Do you know how to say the right thing at the right time to win people over and get what you want?

Take this quiz to find out:

1. Your friend Mike has been looking for a new job as an adminstrator for the past two months. He tells you that when his last interviewer asked him why he is leaving his current job, he explained that it is because the work is not interesting. You think that answer would make him look bad to an interviewer, do you: 
a. Say, “Mike, you shouldn't say that in an interview. It leaves room for misinterpretation and makes you look bad."
b. Ask, “Mike, would you like my opinion about how you might want to answer that question?”
c. Keep quiet, say nothing and let it go because it's never a good idea to tell a friend something that might upset him.

2. Your partner is watching television and you have something to discuss with him or her, do you:
a. Pick up the remote, shut off the television and start talking.
b. Ask your partner when he or she will have time to talk to you.
c. Leave the television on and start talking, expecting your partner to pay attention to you.

3. Your colleague Joe tells you that Susan, another colleague, gave a fantastic presentation to a potential client that morning. Later that day, you see Susan in the office cafeteria, you:
a. Don’t say anything to her.
b. Say, “Hi Susan, how are you doing?" You avoid mentioning the presentation because you don’t want to be a gossip. 
c. Say, “Hi Susan, Joe told me that you gave a fantastic presentation this morning!”

4. It’s midnight. You’re about to go to sleep and a friend you see once in a while calls to tell you that she just broke up with her boyfriend and she’s very upset, do you:
a. Ask her if she wants to come over, hoping that she’ll say no because it’s so late.
b. Talk to her on the phone for a while and then tell her you'll talk to her about it more tomorrow.
c. Say, “It's late. Maybe you should just sleep on it. If you really want me to, I'll meet you for breakfast before work" even though you'd rather use your time in the morning to go for a jog.

5. You have plans with your friend Tom for dinner on Wednesday night. The day before, you are talking to another friend, Steve, who met Tom once. Steve asks you if you want to get together for dinner Wednesday night. You: 
a. Say “I have dinner plans with my friend Tom for Wednesday night. Why don’t you join us?”
b. Make an excuse and say “I have to work late tomorrow so I can’t meet you for dinner.” You don't want him to feel excluded. 
c. Say “I have plans tomorrow night, let’s get together another night.”

ANSWERS:

1) B
Hold Your Tongue. Give advice only when (1) you are asked for it; or (2) you get permission to give it after asking “Would you like my opinion?”

2) B 
Get a Green Light. Before you delve into an important conversation with someone, ask, “Is this a good time for you?”

3) C 
Spread Gossip. When someone tells you something good about a person you know, you should spread positive gossip by passing on the compliment to that person.

4) B 
Avoid Superficial Offers. Always expect a person to say yes to an offer you make. If you’re hoping she won’t, then don’t make the offer.

5) C 
Invite with Caution. If you have plans with someone, you must seek that person’s approval before you invite anyone else to join in on those plans. In this case, you should not invite Steve until you’ve obtained Tom’s permission. If you ask Tom and he says it's okay to invite Steve, then you can call Steve back and invite him to join you. 

Analysis: 
If you have all five answers right, you have an above-average communication IQ.
If you have one answer wrong you have an average communication IQ. 
If you have two or more answers wrong you may have a low communication IQ. 
This quiz is ONLY AN INDICATOR of your communication IQ in very selected situations. To raise your communication IQ to the highest level in all situations, and gain a distinct advantage in life, I recommend that you read “INSTANT PERSUASION: How to Change Your Words to Change Your Life.” In this book you will learn how to easily spot and avoid communication blunders that create stress and conflict in a relationship and replace them with communication wonders that win people over. Instant Persuasion is an amazing tool that has the power to transform friendships, marriages and careers.

This quiz is for educational and/or entertainment purposes only and does not replace the services of a health care provider.

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