Tips and tricks to excel in a Group Discussion

Group discussion is a new trend that has come up in order to evaluate student personality. A group of participants are made to discuss on a topic or subject for a limited time and then assessed accordingly. It is a chance for you to be more vocal. There are a lot of advantages of a group discussion: 1. It helps to shed away the shyness of a candidate and brings his viewpoint amidst all. 2. It stimulates to think in a different, new way. 3. It helps the candidate in understanding his/ her own strengths and weaknesses. 4. It acts as an aid in expansion of the knowledge of the participant. 5. It helps to analyse the social or economic issues more logically. Not just these, there are various other advantages to add on to. But, let us first have a glimpse of how to perform well in a group discussion. Here is a list of what should be done and what should be avoided at a Group Discussion (GD) 1. Be as natural as possible. Do not try to be someone you are not. Be yourself. In an attempt to be someone else, your opinions will not be portrayed. 2. Sit with a straight and confident posture. 3. Be assertive yet humble. You need to stick to your values and beliefs, but learn to respect the values and opinions of others too. 4. Grab the opportunity to speak first, i.e. to start the group discussion with your opinion. It generally leaves a good impression on the evaluator, but take the move only if you have complete knowledge of the subject. 5. Do not repeat a point, or be lengthy or irrelevant. Also intervene, if someone else is going on an irrelevant track. 6. Facilitate contribution from others. Do not just go on and on and on with only your opinionated view. Remember, it is a group discussion. Allow others to speak too. 7. Make an eye contact with all the participants. It creates more room for conversation. Also keep nodding, when others speak, it shows receptivity. 8. Be an active and dynamic participant. The examiner wants to hear you speak. So do put forth your views. 9. Be positive and prepare your thoughts well but do not be over-confident. 10. Think well before you speak. You are being heard and judged upon. 11. When raising an objection to a point kept by another speaker, back it up with a solid reason to get the point across. 12. Use quotes, facts and figures, statements, everyday life examples to express a clear chain of thoughts. Also it might leave a good impression on the examiner and help you score well. These are some basic yet very vital tips that will help you feel a bit more confident about yourself and make you ready to appear for that group discussion trendIn India Today