Group Discussion is a crucial round for an MBA aspirant. No matter how well you write your written test, it becomes difficult for a candidate to get the admission panel’s eye without doing well in this round. A group discussion (GD) is conducted in order to test a candidate’s credibility as a future manager in terms of communication skills, logical analysis, leadership abilities, quick decision making capability, etc. This is exactly what a future manager is judged upon. Measuring someone’s group behaviour is vital as in all future assignments a candidate has to perform within a group.
So, it becomes imperative for a student to prepare well for the same. Having said so, it’s not an overnight preparation. A student has to prepare from the moment the idea of doing an MBA is conceived.
Listed below are a few tips that can help you in preparing for GD in a disciplined manner:
• Train yourself to be a good listener
• Develop patience to listen attentively
• Acknowledge that everyone has something valuable to say
• Articulate your point of view in a way that is easy for others to comprehend
• Inculcate the habit of structuring your thoughts and presenting them logically
• Write essays on a variety of topics to practice and develop your thought structure
• Read more (newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), develop a keen interest in current affairs
• Seek opportunities to discuss various topics in groups
• Learn to respect others for what they are
• Learn to be open-minded and recognize the fact that people think differently about issues
• Train your mind to think analytically
In order to speak well one needs to prepare well on a wide range of topics which include:
Current Affairs
Current Affairs is something that you have to be thorough with. Following a newspaper and a news channel over a period of time can help you prepare for it. You may or may not get a topic related to current affairs in the GD but knowing about it will make you confident.
Historical topics
Keeping a fair knowledge about your country’s history will always help you cite some examples in a GD. It’s important to make use of some historical information in order to impress the panel.
Sports, Arts & Literature
In these topics, try to have a decent idea about what is popular, who are the leaders in each area, the latest that has happened in these areas. If the topic for GD is from these areas, then you will be in control of the situation, or else you can definitely use the information to draw references.
Data crunching
Do familiarize yourself with important data. Throwing in some data if required in your GD will definitely create an impression among the assessors. But do not sound like a statistical geek. Mention only if it is needed.
The most important part of your GD is to deliver your thoughts in an easy comprehensible manner. Communicating your views within a group is essential as most of you won’t be speaking alone. Another important parameter you are judged upon in a GD is how well you listen to other’s views and respect those. It is very important to understand that one needs to be open to opinions and accept things in a logical fashion.
Nothing makes the panel happier than the efforts to summarize what has been discussed so far. When the discussion is about to end, try to conclude it by taking in the points that everyone has made and coming to a decent conclusion. This will indicate your analytical skills and also the way you structure your thoughts.
Comments Off on How to Prepare for a GD
