A Group Discussion (GD) helps in problem-solving, decision making and personality assessment. It is a place where you are expected to contribute meaningfully and help arrive at a conclusion.
Here are 10 common mistakes you MUSTavoid in a group discussion.
#1 Endless Talking
A GD, of course,ismeant for talking and putting forth youropinions and ideas. But unlike the common perception, speaking endlessly in a GD does not make a good impression. Group discussion, as the name says, is essentially a discussion and not a one-sided mouthing. Most people think that speaking more,will workin their favour. Unfortunately, itworks the other way around.
#2 Nervous Silence
As much as talking too much is bad in a GD, keeping mum when you are supposed to speak is bad too.You may say nervousness is the reason for the silence, but the truth is everyone of us gets nervous. It is such a common phenomenon. It should never stop you from making your point. Calm down, take a deep breath and chip in with your ideas.
#3 Emotional Outburst
It is true that everyone of us has an emotional attachment with a particular topic. This attachment should not carry you away. Often people start losing focus, get angry and deviate from the topicduring an emotional outburst. Keep in mind that you are being noted. Put your opinions forward in a calm and appropriate manner.
#4 Lack of Confidence
At times, it is the lack of confidence going into a GD, that can ruin your chances of success. Thinking that other participants would be better than you are, will only put more pressure on you. You may possess good knowledge and understanding of the topic, but what good can it do, if you can’t speak up?
#5 Poor Communication Skills
Your knowledge can’t help you if you can’t express what you think, in words. Most often, people ignore communication skills. They don’t realize how important it is. Communication skills are important to convey your intended message – clearly and effectively.
#6 Bad Body Language
Body language plays an important role in a GD. Pointing fingers at others while speaking,thumping on the table to make a point and sitting in bad postures are some body signs that leave a bad impression on you.
#7 Interrupting
No one likes being interrupted. Especially whenmaking a point. Though it is importantto grab the opportunity to speak, it is bad to interrupt someone midway through his/her speech. This unsettles the other person and also the entire group. Wait for the other person to finish and then start speaking.
#8 Drifting away from the topic
The goal of any discussion is to arrive at a consensus. Stay clear of any points that can drift thetopic away from reaching a conclusion. One way of doing this is to consider what you are saying and analyzing whether itapplies to the context.Try to be brief and to the point.
#9 Grabbing Attention
Never try to grab attention. You will end up feeling awkward speaking something that doesn’t relate to the topic of discussion. Try to be yourself and put forth your points clearly. You will very certainly be recognized for who you are.
#10 Failing to keep track
In a GD, always listen keenly to what every other person is saying. A moment’s distraction would make you miss a point and lose track of the proceedings. This could land you in trouble and you may make a point irrelevant to the conversation.
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