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There are a lot of great folks out there writing on the importance of initiating, building and maintaining positive business and personal relationships (Phil Gerbyshak, Rosa Say, Kristine Cane, Liz Straus ).

I have also written quite a bit on inter and intra personal relationships and how their structure is founded the make of your underlying temperament.

In fact behavior analysts, counselors, columnist, business coaches and therapists give so much time to this topic that we occasionally overlook one of the most important elemental truth of relationships. Some of them should be fun!

With that in mind, I offer you this wonderful little quiz to assess your meanness factor. But, be warned American Chronicle, CNN, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges say Americans are getting ruder all the time (except for you and I of course )

Grab a pencil and rate your fate.

Enjoy!

1. I use my mobile phone in public places.
a. only when it is urgent.
b. occasionally, but I tip out of the room.
c. frequently
d. all the time and loud enough to be heard over the annoying background noise.

2. I’m short with sales clerks.
a. never.
b. when they are rude first.
c. it’s the only way to get them to do their job.

3. When traffic lanes are merging.
a. I wave in the other car.
b. I hold my ground.
c. I swerve at anyone who gets near MY lane.

4. My language is such that
a. when someone named Richard enters the room I blush.
b. I can get a little spicy when the occasion warrants
c. Larry Flynn thinks I’m too raunchy

5. When someone blocks my path
a. I say excuse me and wait until the path clears.
b. I say excuse me as I brush passed.
c. I push through mumbling about being in the way.

6. When telephone solicitors call
a. I say no thank you and wait for them to finish.
b. I say no thank you and hang up.
c. I hang up HARD!

7. When riding public transportation I give up my seat
a. Usually
b. Occasionally
c. Never, handicaps get all the best parking spots anyway.

8. An automobile horn is for
a. dire emergencies
b. warning of danger.
c. a means of self expression.

9. When my child creates a disturbance while we are dining out
a. I quiet her immediately and take her outside if necessary.
b. I give her time to settle down.
c. I know she is too adorable to bother anyone.

10. When in restaurants that offer after dinner mints with a spoon for self service I use the spoon.
a. Ugh! Are you kidding? Other people have BREATHED on those mints. Disgusting!
b. sometimes.
c. I can grab more “fer later” if I use my hands.

11. I talk during movies
a. NEVER.
b. When I miss an important piece of dialog.
c. I add colorful commentary for the enjoyment of the entire audience.

Now you can score yourself (what you thought I was going to do it?)

a = 4 points
b = 3 points
c = 2 points
d = 1 point(s)

36-44 point total:
You should be writing/blogging/pod casting/lecturing/teaching/preaching about manners. You are the King/Queen of work and play well with others.

30-35 point total:
You are usually polite but extremes may push you to be a bit snarky at times.

20-29 point total:
Sometimes, and more frequently lately, folks just get on your last nerve.

11-19 point total:
Clear the decks! Take cover! Incoming! Get the idea? Basically, you’re just a big ole meanie.

How do your quiz scores compare to what you anticipate?

I love this type of quizzes. Do you have one to share?

This entry was posted on Monday, January 21st, 2008 at 8:30 pm and is filed under behavior, communication, temperament, tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.