Words make all the difference

Words make all the difference
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You can be the initiator, info seeker, clarifier or summariser in a group discussion. Use the correct language to convey the same Group Discussion...

You can be the initiator, info seeker, clarifier or summariser in a group discussion. Use the correct language to convey the same eng2Group Discussion (GD) today has become an integral part of the job interview process. It is a technique widely used by companies or organisations to shortlist candidates by evaluating several of them simultaneously. The purpose of a GD is to get an idea about a candidate in a short time and make an assessment of her/his skills, which normally are difficult to evaluate in an interview. During the GD, the evaluators make a note of your contribution to the discussion, comprehension of the main idea, the rapport you strike, your patience, assertiveness, accommodativeness, amenability etc. They also observe your body language and eye contact. As people in an organisation generally work in teams, the recruiting company uses the GD to evaluate how well you fit into the organisation, your personality traits, your knowledge and skills, and how you react to views of others. Group discussion usually involves 8-10 candidates who exchange their views and ideas about a given topic. All the participants in the GD are rivals but not enemies. It helps to remember this self-evident fact because it will determine the attitude and the role you adopt in the GD. When different views are expressed during a discussion, it is only natural that you agree with some and disagree with others. There are several ways in which you can express both agreement and disagreement in a manner that is acceptable in a formal situation like the GD. For instance, when you agree with the views of another participant, you can say: 'That's a good point', 'I couldn't agree more', 'I'm with you on that', 'That's just how I see it' etc. If you wish to express only partial agreement you may say: 'Yes, perhaps. However, �', 'Well, you have point there. But �', 'Yes, I suppose so. However �', 'I guess you could be right. But �' etc. Similarly, if you wish to disagree with someone, you could say: 'Do you think so?', 'I am not so sure �', 'Well, it depends �', 'Well, I don't know' etc. On the other hand, if you want to strongly disagree to any of the points, you could say: 'I'm sorry but I can't agree with you', 'I'm afraid I don't agree', 'I'm sure you don't actually mean that, do you?', 'You can't be serious!' etc. Remember that agreeing with another person is not a sign of weakness, nor is disagreeing a mark of individuality. There are several roles you can choose to adopt in a GD, and the success of each role depends to a large extent on the language you use in that role. For instance, you may assume the role of an 'Initiator' who gets things started, introduces new ideas, and suggests new perspectives. Saying something like 'Let's begin by looking at �', 'Shall we start the discussion with �' will set the tone of the discussion. An 'Information seeker' solicits opinions and gathers information. If you adopt this role, you may use sentences like, 'Does anyone here know �?', 'Is there anyone here who thinks �?'. On the other hand, an 'Information giver' offers facts and information, and shares her/his understanding of the topic. In this role, you can say 'I do have some information about this �' or 'Let me share with you �'. An 'Opinion seeker' gets reactions from all the group members, seeks suggestions and ideas. Sentences such as 'Do you think � is really responsible for this?' A 'Clarifier' restates ideas and opinions expressed by other participants and gives examples. Remarks such as 'We need to get a clear idea on this' are appropriate to this role. Lastly, a 'Summariser' pulls together all ideas and statements, synthesizes and summarizes them and helps to close the discussions. Using expressions like 'OK. Let us pull all the threads together �' will show that you not only know how to assume a role in GD but also have the right vocabulary to carry it through successfully.
eng3
Group Discussion (GD) today has become an integral part of the job interview process. It is a technique widely used by companies or organisations to shortlist candidates by evaluating several of them simultaneously. The purpose of a GD is to get an idea about a candidate in a short time and make an assessment of her/his skills, which normally are difficult to evaluate in an interview. During the GD, the evaluators make a note of your contribution to the discussion, comprehension of the main idea, the rapport you strike, your patience, assertiveness, accommodativeness, amenability etc. They also observe your body language and eye contact. As people in an organisation generally work in teams, the recruiting company uses the GD to evaluate how well you fit into the organisation, your personality traits, your knowledge and skills, and how you react to views of others. Group discussion usually involves 8-10 candidates who exchange their views and ideas about a given topic. All the participants in the GD are rivals but not enemies. It helps to remember this self-evident fact because it will determine the attitude and the role you adopt in the GD. When different views are expressed during a discussion, it is only natural that you agree with some and disagree with others. There are several ways in which you can express both agreement and disagreement in a manner that is acceptable in a formal situation like the GD. For instance, when you agree with the views of another participant, you can say: 'That's a good point', 'I couldn't agree more', 'I'm with you on that', 'That's just how I see it' etc. If you wish to express only partial agreement you may say: 'Yes, perhaps. However, �', 'Well, you have point there. But �', 'Yes, I suppose so. However �', 'I guess you could be right. But �' etc. Similarly, if you wish to disagree with someone, you could say: 'Do you think so?', 'I am not so sure �', 'Well, it depends �', 'Well, I don't know' etc. On the other hand, if you want to strongly disagree to any of the points, you could say: 'I'm sorry but I can't agree with you', 'I'm afraid I don't agree', 'I'm sure you don't actually mean that, do you?', 'You can't be serious!' etc. Remember that agreeing with another person is not a sign of weakness, nor is disagreeing a mark of individuality. There are several roles you can choose to adopt in a GD, and the success of each role depends to a large extent on the language you use in that role. For instance, you may assume the role of an 'Initiator' who gets things started, introduces new ideas, and suggests new perspectives. Saying something like 'Let's begin by looking at �', 'Shall we start the discussion with �' will set the tone of the discussion. An 'Information seeker' solicits opinions and gathers information. If you adopt this role, you may use sentences like, 'Does anyone here know �?', 'Is there anyone here who thinks �?'. On the other hand, an 'Information giver' offers facts and information, and shares her/his understanding of the topic. In this role, you can say 'I do have some information about this �' or 'Let me share with you �'. An 'Opinion seeker' gets reactions from all the group members, seeks suggestions and ideas. Sentences such as 'Do you think � is really responsible for this?' A 'Clarifier' restates ideas and opinions expressed by other participants and gives examples. Remarks such as 'We need to get a clear idea on this' are appropriate to this role. Lastly, a 'Summariser' pulls together all ideas and statements, synthesizes and summarizes them and helps to close the discussions. Using expressions like 'OK. Let us pull all the threads together �' will show that you not only know how to assume a role in GD but also have the right vocabulary to carry it through successfully.
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