GD Tips byCharanpreet Singh Alumnus- IIT-Kanpur, University of Iowa Ex- Country Manager, Marketing- Hewlett Packard

1. Arriving just-in-time, or worse still, arriving late for the selection process:Being punctualshowsyouvaluetimeandrespecttheinstitutestimeaswell.Arrivingearly givesyouachancetofamiliariseyourselfwiththeenvironment,meetyourcompetitors andbecomealittleeasyaboutthewholething.Lessstressequalsbetterperformance. 2. Not having a crisp, simple and effective speech prepared for the introduction:Oftenmoderatorsasktheparticipantstointroducethemselves.Itsounds simplesocandidatesdontgivethispartmuchthought.Consequently,weseepoorlystructured,fumblingintroductions,makinganegativeimpressiononthepaneland participants. 3. Clarifying the topic with the moderator:Ifyoudonotknowmuchaboutordonot understandthetopic,theworstthingyoucandoisaskthemoderator.Itshowsyouin poorlight,eitherintermsofknowledgeoranalyticalability,orboth.Youneedtokeep quietandlistentoyourpeers;asthediscussionunfolds,youwillknowwhattosay. 4. Scrapping to start the discussion without having anything useful to say:Starting thediscussiondoesnotbyitselfnecessarilygiveyouextrapoints;itdoes,however,give yousomevisibility.So,ifyoudomanagetostart,makesureyoumakeapositiveimpact. Itsbetternottostartthediscussionthantomakeanaverageorpoorstart. 5. Failing to recognise that a GD is not a debate:Majorityofcandidatesstartthe discussionbyvoicingtheirownopinionthatstypicallythedebatesituation.InGDs, moderatorslookforcandidateswhocancreateaframeworkfordiscussionorhelpwiden itsscopebyguidingthegrouptoexploreitsdifferentaspects.Ifallyouhavetosayis whetheryouagreewiththetopicornot,andthattoobeforeyougetachancetodiscuss itwiththegroup,youhavemadeapoorstart. 6. Showing aggression:Manycandidatesbelievethatthecorporateworldisseeking aggressivemanagers.Theindustry,onthecontrary,islookingformanagerswho canworkinandwithteamsandwhoareassertivewithoutbeingaggressive.Tobe aggressiveistoimpingeonothersspaceandtimeandthatsnothowaprofessionalis expectedtoconducthim/herself.So,dontcomeacrossasasmoke-spoutingmatador; youneedtocomeacrossasaneffectiveteam-playerwhoworkswiththegroup, accommodatesdiverseviewpointsandassertshim/her-selfwithoutaggression. 7. Trying to be the leader of the group:Leadershipcannotbedemanded,itis bestowedbythegroupandyouhavetoearnitonthebasisofthequalityofyour performance.Candidatesoftentryveryhardtoassumealeadershippositioninthe groupobviouslyinthebeliefthatthemoderatorisassessingthemonleadership potential.Theeffortshowsand,almostalways,withdisastrousresults.Ifyouadd valuetothediscussionbydemonstratingknowledgeandanalyticalabilityandconduct yourselfwithdignity,youmayemergeasaleader. 8. Trying to play moderator:Youareanequalamongotherequalsinthegroup thusnodivinepowerhasgivenyoutherighttodecidehowothersinthegroupshould

conductthemselves.Thisisusuallymisconstruedasteamskillsbytheparticipantsbut isactuallyunnecessarypolicing.Thereisnoonemoreirritatingforthemoderatorthan amembermakinginanestatementslikewemustalloweveryonetospeakandweare digressingfromthesubject.Youareassessedonyourabilitytomakecompellingpoints onthesubjectassignedjustdoagoodjobofthatandtheassessmentwilltakecareof itself. 9. Grabbing airtime:Mostpeoplelovetohearthemselvesspeak.Mostalsobelieve thattheyhavethemostearth-shatteringperspectivestoshareandthateveryoneelse shouldjustshutupandlistentothem.Armedwiththesebeliefs,somecandidatestalk themselvestotheproverbialdeathinGDs.Peoplewhoinsistontalkingalotendup talkingnonsenseandrepeatingthemselvesad-nauseum.Thesestudentsareprime candidatesforrejectionnoB-schoolwantstofillupitscampuswithpeoplewhodont letotherstalk. 10. Playing judge:Ihavementionedthatawannabemoderatoristhemostirritating speciesinaGD.Averyclosesecondistheself-appointedjudge,whospendshis/her timeintheGDmakingincisivestatementslikeyoumadeagoodpoint,hedidnot makesensetome,Iagreewithher,etc.Goodtoknowwhoallareblessedwithyour approval,butwhataboutmakingacontributiontothediscussionwithsomevalid,wellthought-outpoints? 11. Failing to listen to others:Thehallmarkofgoodcommunicationiseffective listening.Assessorsactivelyseeksuperiorlisteningskillsincandidates.Yourbody languageandthecontentofyourspeechhaveto,therefore,demonstrateattentive listening.Listeningwouldautomaticallyimprovethequalityofyourcontent,and moderatorsareacutelyawareofthis.Interruptingothers,tryingtodominatethe discussion,ignoringgroupdynamicsareallexamplesofpoorlisteningskills. 12. Showing lack of respect for other peoples views: Asubjectisboundtoevoke diverseresponsesfromthegroupmembers,infactitisthisdiversitythatmakesfor arichdiscussion.Ihaveseencandidatesshutoutotherpointsofview,ridiculethe commentsorideasofothersandexpendtheirenergiesintryingtoproveotherswrong. Thatisexactlywhatyoushouldnotdoyouneedtolearntoacceptothersopinions andcarrytheminthegroupwhileputtingyourownperspectiveforwardinapleasant yetassertivemanner.Itsaboutdifferentwaysoflookingatthings,notaboutrightand wrong.Also,youneedtobesensitiveenoughnottomakecommentsthatarelikelyto hurtthesentimentsofanysectionorgroupofpeople. 13. Being closed-minded about issues: Thisisrelatedtotheearlierpoint.Managers needtobeopenmindedaboutissuesandhavethecapabilityofmanagingconflicting opinions.Ifyoucomeacrossasapersonwithstrong,extreme,non-negotiableviews, youwouldbedoingyourselfdisfavourintheselectionprocess.Theassumptionwould bethatyouareeitherunawareofthecomplexitiesoftheissueortooclosedmindedto accommodatepositionsdifferentfromyourown.Thisbecomesevenmoreobviousin sensitiveissueslikereservation,terrorism,etc. 14. Engaging in one-on-one arguments: Agroupdiscussionneedstoinvolvethe entiregroup,butstudentsoftenindulgeinparallelconversationswithothermembers. Thisismoreevidentwhentwomembersgetcaughtupintryingtowinanargument. Neitherislikelytorelentsoyouendupnotwinningtheargumentandlosingthe opportunitytogetselected.Avoidgettingintolongargumentsagreetodisagreeand movethediscussionforward. 15. Repeating or rephrasing points: Yougetcreditformakingnew,validpointsnot

forrepeatingorrephrasingpointsalreadymadeearlierinthediscussion.Ifyouhave nothingnewtosay,keepmumandthinkanalysetheknowledgeyouhaveandtryto applyittothegivensituation.Bringanewperspectiveorbuildanddeveloponpoints madebyothers. 16. Making sweeping statements:Sweepingstatementsarestrong,one-sidedviews oftheworldthatlackfactualsupport.Studentslovemakingthesekindsofstatements astheysoundgood;anassertionisnogoodunlessyoucanbackitupwithfactsand/or logicalreasoning.Thinkthroughapointbeforeyouofferitfordiscussionyouarethen readytosupportitifrequired. 17. Becoming emotional:AGDisanartificiallyconstructedsituationthatcanbequite stressfulattimes.Therecouldbecommentsmadebyothersinthegroupthatyou findoutrageousorplainunacceptable.Ifyourpeersmanagetogetyouexcitedand emotional,theywouldhavescoredacoupleofdecisivepointsagainstyou.Themature waytohandlethesituationistocontrolyouremotionsandrespondonthebasisoffacts andsoundlogicalconstructs.Donotloseyourcomposureandbepoliteandgraceful. 18. Compromising content for form:InGDs,whatyousayisthemostimportant componentofyourperformance.Theothercomponent,ie,howyousaywhatyousay,is important,butcomesintoplayonlyonceyourspeechisstronginitscontent.Students oftenfocusontheirwayofspeakingandtheaccent,etcmoreofthatlateryouneed tofocusonfindingsignificantthingstosay. 19. Over-quoting statistics:Factsandfiguresareusefulinsupportingyourassertion; theycannotbeyourassertion.Gettingintotoomanydetailsandquotingdata extensivelyreducetheimpactofyourcontribution.Italsoshowsyouassomeonewho islikelytomissthewoodforthetrees.Byallmeansquotefactsandfiguresbutonly whenyoufeelthatthequoteddatawilladdvaluetothediscussionandactasasupport toyourargument. 20. Using complex English words and structure:Thebestwaytoensurethatthe grouplosesinterestinyouistopresentyouropinioninaconvoluted,complicated manner,usingobscureEnglishandlong,never-endingsentences.Thesimpleryour communication,thebetterwillbethereceptionbythegroup.Ifothersunderstandeasily whatyouaresayingandifitmakessensetothem,theywilllistentoyouandrespond. 21. Speaking fast:Englishasalanguagedoesnotlenditselftobeingspokenat breakneckspeed.InaGD,candidatesfeelthecompulsiontospeakveryfast,hoping thatwouldenablethemtosaymoreinthelimitedairtimethattheyarelikelytoget. Wrongassumption.Peoplewhospeakveryfastlosetrackofwhattheyaresaying,and definitelylosetheiraudience.Speakslowlyanddeliberatelymakeeverywordcount. 22. Using a false accent:Perfectlynormalstudentssometimesadoptthemostfakeof accentswhentheyspeakEnglishinaformalsituation.Avoiddoingthisbeyourself andspeakthewayyouwouldnormallyspeak(orslowerthanyounormallyspeaksee #21)andpleasedontstartsoundinglikeanuneducatedWesterner. 23. Being over-polite and over-doing the smiling part:AsIhavesaidearlier,be yourselfthatisthebestwaytobeinGDsandPIs.Over-politebehaviourisusually lookedatwithsuspicion;plus,anartificialfixedsmilewithlotsofnoddingandshakingof theheaddoesnotendearyoutothegroupitusuallyendsupirritatingtheothers. 24. Trying hard to be funny:Theverdicthereisverysimpleeitheryouhaveasense ofhumouroryoudont.Focussedeffortstocreatehumouroftenendupinpeople laughingatyouratherthanwithyou.Also,thebestformofhumourisself-deprecating

anycommentsthatcompromiseacommunityorsectionofpeopleareabigno.Ifyou arenaturallyawittyperson,goaheadanddemonstratethatskill.Ifyouarenot,stickto themiddlepath. 25. Looking at the moderator while speaking:Remember,youareapartofthegroup andyouneedtolookatyourgroupmemberswhileaddressingthem.Gazingatthefloor, ceilingorthemoderatorareallinvalidoptions.Themoderatorisafly-on-the-wallandis observingthegroupyouhavetoignorehispresence.Frequentglancesinthedirection ofthemoderatorbetrayasenseofinsecurityitisasifyouseeksupportfromhim. 26. Digressing from the topic:Whileitsgoodtobroadenthescopeofthediscussion, youneedtoensurethatyoudontmovetoofarawayfromthetopic.Inadditiontotaking uppreciousairtime,youmayendupguidingtheentirediscussiononaparallelcourse. Infact,yourroleasagoodteamplayeristobringtheconversationbackoncoursein caseyousensethatitisfloundering. 27. Underestimating the importance of body-language:AsPeterDruckersays,the mostimportantthingincommunicationistohearwhatisntbeingsaid.Thewayyousit, useyourpersonalspace,establisheye-contactandappeartopeoplesaysalotmore aboutyouthanyouwouldbelieve.Itisthereforeperiloustonotbeawareofhowyou presentyourselftoothers. 28. Giving your opinion when asked to summarize:Thisisaverycommon phenomenon.Studentstendtovoicetheirpointsofviewaboutthesubjectwhenallthat themoderatorisaskingthemtodoisgiveasummaryofthediscussion.Desistfrom doingthatinstead,takethegroupthroughthediscussionjourney,coveringallthe significantpointsmadetillthen.Makeoptimumuseofthisopportunityforawelcome change,noonecaninterruptyousoyouhavethefloortodemonstrateyourlistening, analyticalandarticulationskills. 29. Not speaking at all:Ikeptthisforthelast.Thisisthegravestcrimeyoucancommit inaGDirrespectiveofhowalienthetopicis,orhowboisterousthegroup,youneedto speakandyouneedtobeheard.Learnmoreaboutthetopicasitgetsdiscussed;seize thesmallestopeninginthediscussiontomakeyourentry;usetheopportunitytomake yourpoint(s).Ifyouhaventspokenatall,yougetnopoints.