MAKING A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION
Skills to demonstrate in group exercises Contribute, but don’t dominate
The leaderless task
The leadership task
Each member of a group will be given a separate briefing – which may or may not be similar to others’ – and a time limit to complete a task as a group. As no one in the group has a complete set of instructions and there’s no designated leader, everyone will have to work together to come to a decision acceptable to all members. As before, there’s no “correct” answer, so be patient and try to broker as many compromises as possible. Assessors are more interested in seeing if you’re able to work with people holding different views, as well as how well you can navigate potential conflict.
A complete change from the leaderless task, recruiters occasionally spring this on candidates when they’re interested in testing leadership skills. In this scenario, you may be asked to act as the leader of your group or even chair a meeting. Once again, there’ll be a set task – only this time, you’ll be expected to lead your group to success. This is what your assessors will be looking for: • Delegation: A good leader delegates tasks. You can’t do everything alone, so you must divide up the work between the others. • Using the strengths of others: Identifying strengths in group members and using them in appropriate ways is one of the hallmarks of a good leader. • If you know what is going on: Sticking to your guns and ignoring feedback aren’t characteristics of good leaders. It’s better to keep an eye on what’s going on and make changes if things don’t work out.
Don’t be aggressive, but be assertive. If you’re a shy person who doesn’t speak up, do your best to participate. Inversely, if you know that you sometimes talk too much, do your best to restrain yourself! Keep an eye on the time
Stay focused on the overall objective. Every now and then, try to summarise the group’s progress to make sure you don’t shoot past the time limit given. Try to keep things on schedule as diplomatically as possible. Be diplomatic
If a group member is behaving in a dominant fashion, don’t shut them down. Instead, make sure everyone has the chance to share their thoughts. Be prepared to compromise, but don’t bend over backwards – just make sure you can reasonably justify any sacrifices you make. Be confident and aware
Listen without interrupting. Be aware of what others in your group are contributing and make it a point to invite the quieter ones to the discussion. Assessors notice and appreciate attentive candidates.
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