Mgmt vs Courtesy

For every MBA entrance exam, one stage of screening is the Group Discussion session. This involves a group of 10 – 15 people given a certain topic, issue or case study to discuss within a specified time limit. The performance of each person in the group is noticed, along with group dynamics which come into play. Based on these and other parameters, people are selected.

Now, how is one supposed to act, behave or contribute in the GD so as to make sure of his/her selection? Many people tell you about many things which should be done to ensure the same. The most obvious of these are read enough so that you have content to make valuable contribution, improve upon command over language & similar others. But there is one which says that you should act in an appropriate manner so as not to make a “fish-market” out of the GD.

Now to achieve the last mentioned, its important that everyone lets others, who wish to contribute something, speak. But because of the time crunch, and the fact that only few will be selected puts a pressure on all… so everybody is trying to speak… cutoff someone else in the middle of a sentence… not really listen to anybody but yourself, and many a times not even yourself… so in all this we forget, or are forced to forget, the basic courtesies… in an attempt to state our points, we tend to be rude while cutting people off in mid-sentence… we start yelling and continue talking irrespective of whether we are being heard or not… we might even bring irrelevance to the GD just in order to grab some sound bites & attention, jeopardizing everyone else as well along with ourselves…

So exactly what are we being tested for during a GD…? Whether we can be convincing or not…? Whether we can turn the tide in our favor..? whether we can make the group with in line with us...? whether we can make ourselves function in a group situation, analyze the agenda at hand and reach a conclusion..? and I am assuming many more things which I am not even aware of…

But in order to do all this, why do I have to forget or let go of the basic courtesies..? Why should I not be courteous enough to listen to others and form an informed decision..? Why should I not politely tell someone that they are wasting time by being irrelevant..? Why does the other person not be courteous enough to understand the same and atleast listen to what I think is relevant and help the GD..? Agreed in practicality, Managers may have to deal with a number of such and/or other difficult people to handle… but why am I as a Manager expected to get harsh with such people when they don’t back off…? Why aren’t people courteous enough to back off themselves…?

Why don’t Indians value courtesy as much as they should..? as much as is deserved..? the most…