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Manner (How to Present)—Any matter can be presented in various forms-good or bad. A matter
well presented will be received well by others resulting in improving chances of your acceptance by the
group. A few tips are given below :—
● Try to Speak During the Initial Phases—The situation during the initial minutes is rather fluid.
Many participants feel inhibited to break the ice; quite a few wait for a clue from others to pick-up.
You can capitalise on this fluidity by taking lead and speak first. If not first, be atleast second or
third speaker. You will yourself find that the last few minutes of the group discussion are very
chaotic. The ‘late bloomers’ suddenly woke-up to make up the initial loss of time. Some
participants revise their views while others hardly show any patience to listen. The long and short
of the matter is there is none to be in listening mood during the last minutes. Everyone wants to
speak only. In fact the commotion created during the last minutes is any time comparable to the
fish-market scene. What is the fun to speak then ?
● Speak Your Part and Withdraw from the Scene. Short, sweet and crisp must be your speech.
After making your point, leave the fray for others. If you drag beyond a limit, you will be a cause
of other’s criticism and boredom. Anyway, you will not be well received by others.
Mind Your Language, Tone, Loudness and Pitch. The language of group discussion is English.
You are required to be a GENTLEMAN in selection of your words. Never use those words that offend
or ridicule others. Your vocabulary must be rich and must communicate your intent.
It is not just your words alone that make your communication. Your tone and body language
contribute to your communication much more than the words. Similarly, the loudness of your voice
indicates at the crude or refined environment of your rearing.
A refined person speaks softly and mildly. He is audible but not loud. You are required to be firm but
not loud. Similarly your tone communicates your emotions. You must be enthusiastic, but never show
over-enthusiasm.
Mind Your Mannerism. It is not possible to speak your words with a neutral face and a stern
body. Some gestures frequently and naturally supplement/follow your communication. The most
common among the gestures are hand movements, twisting of fingers, scratching of body parts like
head, movements of eyebrows, clinching of fingers and some head movement like nod. Some people
denounce these mannerisms in totality. Let us be practical. It is not possible to speak like a robot
without resorting to some corresponding gestures. Gestures supplement our content of communication
in interpersonal situations and cannot be discarded altogether. However, if body mannerism is too
repetitive and throwing, the audience finds it distracting rather than supportive. Mannerism of such
nature must be curtailed with conscious efforts.
Verbal Mannerisms. Mannerisms are not limited to body only. Mannerisms are verbal too.
Overstress or repetition of certain words or group of words/phrases or over-reliance on certain type
of expressions constitute verbal mannerisms. Verbal mannerisms inhibit communications besides
distracting away listener’s attention. Some examples of verbal mannerisms are—‘I mean’, ‘the fact
remains’, ‘o shit’. Better, be aware of your verbal mannerisms and try to get rid of them. This again is a
slow process and needs lot of will to overcome the unwanted verbal mannerisms.
Group Discussion and EQ (Emotional Quotient)—The serious business of group discussion
takes place in a highly charged and competitive environment. You might be contradicated, ridiculed or
instigated by others. In a nutshell, you might find others attacking you to make you retreat. In certain
cases you yourself might offend others in the heat of moment. My advice to you is to keep cool. Your
opinion may be divided but it should not be allowed to tear your cohesiveness even before the group is
formed. Here your EQ will help you to appreciate other’s stand select an appropriate response to
offences/criticisms by others who are trying to obtain more mileage.
The Group Testing Officer is scanning those qualities in you that bind, motivate and strengthen the
group. Anything that jeopardizes the structure and functional unity of the group is worthy of forsaking.
Clashes due to mismanagement of emotion make permanent dent in any relation/human institution
however formal or informal it would be. The GTO will be careful to watch your emotionality. Let me
assure you that open expression of emotions makes unfavourable impression about any leader.