My Communication & Influence Skills

1. In a group meeting, you disagree with the direction—but you’re not 100% sure. What do you usually do?

Stay quiet and adjust later
Ask someone privately after the meeting
Share a question that tests the direction without attacking it
Agree publicly and raise it only if it becomes a problem
Push your point strongly so it’s taken seriously

2. When you explain something and people still look confused, what’s your next move?

Repeat it the same way but slower
Assume they weren’t listening and move on
Give more details to cover everything
Ask “Does that make sense?” and continue
Reframe it using an example or analogy they relate to

3. When you’re nervous presenting, what helps you most?

Focusing on the audience’s takeaway (not your performance)
Memorizing everything so you don’t mess up
Speaking fast to finish quickly
Avoiding eye contact so you don’t freeze
Keeping it short and hoping it’s enough

4. A teammate gives feedback that feels harsh. What do you usually do?

Get defensive and explain yourself
Ignore it and move forward
Take it personally and disengage
Ask what “better” would look like with one example
Agree with it even if you don’t understand

5. When a conversation becomes tense, what’s your most common instinct?

Try to end it quickly
Match their energy so they don’t overpower you
Slow it down and name the real issue calmly
Stay silent until it passes
Switch topics to keep things friendly

6. If someone dominates the group conversation, what do you most often do?

Let them talk—at least something is moving
Redirect with a question that invites others in
Interrupt and challenge them directly
Wait for the teacher/leader to manage it
Message quieter people privately later

7. When you want to persuade someone, what tends to work best for you?

Listing facts and logic
Being confident and firm
Being friendly so they like you
Repeating your point until it sticks
Connecting to what they care about and framing it that way

8. You need someone to cooperate on a group task, but they’re not responding. What do you do first?

Stop reminding them and do your part only
Send a clear message with one specific ask + deadline
Keep sending multiple reminders until they reply
Complain to the group that they aren’t helping
Wait—maybe they’re busy and will respond later

9. You send an important message in a group chat and get no response. What do you do?

Follow up with a shorter message + one clear action request
Assume it’s fine and stop thinking about it
Delete the message so it doesn’t look ignored
Send multiple follow-ups to get attention
Call them out for not responding

10. After you communicate something important, what do you naturally check for?

Whether I sounded confident
Whether they liked me
Whether I used the right words
Whether we reached the same understanding
Whether I said enough details