Group discussion is a psychological process. It should be controlled by logic and arguments not by emotions. The inclusion of emotions is hazardous. Keeping in mind that group discussion is all about group psychology.  Ok its enough lets discuss the tools.

Tool A

We call it PLE.
Point
Logic
Example

The strategic application of this tool will increase the weight of your arguments. Let me explain it to you in detail. Use this tool when you want to initiate the GD.

Steps to use this tool:

1. Point—Put your point of view in front of the group. It’s not necessary that your point should be different from others’ point s. But it should be on well defined assumption. Your initiate will not provide your leadership quality but your thought process and how people accept your point.
2. Logic – Explain your logic behind that point. The logic will close all options for invalidity of your point. The acceptability across the member of the group will be lesser.
3. Example – Support your logic with some facts and figures. When you will support your point and logic with examples, this will be the moment when you convince most of the people in the group.

Example:
Point – price war is a wrong business decision.
Logic – It affects the revenue streams of both initiator and competitor.
Example: HUL and P&G, PepsiCo & Coca-Cola (describe in detail-For more information about lastest business hapenings visit our news analysis section)

This tool looks simple but it has a sound psychological background. It will help you to control the members of the team. Try it out!!!
 

Tool B

This tool should be used when you are not the initiator in the GD and have fewer points to discuss.
 
We call it SAVE:

Synthesis
Analyses
Value
Example

This tool is used when the topic is unexpected. It happens some times the topic of group discussion is hardly known by you. This tools will give you argumentative power in the group discussion.

Steps to use this tool:

Example:

Topic given:  Market offerings
Topic prepared by you: Pricing strategy
First team member: Market offering is to boost sales. HLL does it often.
Second team member: No, its not good for long term but seasonal.

You:
Synthesis: Market offering: to boost sales, seasonal strategy.
Analysis: Take “Market offering is seasonal strategy” statement true. Now if how can one set pricing strategy to make it seasonal strategy more valuable in terms of revenue. How one can price market offering to get more value.

Remember as you have taken the statement of both team members true, your conclusion should not be against them.

Value:You now got two questions related to the topic and prepared by you. Prioritize the points (mentioned above) and focus on that.
Lets take Price to be set for good market offerings. To price a market offering one should take care of time. If the market offer is on start of month then it can be bit lesser priced ( as people got their salary). Pricing higher in the mid of month will incline the market offer to failure.
Example: Support your conclusion with example
 Super Bazaar : they price depends one the days of month. (-For more information about lastest business hapenings visit our news analysis section )

Right use of this tool will make you to create your point in the group discussion.

Tool C

BATS (Behaviors & Attitude Transformation Stimulate tool)

This tool is highly used to control the behavior of other players in the group discussion. By using this tool you control the behavior of other people and influence their minds to take you as a leader of the group.

All the people in a group discussion will be of different attitude and behaviour your job is to bring them on a single platform. Someone will be aggressive and someone will be shy. The leader always brings all members to a single level of rationality. This tool will make you to prove your leadership skills.

Let’s see how to use this tool:
Follow the given steps:

• Influence the people all together and make them listen to your words. This can be done by speaking facts rather then judgments.
• The people who are neutral in the discussion will start supporting you. This will happen due to influence of your power (knowledge).
• Now the next thing will be to influence the main opponents who are challengers. There are two strategic ways to do it. Either convert majority towards yourself or make him react. If four in a group of five are in your favour then you need not to worry. If the fight is when you have only 50 percent people in your favour then attack the weakest member of that group to join you or make the opponent react so as to prove him weak.
•  Execute the above steps in a sequential way. You will win the group discussion.

 

More tools will be added to this page

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