Group Discussions - Part III
Page - 3
Is an end-summary absolutely
essential?
No. If the group has not reached
any conclusion, then it would be good if somebody puts the whole discussion in
perspective by summarizing. But if there is not enough time, a summary may be
avoided.
How are listening skills
evaluated in a Group Discussion?
A participant displays his/her
listening skills by doing any of the following: -
1. Reacting time and again to arguments presented by the other members.
2. Recollecting the ideas and summarizing at different points in the Group
Discussion.
3. Connecting the various arguments presented to come up with something more
meaningful.
4. Constantly looking at the person who is speaking and not looking
disinterested.
5. Nodding the head in agreement or disagreement with ideas presented during the
Group Discussion.
Do we have to write a synopsis
of the Group Discussion once it is over?
Some institutes insist on this;
but it is not universal.
Is voting an acceptable method
of reaching a consensus?
No. As far as possible, try to
avoid this.
What is the acceptable
performance level of a Group Discussion?
The scoring in a Group Discussion
is relative. Generally, participants are marked on a scale of 0-7 with
weightages assigned for individual elements. If the consolidated score for the
best participant in the Group Discussion is very high, the other participants
will be judged against this score. Normally, a cut-off score is established and
all those who score above this are selected. If the level of a Group Discussion
is very low, and the highest score is below the cut-off, then all members of the
Group Discussion are rejected.
How should a group select a
topic, if asked to?
The group should brain-storm for
about two minutes and narrow down the list of topics to about 3 or 4. After
this, the group should prioritize them based on the comfort level and ease of
discussion of the topics. Asking each participant to rank the 4 topics could do
this, and the most popular choice should be taken.
