FEEDBACK AFTER GROUP DISCUSSION (GD)

We discuss too many things in daily life at home or in office or in colleges on various topics. We find a few agree to us and a few disagree with us. At home if there are more family members and when they want to take a decision they talk to one another either at dinning table or at leisure time. After duration of heated or cool discussions they build a consensus and finalize a decision.

The main objective of any GD is to provide wide range of solutions to a particular problem and then streamlining and creating a viable consensus solution by means of discussion. Discussions always provide more knowledge base. GD generates ideas by way of sharing and exchanging and, at times, it unlocks many things unconsciously as everyone has hidden potential.

After the completion of group discussion the moderator provides feedback to the participant in the scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the excellent, 4 being the very good, 3 being good, 2 being average and 1 being the below average. It is rated on various parameters such as attitude, confidence, communication, interpersonal skills, and flow of thoughts.

When assessing the attitude it is done by looking at three dimensions such as attitude, liveliness and mute spectator. While looking at the attitude it is weighed in various sub categories such as whether the participant is considerate or inconsiderate or accommodative or sympathetic or ruthless or dominative. Then the ball is gradually shifted to check liveliness and it is weighed in various sub categories like vivacious or spontaneous or lively or cheerful or dull or gloomy. Subsequently if the participant is a silent spectator then judgment is made in the sub categories like tense or cheerful or keen or interested of disinterested. Ultimately the overall grading is made against attitude after averaging each sub category and the most predominant category is recorded.

While judging confidence, usually it is done in three dimensions such at entry, participation and interest. Whether the participant is a starter or early or middle or late is analyzed. With regard to participation the subcategories like active or frequent or in between or when asked are critically observed. Subsequently the interest towards discussion is casual or keen or indifferent are observed by the moderator and comments are made accordingly.

Communication is the key to any group discussion and the same is rated in three categories such as expression, politeness and tact. Under the expression the traits noticed are eloquent, fluent, expressive, strained, coherent, dumb, halting, polite, and impolite. Again under politeness it is observed whether polite or impolite. And with regard to tact the areas to be observed are skillful, clever, understanding, aggressive, too passive, tactless and bully. At the end the predominant and average of the same is recorded for final comments.

Interpersonal skills are another key component either that makes or mars the prospects of the participant in Group Discussion. It is further divided into three segments such as encouraging, interactions and impact on group. In the segment of encouraging whether the participant is natural or artificial or genuine are noticed. Then the focus is on interactions such as whether the participant is adaptable, sociable, conservative, rigid, timid or tactless are critically observed. In the segment of impact on group whether the participant is marginal, conspicuous, hurts others or whether he is punchy or pushy in his approach are recorded.

In the area of ‘flow of thoughts’ the moderator looks at the reasoning ability, content, relevance, logic, originality, quality of ideas, assimilation ability, general awareness and offers his comments.

All the five elements like attitude, confidence, communication, interpersonal skills and flow of thoughts are basically essential for becoming a successful professional. Most of the companies insist on conducting GD to check the suitability of the candidate. Even GD is essential to get into premier Business schools in India. It is required to have adequate practice by having mock interview with like minded people and friends so as to have total confidence in the real GD.


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