Group Discussions (GD) are powerful screening techniques to judge and select the right candidates for admission to an academic course or for a job. The purpose of a GD is to assess the candidates’ ability to think coherently in an organised and logical manner. It also brings out a candidate’s personal and leadership skills and behaviour in a group.

The purpose of this article is to suggest ways to enhance the quality and utility of GD, both by the selectors (panel) and the participants.

A discussion involves a group of persons who exchange information on a problem of common interest, need and/or value and to arrive at a solution/decision, with consensus, in an orderly and progressive manner. As a group, the members should focus on task achievement, with the involvement and cooperation of all members, and provide member satisfaction and development.

The members of the selection panel have a common perspective and agreed understanding of the criteria to be applied for selecting the right candidates. The candidates should also be made aware of these criteria so that the discussions are meaningful and on the right track.

A member of the group may play one or more of the following roles during a GD; A leader, a coordinator, a moderator, an assimilator, a distracter, a spectator, an occasional talker/contributor, or a summariser.

In each of these roles the candidate is likely to display his personal skills, talent and behaviour. The Panel should observe the following aspects during the discussions to aid their evaluation of the candidate. 

Personal skills

*Effective and positive
Initiative: to talk, to propose goals or actions, to lead, to confront, to define problems, suggesting a procedure, in clarifying, summarizing,

Self-confidence, assertive (not aggressive) warmth and enthusiasm, relaxed and cooperative attitude.
Depth of knowledge, level of understanding of the subject, and giving new information, critical analysis of an idea, testing an idea against available information to see if it is feasible.

Positive Reactions: shows solidarity, raises others’ status, releases tension, concurs and complies.
Consistency: in logical thinking, reasoning and presentation of facts/solutions, objectivity.
*Ineffective and negative

Avoidance or disinterest: Pursuing one’s own agenda not related to the subject, straying away from the subject, lack of commitment, lack of involvement, passive rejection, preventing the group from arriving at a consensus.
Display of aggression: Deflating others’ status, attacking individuals or group or their values, defending or asserting aggressively.

Domination: Asserting authority/superiority/expertise to manipulate the group or some members, interrupting the contributions of others, controlling the group by one’s behaviour.

Blocking or thwarting: disagreeing with others beyond reason, resisting any group decision for personal reasons and using ways to thwart the progress of the group.

Shallow knowledge: Superficial understanding of the subject, repetition of others’ ideas as one’s own.

Group Skills

Group Maintenance through harmonising, reconciliation of disagreements, reducing tension, getting people to see others’ points of view.

Gate keeping, by helping to keep communication channels open, facilitating the participation of others, making consistent efforts to help each one to relate with others in the group, promote free and permissive climate.

Consensus testing: By checking if a group is nearing a decision.

Encouraging others: by being friendly, warm and responsive towards them, using facial expressions or positive remarks to indicate the acceptance of contributions from others, keeping an informal rather than stiff atmosphere.  

Compromising: Offering alternatives, admitting errors, maintaining group cohesion and interest.

Leadership skills

Influence: ability to persuade others, encourage participation and compromise, effective communication and listening skills, and building confidence of the group,

Coordination: This is a difficult skill involving people with different behaviours and personalities; ability to be impartial and understand interactions and inter-personal relations or problems.

Summarizing: For the group with their approval and getting their acceptance. It should be objective, clear, fair and quick.

Controlling the discussion: by not allowing any one member to monopolise the discussion or brow-beat the others, by dealing tactfully with irrelevant or facetious contributions; ability to think quickly and check fallacies.

Improving quality of discussions: by making points that enhance its value, avoiding personal arguments,
groupism, and by highlighting and assimilating the important points, clarifying and helping the group to arrive at a consensus.

The most important aspect of a group discussion is to know that cooperation is the basis of an effective group discussion and effective communication is the key to productivity.

WHAT CANDIDATES NEED TO KNOW

*Have empathy: put yourself in the other man’s shoes and see his point of view dispassionately.
*Control over tongue and body language: Lack of this skill shows immaturity and emotional imbalance.
*Have an open mind and avoid pre-conceived notions about a person or a subject.
*Disregard personal attacks and unnecessary remarks against you. Avoid arguments that are not constructive.
*Treat every one as important as you are.
*Do not laugh at another’s mistake or ignorance, and don’t belittle any contribution.
*Have the magnanimity to allow others to express their views, and hold on to the floor for a long time.
*Listen and concentrate at all times. Be alert.
*Use language that is clear, accurate, appropriate and intelligible. 
*Be friendly; don’t throw challenges or take a stand from which you cannot get out.