Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Leaderless Group Discussion (LGD) have become one of the job recruitment process selections. FGD and LGD are directed discussion form about a certain issue or problem.
When FGD or LGD are conducted, the participants will be divided into some groups. One group usually consists of 6-8 persons. Each one of them will get a paper contains of case study that must discussed together with fellow participants in the group. Supervisor from HRD of the company will assess the discussion in order to see leadership skill shown from those participants.
Actually, FGD and LGD only have minor specific differences. In FGD (Focus Group Discussion), it is expected to have one person who takes the initiative to become the leader of the discussion in order to make it more concentrated or focused and in LGD (Leaderless Group Discussion), everyone has the same right to express opinion or aspiration, which means there is no need one person to show up and dominate as a leader.
From the explanation above, it may conclude that in FGD, you shall take the ownership to become a leader in your group. After everyone in your group gets the case study paper from HRD staff, you can estimate the minutes they take to finish reading the case study. If everyone in your group seems done reading it, start to open a discussion.
One of the tips to get a plus score from HRD when FGD happens is to volunteer yourself as a leader. You may say: “Okay, we start the discussion for today. If there is no one to give objections, I would like to take the initiative to be the leader of this discussion to make this discussion more directed. If we are all agree, it would be better if there is one person as a timer and one person as note writer to write the conclusion of our discussion. Okat, let’s get started, please each one of you may express your opinion and later, we conclude it. Is there anyone wants to start with the opinion?”.
What about LGD? Actually, LGD is quite similar to to FGD but usually there is no leader. Everyone feels free to express their opinion and in the end of the discussion, there will be one person to make a conclusion or a summary of the discussion.
Tips to get a plus score from HRD when LGD happens is by becoming a person who make the conclusion and summary of the discussion. So, how, are you ready to face your FGD and LGD? [UGM Alumni Relation/Irzha]