, however, about 15 minutes is given.

The evaluation is done by one or two experts, usually professors from the B-School itself. Please
remember that these people are experts with a lot of experience and can be counted upon to observe
all details, even if the GD is chaotic.

The candidates may be seated in a circle or in a rectangular arrangement, with or without a table.
Seating arrangements may be prefixed or there may be free seating.

The discussion may be stopped at the set time or even earlier. A conclusion or consensus may be asked
for, though it usually does not occur. A written or oral summary may asked for at the end from each
candidate.

How to prepare?

i. Content

~ Develop subject knowledge on current affairs, general awareness and business trends.
~ Structure arguments on selected topics, considering both sides to the argument.
~ Plan for short and lucid points.

ii. Practice

~ GD skills cannot be learned from books. Get into practice groups.

~ Get skilled people to observe and give feedback.
~ Spend a lot of time analysing each GD performance. Plan specific improvements

Rahul Reddy is an alumnus of IIM-C and the director of the Kolkata centre of T.I.M.E. He has over
Group discussions: Learning from mistakes
So you feel that this group discussion is going to end up like the others - no interview call? Possibly a rejection letter? If you
do, your group discussion is a lost cause even before you attend it. If you have attended even one group discussion in the
past, think of what could possibly have been the mistakes you may have committed. You could possibly list these mistakes
on paper, and take all efforts not to repeat them. To help you crack your fear of failure, here's a list of the most common
mistakes made at group discussions:

• Pavithra was very offended when one of the participants of the group discussion made a statement on women
generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Pavithra finally got an opportunity to speak
 instead of focussing on the topic she accused the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on defend
women in general.

This example highlights some of the common mistakes made during a group discussion

• Deviating from subject

• Treating the discussion as a forum to air your own views.

• Losing objectivity and making personal attacks.

This kind of behaviour is perceived as immature and is demotivating to the rest of the team.

• Sheila believed that the more she talked, the more likely she was to be evaluated positively. So at every
opportunity she would express her views, often interrupting other people. She did this so often that the other
candidates got together to prevent her from participating in the rest of the discussion.

• You are being assessed not only for your communication skills but also for your ability to work with a team.
• Your contribution to the discussion must be relevant.
• The evaluation will be based on the quality of your contribution rather than the quantity.

The aim of the group discussion is to get the various members of the team to express their opinions before coming to a
consensus. So avoid dominating the discussion. Rather encourage the rest of the team to contribute.

• Vijay was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. During the discussion, he took pains to
communicate to the others his vast knowledge of the topic. Every third sentence of his contained statistical data -
"33.3% of companies… 27.26% of employees felt that… I recently read in Fortune that…" Soon, the rest of the
team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them. The evaluator felt that Vijay was cooking up
the data.

• Even if your knowledge of the subject is encyclopaedic, you will end up being frowned upon by the panel and the
group if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.
• You need not validate all your statements with facts and figures.
• Your people skills are more important than the in-depth knowledge you have of the subject that you want the
evaluator to know about.

Being a show-off indicates how self-centered you are and only highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where
different opinions are expressed.

• Sharief knew that all the participants would compete with each other to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the
topic - "Discuss the negative effects of liberalisation on the Indian economy" - was read out, he began talking. In
his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word "negative" in the topic. He began discussing
the ways in which the country had benefited from liberalisation, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then
corrected his mistake.

• It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions.
• Spending a little time analysing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about.
• Listening gives you the time to conceptualise the data so you can present the information you have in a better
manner.

There's no worse way of getting noticed by the evaluator than by starting off the group discussion with a mistake.

• Madhavi was very nervous. She noticed that a couple of other candidates were exceptionally good. Because of her
insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. She was sure she did not stand a chance against the others.
Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to keep mum.
 • Your personality is also being evaluated. Your body language may reflect your low confidence.
• Participate in the discussion, rather than evaluating others and your performance. You are the participant not the
evaluator.
• Your language skills along with your self-confidence are what you will be evaluated on. Just having one of them is
not going to get you the job.

Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking negatively, as it will have a negative impact on your self-
confidence. The evaluator will pick up these cues from your body language.

four years of experience training students for CAT, GD and Personal Interviews.