Global Voice: PSE Manual for Mid Term Exam: MBA Trimester IV

Group Discussion and its Importance: Group Discussion is a modern method of assessing
student personality. It is both a technique and an art and a comprehensive tool to judge the
worthiness of the student and his appropriateness for the job. The term suggests a
discussion among a group of persons. The group will have 8 & 12 members who will express
their views freely, frankly in a friendly manner, on a topic of current issue. Within a time
limit of 20 to 30 minutes, the ability of the members of the group is measured.
Three Different Phases of GD:
i. Initiation/ Introduction
ii. The actual group discussion
iii. Summarization/ Conclusion

Prerequisites of a Group Discussion
Planning and preparation
Knowledge with self-confidence
Communication skills/ power of speech
Presentation
Body Language and personal appearance
Being calm and cool
Listening skills
Co-operation
Salient features
Topic may be given to judge your public speaking talent.
Discussion revolves around a specific subject.
The examiner does not interfere once he had announced the topic.
Maintain cordiality and for free expression of thought and opinion
Benefits in Group discussion
Shed your shyness, nervousness & inhibition.
Stimulation of thinking in a new way.
Expansion of knowledge
Understanding of your strength and weakness.
Do`s in group discussion
Modulate the volume, pitch and tone.
Be considerate to the feelings of the others.
Try to get your turn.

Be an active and dynamic participant by listening.
Talk with confidence and self-assurance
Donts during group discussion
Being shy or nervous
Interrupting another participant before his arguments are over
Speak in favour example: Establish your position and stand by it
Changed opinions
Dont make fun of any participant even if his arguments are funny.
Dont engage yourself sub-group conversation.
Dont repeat and use irrelevant materials.
Addressing yourself to the examiner.
Important points in group discussion
Be assertive: An assertive person is direct & honest careful about not hurting others
self-respect.
A patient listener: listening to another person is one way of showing appreciation.
Right language : Words can make friends & right words at the right time make for
the best results.
Be analytical and fact-oriented : It is necessary to make relevant points which can be
supported with fact & analyzed logically.
Role Players in Group Discussion:
Initiator
Information Seeker
Summarizer
Gatekeeper
Dominator
Blocker
Initiator: When an individual proposes new ideas or changed ways of doing things relating
to the discussions common goals, he is playing a role of an initiator. He initiates the
discussion.
Information seeker and summarizer: The information seeker asks for clarification of
suggestions. He seeks authoritative information and facts pertinent to the topic being
discussed.
The summarizer sums up the main ideas at a given time in the group discussion
Gatekeeper & Dominator: The gatekeeper attempts to keep the channels of
communication open so that all group members are encouraged to participate.
The dominator tries to take over the group by giving directions, making decisions for the
group or making sure everyone knows about his knowledge and status. All of this is
unrelated to the task of the group discussion. In general, this person contributes little to the
group discussion.
Blocker: The blocker reacts negatively towards every suggestion for solving the problem.
Not everyone who disagrees with an idea or resists a particular change is a blocker. It is only
when this resistance goes beyond reason that the label blocker properly applies.
Presentation Skills: Anyone can give a presentation to a professional standard. Like most
things, it takes preparation and practice. Follow instructions - ensure you understand what your
task is and the time available.
Time this will dictate how many distinct ideas you can present. Remember listeners can only
absorb a limited amount be selective about the most important points. You may be penalised
for exceeding your allotted time.
Audience what level of knowledge do they already have? (it is better to keep a topic simple
than assume too much knowledge, but do not insult your audiences intelligence).Prepare notes
and dont be afraid to refer to them during your presentation.
Visual Aids -A presentation using a mix of verbal and visual will be more memorable. Use
PowerPoint but do not forget other mediums such as flipcharts/whiteboard, handouts, props or
samples. Keep visual aids simple and relevant.
Top Tips for Using PowerPoint:
Use colour and graphics but dont go over the top
Use animation
Dont overload slides with too much information - 4-5 bullet points per slide is enough
Structure: The Introduction
Introduce yourself and the topic indicating how long you are going to speak for
Outline your key themes
Say when you would like to take questions
The Main Body

Most topics have a logical order, try to link your themes with verbal or visual cues - dont
just jump from one to the next.
A verbal cue = and now we move onto the second issue.
Refer to your plan. This will let your audience know where you are in the presentation
and where you are going next.
If presenting an argument, first give points in favour, and secondly, against.
Use narrative people respond to stories.
Use anecdotes, examples, case histories, charts and graphs.
The Conclusion
It is important to have a clear ending - say and now to conclude. Inform the audience
you are near the end so that they give you their full attention as you sum up.
Summarise key points tell them what you have just told them.
Do not add anything new.
Thank the audience for listening.
Ask if anyone has questions.
Include any contact details if appropriate on last slide
Decision Making: Six Thinking Hats

The White Hat: calls for information known or needed. "The facts, just the facts."
The Yellow Hat: symbolizes brightness and optimism. You can explore the positives and probe
for value and benefit
The Black Hat: signifies caution and critical thinking - do not overuse! Why something may not
work

The Green Hat: focuses on creativity, possibilities, alternatives and new ideas. It is an
opportunity to express new concepts and new perceptions - lateral thinking could be used here
The Blue Hat: is used to manage the thinking process. It ensures that the 'Six Thinking Hats'
guidelines are observed.
The Red Hat: signifies feelings, hunches and intuition - the place where emotions are placed
without explanation
Problem Solving: Is there a problem ?
Make a list
Use your feelings
Find the challenge

How to solve a problem?
Be realistic: Make sure that your goals are achievable; if they are too unrealistic, you
will probably not reach them, and you will feel pretty bad. For example, with the
work problem, if your goal is to only do your work when you feel like it, you will
probably not solve your problem

Be specific-If your goals are vague, you wont know when you have reached them.
For example, if you think, my goal is to be happy at work, what does that mean?
Do you want to be happy all the time? How happy? When will you know when you
have reached your happy goal?


Start with short term goals-If you set goals that can be reached relatively quickly,
you are more likely to work on your problem. You can set long term goals too, but
make sure to have short terms goals as well so that you know whether the problem
is solved. With the work problem, a long-term goal might be to get another job
Corporate and business etiquette:
Phone Etiquette: Do not talk loudly and distract others around you. Use a pleasant t one.
Stick to the point. Speak clearly and use proper language. Dont use phone for personal use,
unless emergency has come up. Keep personal cell on silent mode
Work Station Management Skills: Work Station Management skills are very important to an
individual at the work place. If your work station is messy, it gives your boss and colleagues
a negative impression of who you are. Organize your tasks in order of importance. Mark the
deadlines so you know when to complete them on time. Organized calendar and desk
improves your efficiency. It also helps with time management skills.
Relationships in Workplace: Always address boss with respect. Respect colleagues and
show appreciation for their contributions.Be cooperative and help others. Respect privacy
and space of others. Familiarize yourself with companys policy on dating so you wont
break any rules. Avoid dating someone in your workplace as much as possible, to eliminate
gossip.
Meetings Etiquette: Be punctual. No interruptions or talking to colleagues during meetings.
Be prepared with notes, notepad, pen, even presentation items. If you are giving
presentation have handouts and required materials. Turn off cell phones and no texting
during the meeting.
Conflict Management: Conflict resolution should be mandatory for all employees because of the
many different attitudes and personalities a company may house. If and when a conflict arises,
address it expeditiously and take the necessary steps to resolve or even prevent it. Each
individual should take the responsibility to act in a professional manner.
Office Management: Get to know your teammates. You dont have to be best friends but do try to
show genuine interest in finding out more about each of them. Everyone is interesting if you care
enough to ask the right questions. If youre working on a project that required a team effort and you
did a great job, then the credit goes to the team. If you see a co-worker struggling or know that
someone could use an extra hand, help them out.
Resume Writing: What your resume should contain?
Objective
Qualifications
Graduation details
Certification
Skill set
Project details
Role
Duration
Achievements
Personal Details