GROUP DISCUSSION

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION

1. WHAT IS GROUP DISCUSSION ?

2. FEATURES OF GROUP DISCUSSION

3. MERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION

4. DEMERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION

5. SKILLS REQUIRED IN GROUP DISCUSSION

WHAT IS GROUP DISCUSSION ?

Group discussions are a very important aspect of group communication. Group discussions are a creative and dynamic activity which stimulates reflective thinking among the members. Group discussions may be defined as an activity in which a small number of persons meet face to face and exchange and share ideas freely or attempt to reach a decision on a common issue.

Group discussions are unstructured and less formal compared to meetings or conferences wherein specific roles are assigned to the participants. In a group discussion, an individual’s thought process is influenced by the views and opinions of the other members. It also depends on where and in which direction the mood of the discussion moves. In a group discussion, each participant is free to speak his views. A successful group discussion involves both listening and speaking

FEATURES OF GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Group Discussion, as the name itself indicates, is a group activity carried out by participating individuals. It is an exchange of ideas among the individuals of a group on a specific topic.

2. It is used as a reliable testing device – mainly as a tool to assess all the candidates in a group in order to select the best candidate in comparative perspective.

3. It is an informal discussion in which participants of the same educational standard discuss, exchange and share their views and opinions on a topic of current interest.

4. It is also known as leaderless discussion because its main aim is to find out the natural leadership quality of the participating candidates.

5. The main feature of group discussion is the conflict, which is a difference or disagreement among the members of the group. It usually develops when every member of the group has a different opinion regarding the discussion topic. It can stimulate the members to find new solutions to the problem. If it arises due to the political behavior of the members, it may have dysfunctional consequences.

MERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION

1. It helps to combine individual strengths of the group members and hence has a set of varied skill sets applied in the decision making process.

2. It provides a deeper understanding of the subject as every member of the group has different opinions and views regarding the discussion topic.

3. It provides the ability to think critically as it enables a participating candidate to think in divergent directions to generate more points and a good presentation of the topic.

4. It enhances confidence in speaking as each participant gets an opportunity to share his/her views and opinions in front of other members of the group regarding the discussion topic , which increases his/her confidence.

5. It gives an opportunity to hear the opinions of other persons as equal opportunity is provided to every participant to share and exchange the views and opinions regarding the discussion topic.

DEMERITS OF GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Domination by the few – Group Discussion can be dominated by one or a few members of the group. If this dominant coalition is composed of low and medium ability members, the group’s overall effectiveness will be affected.

2. Pressure to conform – There are social pressures in a group. The desire by group members to be accepted and considered as an asset to the group can result in squashing any overt disagreement, thus encouraging conformity some view point.

3. Time-consuming – It takes time to assemble a group. The interaction that takes place, once the group is in place, is frequently inefficient. The result is that group take more time, to reach a solution. This can limit management’s ability to act quickly and decisively when necessary.

SKILLS REQUIRED IN GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Communication Skills –

1.1 Having good communication skills show that you are a good listener and a speaker, the top qualities of a leader.

1.2 Good communication skills also helps students grab the attention of the panelists.

1.3 It emphasises clarity of thought, hence leaving less scope for misunderstandings.

2. Cooperation Skills –

2.1 Acknowledging other’s point of view

2.2 Giving others a chance to speak

2.3 If someone has said something that you agree with, re-phrase it coherently giving that person due credit

SKILLS REQUIRED IN GROUP DISCUSSION contd.

3. Leadership Skills –

3.1 Give others an opportunity to speak

3.2 If you disagree, put your point through politely stating the reasons

3.3 Display a pleasing personality trait and uphold the etiquette of a group discussion

4. Analytical Skills –

4.1 First analyse the topic and then speak up with a relevant statement, fact or statement.

4.2 Blabbering without making any point will definitely take you to the bad books of the panelists. Make sure that whatever point you make has a direction.

4.3 Be open to suggestions and different opinions.

SKILLS REQUIRED IN GROUP DISCUSSION contd.

5. Subject Knowledge –

5.1 You should read a lot and gain significant knowledge on various topics spanning commerce, politics, arts, law, media, social causes etc. so that speaking up in the discussion come naturally to you.

5.2 Providing facts and figures (in numbers) give you an added advantage over other candidates in a group discussion.

6. Attitude and Confidence –

6.1 Smile while you greet everyone in the room (both panelists and your fellow students.

6.2 Convey your point to other candidates coherently If you disagree, express the same, but politely citing the reasons.

6.3 Never try and dominate other candidates. Let them speak without getting into a fight.

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