8 Things That You Can’t Afford To Lose While Participating In A Group Discussion
Group discussions are practiced during case studies and in organizations as well. They are well promoted in today’s business world for working on action plans for different kinds of projects. A group discussion if done effectively can lead to well structured strategies as the thoughts and ideas of a group of people are gathered together. Today, evaluation through group discussion is used in the assessment process for hiring employees for different designations.
Below are some vital tips for participating well in a group discussion:
Positive attitude
During a group discussion, the participants should speak with confidence while taking care that they do not try outsmarting each other. A positive body language should be maintained throughout the discussion.
Maintaining eye contact with the participants
If the group discussion is being used for evaluating people for a certain post, the candidates must maintain eye contact with each other while they discuss their ideas. Looking at the evaluator will reflect the nervousness of the participants.
Kicking start the Group Discussion
Taking a lead in starting of the group discussion depicts confidence if the group participant has understood the discussion point well. It will be beneficial only if the participant has in depth knowledge and a clear concept of the topic. Starting the group discussion without proper knowledge can create an inferior image of the participant.
Giving an equal chance of speaking to all participants
A healthy group discussion takes places when none of the participants interrupt each other while speaking. Even if you have conflict with the active speaker’s aspect, it is still not advisable to abruptly start speaking. A better approach is such a scenario would be jotting down some points while the other participant is speaking and present your own points when he is finished with his discussion.
Speaking with Clarity
The participant who is speaking should maintain his pitch and tone while he speaks. The speaker should speak loud enough so that he is audible enough for the entire participant yet his tone should be professional and clear. The use of fancy words and long sentences should be avoided and simple words should be used that are understandable by everyone. Using jargons or very difficult terms cannot bring about a good impression rather it creates confusion. The group participants must remember that group discussions are for the purpose of evaluating communication skills and not vocabulary, hence easy terms and words should be used.
Staying focused on the topic
Discussing irrelevant points during a group discussion is highly unfavorable. Even if a participant has deviated from the main point, it is a good lead for another participant to bring the discussion back to the real topic.
Behaving as a Good Listener
The group participants should pay proper attention while other members speak. This helps to involve and participate in the group discussion effectively.
No need to quote exact Statistics
A group discussion is about the familiarity of the topic, so it is not necessary to quote exact figures and statistics. As the time of a group discussion is very limited, the participants should try to be concise and communicate their thoughts in simple language.