Many believe that to be a leader you must be the one with the right vision, strategies and viewpoints. Everybody should merely listen to you. However reality is far away from this myth. There are 3 reasons why listening may bring you success in the IIM Group Discussion/Personal Interview
Coordinator: Leadership is about cohesiveness. Top organizational leaders are not the ones who come out with the greatest ideas, but because they are willing to listen to various viewpoints and integrate them to achieve the objective of the organization. The Group Discussion panel is extremely aware of this corporate reality. Thus they will be watching which participant is taking an initiative to listen to the viewpoints of others and integrating them into his/her own viewpoints.
Team Player: The IIM Group Discussion is not merely about stating your viewpoint. Remember the key word is “GROUP” Discussion, not YOUR viewpoint discussion. By listening intently to the first two viewpoints prior to you- you manage to establish in the mind of the GD panel that not only were you thinking about what your own viewpoint was but also took the mental effort to listen closely to others and integrated their viewpoints into your own. This dear MBA aspirant is a trait of leaders. A trait which the GD panel is trying to spot.
Empathetic: Empathy is a key trait of corporate responsibility. Your ability to actually state in the GD that another person’s viewpoint was in fact superior to yours and how you agree to that shows the highest level of professionalism and corporate responsibility. Believe me Ethics is no laughing matter after Enron, the GD panel will be watching participants who can admit they were off the mark and try to achieve group efficiency. You don’t have to come across as a fool, but you can show how you were listening carefully and were willing to retract the wrong part of your statement in favor of one that appeared to be more economically viable. Then use data to prove why you thought it was more economically viable.
Group Discussion and Personal Interview for B- School MBA programmes is not merely about superior communication strategies but also a display of your inner personality. The GD panel views are carried to the Personal Interview. There you have a chance to explain clearly why you acted in a certain way in the GD. By stating the above reasons you have a strong chance to come across as a socially responsible leader----- and that is EXACTLY what the GD/Personal Interview panel is looking for.
Posted in Labels: INDIAN INSTITUTES OF MANAGEMENT / IIM'S AND GROUP DISCUSSIONS