According to your score on this test, your communication skills are average, leaving plenty of room for improvement. You scored somewhere in the middle on the communication scale - not picture perfect, but not at the bottom of the barrel either. You already have some skills, and have shown the potential to master the communication process. However, some time and concentrated effort is needed to develop these abilities even further. Communication plays a large role in the impression you make on others. It also influences your self-esteem, assertiveness, and social adjustment. If you want to reach your full communicating potential, all it takes is a little know-how and effort. Like most things in life, practice makes perfect - and you're already halfway there!

Your results indicate that you are fairly adept at interpreting other people's words and actions and seeing things from their perspective - although the rare misunderstanding may occur. Overall however, you seem to realize that empathy is an essential part of good interpersonal skills and therefore, will do your best to place yourself in other people's shoes in order to better understand them. For the most part, you can sense what others are thinking, and will likely adjust your behavior accordingly if a person you're conversing with seems confused or perhaps uncomfortable. There may be the occasional time when you pay more attention to the message you're sending rather than how it's received. With some time and experience, you'll likely be able to improve your insight even more.

According to your answers, your ability to get your point across to others is satisfactory. You seem to have a general understanding of what it takes to deliver a message effectively, but probably find yourself getting frustrated occasionally, as people may sometimes misinterpret what you're trying to say. You aren't always able to explain yourself clearly, and don't consistently use many of the techniques necessary for effectively conversing with others. Remember that when you don't control your emotions and adjust your approach and choice of words according to your audience, misunderstandings will occur. In fact, you could end up hurting or offending someone. You could benefit from some work on your skills.

Your score indicates that you are not very assertive. In fact, you seem to be fairly uncomfortable expressing an opinion that differs from other people's, perhaps out fear of hurting or angering them. You may often hold back from asking questions or discussing touchy subjects. This overall difficulty with standing up for yourself can be a real hindrance in both your personal and professional life. Unfortunately, others won't know what you think or feel if you avoid telling them. People who are assertive will rarely hesitate to disagree, even if it may result in an argument. They are also able to talk to people who appear intimidating. Research has shown that the root of such behavior is found in self-esteem. If you work on building your sense of self-worth you will likely become more assertive.

You had a fairly low score on the listening skills component of the test. This means that you are lacking some of the listening know-how that is crucial for smooth communication. The first step in improving your proficiency is, as with most things, developing an understanding effective listening is. Many people wrongfully believe that this is a passive activity, one that consists of simply absorbing what the other person says. In fact, attending to others is an active process that involves making an effort to stay attentive even when the conversation is boring, letting others speak without interrupting and suppressing distracting mannerisms. These are some skills that you could add to your communication repertoire. You would certainly reap the benefits.

It appears as though you are generally able to manage the emotional part of the communication process, but some improvement is needed. You're not completely comfortable expressing your feelings or dealing with emotionally charged situations. As a result, you may occasionally go out of your way to avoid discussing sensitive issues. When the issue of feelings is being discussed in a conversation, you sometimes feel ill at ease; you don't always like making yourself vulnerable. On some occasions, you may also find yourself at a loss in terms of what to say, and consequently, end up feeling that whatever comes out will sound awkward or false. Whatever the reason for your occasional discomfort, you could probably benefit from trying to improve your ability to deal with emotions. Remember that keeping feelings hidden or avoiding them can be very frustrating not just for others but for you as well.