8 Personas You Encounter in a Group Discussion (GD)

Group Discussion or GD is a tricky round of MBA admissions. It is unpredictable as neither do you know the participants, nor the topic. Read this article to know types of personalities you may meet in a GD.

It is much easier to showcase one’s talent in PI as compared to GD. PI is a one-on-one conversation with the interview panel where the focus is solely on you. In a GD, on the other hand, the panelists have to notice 8-10 candidates for their knowledge, communication, leadership and convincing skills at the same time. So, one can say that, pulling off a successful GD is a major battle won in the journey of MBA admission.

Immediately after the CAT and other MBA entrance exam results are out, candidates have to appear for Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) round. Admissions to these institutes are on the basis of performance in written test and GD/PI rounds.

But in a GD, candidates have to present their opinion with 8-10 other candidates trying to enforce their opinion alongside. Your performance in GD is affected by people around you. So we decided to list out the types of characters / personalities who participate in a GD.

Also Read: Few tips to perform well in GD/PI

Here are a eight personalities you may encounter during a GD

1. Leaders

When a GD commences, no particular role or character is defined. Characters automatically come out during the discussion. Often, one person stands out and emerges to be the leader of the group. Leaders are those who direct the discussion. It is not necessary that they’ll speak much but they take care that the discussion must go well. They try to give a chance to all the GD members to share views. They tend to be generous but quick with observations.

2. Discussion Hogs

You will definitely see one or more persons of this category during a GD. Hogs are people, who has something to say more or less for almost anything and everything. These characters have a tendency to dominate the discussion. They can be harmful to you as well as the entire group as they do not allow others to speak or share their thoughts.

Also Read: Top Group Discussion Topics for MBA Admission 2023

3. Introverts

If you see a person in your GD who is shy and speaks less, you may categorise him/her as introvert. The reason behind their shyness could vary from lack of confidence or feeling over-powered by other strong contenders. Or they may be naturally introverts. The introverts may or may not present their point in the whole discussion. And if they state their point, chances of cutting their point is higher and easier. However, if encouraged by the leader of the group, these people could state their view points well.

 Also Read: Five situations that may stump you in PI

4. Challengers

The one who has a question for every comment made during the discussion are the challengers. These people try to target mostly on the statement made by the strong contenders. Challengers’ questions can be right or wrong. They play an important role in a discussion as they help in bringing out the real facts. But sometimes, the situation can be uncomfortable, as they might ask something embarrassing or personal.

5. Devil’s Advocates

Devil’s advocates, also known as butchers, are people in a group who are in search of an opportunity to cut others’ point. They are those who do not let others complete their sentence. They just state their point of views without letting others speak or complete their sentences. They are impatient and tend to speak their mind. They believe in getting things without giving it a second thought. The group members need to be cautious of such characters.

6. Protectors

Protectors are those people in a group who take care of keeping the conversation on track. If they see that the conversation is diverting from the subject, they ask others to get back to the subject. These people are quietly forceful, talk straight and to the point. They are different from leaders as they do not tend to lead the conversation, but talk straight and stick to the subject.

Also Read: 14 Parameters on which you are judged during a GD/WAT/PI

7. Observers

These people are hard to understand. Initially, they are quite and rarely speak. In the early stages of the discussion, anyone can confuse them with introverts. But the USP of these characters are that they come out to be intelligent and well organised. They first observe everyone around them and the conversation going on. They understand the concepts first and later give valid points with logical solutions. They are sharp and resourceful.

8. Aggressive/ Loud

You might see people with loud body language or who are very aggressive. They tend to disturb the statements with loudness such as speaking in high voice or loud actions like banging desk or stomping foot. While they speak, others cannot speak. Sometimes, it can become a little messy to deal with them. Don't worry about such candidates. They will be automatically marked down for aggresive behavious.

So, what kind of GD character do you aspire to be?

GD/PI experience shared by IIM students

Read More:

• Preparing for GD? Use this checklist for topics
• How to handle surprise GD topics
• Do's & Dont's of a Group Discussion
• How you dress might affect your GDPI score
• 32 common questions asked in PI