Be different': The success mantra for cracking GD

During a training session, held on Friday, as part of The Hindu Education Plus Club activity at GMR Institute of Technology (GMRIT), Rajam, the Director of Conduira Mohammed Abdullah, gave an elaborate understanding of GD with a few tips on how to crack it.

According to him the methodology is the same. A group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few minutes to think about and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15 to 20 minutes.

“Group discussion is conducted to assess the candidates ability to work in a team, communication skills, reasoning ability, leadership skills, ability to initiate a process, assertiveness, flexibility, creativity, observation skills, body language and spontaneity,” says the Director of Conduira.

He adds, “Be it a recruiting company or a top management institute, the reason why institutes put you through a group discussion session and an interview, after testing your technical and conceptual skills in an exam, is to get to know you as a person and gauge how well you will fit in their institute. The GD tests how you function as a part of a team.

As a manager, you will always be working in teams, as a member or as a leader. Therefore how you interact or work in a team becomes an important criterion for your selection. That is the reason why management institutes include GD as a component of the selection procedure.”

1. Voice and eye contact: The volume of your voice should neither be very low nor very high. But at the same time maintain an assertive tone. Do not look at the evaluators only. Keep eye contact with every team member while speaking.

2. Initiate the GD: Initiating the GD is a big plus point. But speak only if you have an idea of the topic, as speaking without proper subject knowledge gives a bad impression.

3. Allow others to speak: Include and involve every member of the team. Do not interrupt anyone in-between while speaking. Even if you don't agree with his or her thoughts do not take away their chance to speak. Instead make some notes and clear the points when it's your turn.

4. New dimensions: Try to add new dimensions in the discussion. Avoid stereotyping. Mentally prepare your argument and counter argument.

5. Speak clearly: Clarity in your speech and thought is the hallmark of success in GD. Speak politely and clearly. Use simple and understandable words while speaking. Don't be too aggressive if you are disagreeing with someone. And also speak sensibly. Do not speak just to increase your speaking time.

6. Positive attitude: Be confident or at least act confident. Do not try to dominate anyone. Keep positive body language. Show interest in discussion.

And take a stance in the discussion and stick to it. For example if the topic is ‘Is president rule good or bad'. Take a stance and stick to it by supplementing your argument with good examples or small case studies.

7. Observation skills: Listen carefully to others. ‘Speak less and listen more' is the key. Pay attention while others are speaking. Jot down a few points while others speak to make up your argument.

8. Think from a different angle: Train your mind to think differently. Adding a new dimension to the discussion takes you a few steps ahead of the others. Showcase your knowledge. But at the same time there is no need to go into too much of details. Some basic subject analysis is sufficient. “Be different” is the success mantra in GD.

9. Adjust to your weakness as quickly as possible and never exhibit it.

10. Formal dressing: Finally do not take it casually. No fancy and funny dressing.

The members of the EPlus club from GMRIT and Sri Grandhi Chinna Sanyasi Raju Degree (GCSR) College and students from other streams attended the programme. The Training and Placement Officer of GMRIT Sangeetha Murthy and mentors of the club Sreenivas and Laxman Rao were present.