Group Discussion round in Top B schools -10 blunders to avoid during G D round

Updated on February 21, 2014

Out of the whole Group Discussion group, only one or two get selected for the next round of admission process. Prof S.K. Agarwal, expert on management entrance tests gives you 10 mistakes to avoid during GD round at top b schools.

It is not important to be the first speaker in a GD but more important is what do you know and how do you speak

Healthy debate among 8-12 candidates in a specified time period of 12-15 minutes is the Group Discussion round. The exchange of opinions on a given topic is supposed to be an indicator of your leadership qualities, judgement of knowledge domain and communication skill.

Out of these 8 candidates, selection is bestowed on one or two while others get eliminated either due to their inadvertent mistakes or because they are not aware about the rules of the game. Learn from Prof S.K. Agarwal, expert on management entrance tests, how you could emerge as a winner in the Group Discussion round. This article shares with you the top 10 blunders students usually do in a Group discussion round at Top B schools.

1. Don’t begin till you know

Ignorance is a big problem in Group Discussion. Armed with pieces of advice, candidates begin to speak without giving any logical thought to the topic. If you know the topic and can express well on it, you may take the lead else may speak later. It is not important to be the first speaker in a GD but more important is what do you know and how do you speak. You may wait to be the second or third speaker after getting certain clues and outlining them before you speak.

2. Don’t put yourself in other’s shoes

Express your own ideas at length. If you simply follow the other speaker or his ideas, remember your elimination is imminent. Be yourself, when you speak. Your evaluator is sharp enough to judge your knowledge and skill during GD round.

3. Don’t keep mum, if you know

This is very crucial aspect of any Group Discussion round. Despite knowing the topic well, you hesitate to speak. It’s all due to the lack of practice. Sometimes, you think that let others speak and only then you should speak. You go on waiting and time is over but you never find the time to speak in a GD.

4. Don’t be wayward

A future manager will require communicating with number of people in all walks of life- like their colleagues, customers, higher ups. Verbal and written effective communication will be required in making policy decisions. If you are not able to express yourself coherently and go on beating about the bush, you are wasting your time. When you speak in a GD, you should speak to the point without any ambiguity of thought.

5. Don’t crisscross your ideas

The topics given in Group Discussion are debatable, you might like to speak for or against the topic and while speaking you forget that you are crossing your own lines. It gives a bad impact and you are judged a person who has no stand for his own thought.

For example if you are given the topic ‘Indian politics needs new generation’ or ‘Older politicians should give way to younger ones’ in a group discussion round and you find yourself comfortable to speak for the topic. While you are of the opinion that young ones will be full of energy, will be more active, will do the things enthusiastically, will bring innovative ideas, you begin to say that older politicians are needed to infuse energy and provide guidance to younger generation. Now despite being correct on that point, you are crisscrossing your own point. So be careful about that.

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6. Don’t be a part of fish market: be audible

The scene during the group discussion sometimes becomes a fish market where everyone is speaking but nothing is heard. If you continue speaking in the din, you are wasting time. It is not possible to win with a weak, low or timid voice. But if you have a strong voice clearly audible over the scene, this is the right time to speak in a slightly higher volume. This will bring silence and you will be able to convey your message well in the GD round.

7. Don’t look in a blank space while speaking

While speaking in group discussion, candidates are afraid of looking into eyes of their fellow participants for one or other reason. You are not a news reader but an aspirant who wants to leave a good impact of his expression. If you are speaking and looking towards the evaluator or in blank space, you are not expressing yourself. The strategy is to give a consistent look scanning all the participants in your group. Don’t look to a particular one but around entire group. It gives the impression that you are keen enough to make your point clear to everyone present there in the group discussion.

8. Avoid interruption and bullying

Apart from being a good speaker you are supposed to be a good listener too. It will help you to form more points to speak on and express yourself more effectively during the GD round. So do not unnecessary interrupt and demoralize other speakers. Listen to others, and outline your next expression points, present them when you speak.

9. Speaking once is not enough

Don’t be content with one round of one minute or half a minute speaking in the group discussion. Focus on key points, form the ideas and opinions to enter again. Thus find at least two-three opportunities to enter with effective speech of one to two minutes.

10. Don’t lose confidence

Number of aspirants find themselves got down when one or other of their points go wrong. In fact, you have to make the same good and recover during the given time. Do not therefore think like a loser, on the contrary prepare and outline some effective points and present yourself confidently in the GD round. It is not necessary that everything you speak will be acceptable but how you speak and what impression it leaves, is more important during Group Discussion.

Read Solved GD Topics:

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GD Topic for MBA: RBI's new governor has taken adequate steps to improve Indian Economy

GD Topic for MBA: Corruption is the root cause for Indian Economy slowdown

GD Topic for MBA: Opinion Polls be banned in pre election period

GD Topic for MBA: Should business lobbying be made legal in India?

For more GD Topics for MBA, Click Here

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