Gain Credibility and Boost your Personal Brand: The Unwritten Etiquette of Discussion Groups

Believe it or not, there's no faster way to gain credibility in today's competitive world than to establish your own discussion group. A discussion group provides a fantastic way to boost your personal brand or grow your business or organisation because it provides a meeting place for everyone who wants to discuss your particular subject.

A discussion group can be defined as a group of people who get together to exchange information, experiences or their opinions. In most cases, these people will be working towards the same goal.

Groups of individuals can bring a broad range of ideas, knowledge and skills to bear on problems with new legislation, standards, marketing, human resources, profitability etc. The exchange of ideas can act as a stimulus to the imagination, encouraging individuals to explore ideas they would not otherwise consider. 

Many of the problems that arise in discussion groups result from members who do not have discussion skills, says Karl Smith, author and founder of Business Networking South Africa. Being able to properly participate in a discussion group is similar to reading. If you have a lot of experience with discussions, it is likely that you will do well in a discussion group.

Here are few unwritten rules to make your discussion groups more productive:

• Leading a group
  If you are the leader of a discussion group, it is important to make sure all the members are given equal amounts of time to voice their views or participate. If you give some members more time than others, you may convey a message that certain members are more valuable than others, and this can lead to conflict.

• Prepare for group discussions
  If you are participating in a discussion group, it is important to make sure you're prepared before the discussion begins. Being prepared before the discussion starts will allow you to effectively communicate your ideas to the group. If the members of the group are required to gain certain types of information on their own, you will not want to provide them with it. This will hinder them from being able to conduct their own research. If you are the one who is planning or leading the group, it is important to make sure every member contributes something to the discussion.

• Listen before you reactListening to others’ views and assimilating what they have to say is as important as speaking out. If you speak out something without understanding the other person’s views, you are bound to come across as foolish and stupid. So listen carefully to where the discussion is going and then react.

• Don’t speak too muchThere is nothing wrong with being quiet. At the same time, you don't want to be too quiet. However, speaking too much is not recommended. Before you speak, you will want to think about what you are going to say. It is important to make sure the statements you make are concise and to the point.

• Do not be over assertive or disrespectful
  If you don't agree with the statement, instead of saying "that doesn't make any sense," it would be better to say "I don't know if I agree. Could you elaborate?" When you use this statement, it will not be as offensive as the other statement. You should never ridicule the idea or statement of another member by calling it dumb or stupid. Instead, you could simply say you disagree with them, and offer an explanation of why you feel the way you do.

• Consider diversity
  When you participate in discussion groups, it important to realize that the other members may not share the same views as you. In fact, they may come from a different cultural or ethnic background. Because the members of a group discussion may come from different cultures, communication can be challenging. A discussion group will work well when all the members understand the differences that will exist in communication for different cultures. These differences should be valued, and the members should be able to effectively communicate with each other even if they have cultural differences in their communication style.

• Avoid problems during group discussionsWhen you are participating in a group discussion, it is important to avoid problems that will stop the group from achieving its goals. If you are the leader or planner, there are a number of things you will want to pay attention to. Make sure the topics are relevant. Being able to make a connection with the topic you are discussing on a personal level will allow you to reduce the times where members get off topic. If you are the leader, you may want to ask the members questions if you feel that they are starting to get off topic.
  
  It is also important to make sure the members understand the assignments that they have been given. The members of the group should know exactly what is expected of them. In addition to this, they should also be aware of the goals that the group intends to reach.

• Be aware of Groupthink
  Groupthink occurs when a homogenous highly cohesive group is so concerned with maintaining unanimity that they fail to evaluate all their alternatives and options. Symptoms of the groupthink process include the suppression of negative points of view for the sake of group unity, the isolation of the group from other individuals with diverse opinions from those held by the group, and the quiet acceptance of overzealous leadership.

• Speak effectively
  The speech you use can have a powerful impact on the way your message is received by those who listen to you. The cultural background of an individual will also play a role in how they speak. It is important to make sure you speak clearly. Those who listen to you will need to understand what you are saying.  Because most discussion groups are restricted to time, it will become tedious to both you and the other members if you have to repeat what you are saying because they do not understand you.

• Mind the competition
  Most people working in a group unconsciously perceive the situation as competitive. This generates behaviour which is destructive and drains the creative energy of the group. For example, we often perceive disagreement with our ideas as a put-down. The natural reaction is to regain our self-esteem, often by trying to sabotage the ideas of those who disagreed with us. Instead of looking for ways to improve on their ideas we choose to destroy them. Be courteous and polite in your questioning and criticism. Make sure that your criticism could never be interpreted as a personal attack.
  
  So what are some of the reasons why people don’t participate in discussion groups? A lack of confidence in one’s ideas, a fear of being rejected,  submissiveness to more aggressive members and a disbelief in the value of discussion. “Watch out for power-seekers,” cautions Smith. They may use ploys such as highlighting flaws in others' arguments, barbed questions and displays of expertise to show their supremacy.

This article may be copied or republished with the following credit:  "By Karl Smith: author, speaker and founder of Business Networking South Africa” Cape Town, South Africa. +27 (0) 71 444 2210 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   www.businessnetworkingsouthafrica.co.za"