Signs of interpersonal talent are cues for curiosity, not a diagnosis and not a caste stamp.
Tests measure a sample already shaped by teaching and invitation. False positives are part of the identification problem.
Early cues
- 3–6 — Repair after a miss — Tries a second sentence.
- 7–9 — Cue noticing — Names a mood in the room.
- 10–13 — Quiet inclusion — Brings the left-out person in.
- 14–17 — Code-switching — Adjusts register without mockery.
- Adult — Asks a better question — Rogers-like, not an interview attack.
Tests & tasks
- Observed group repair — The honest sample.
- Listening playback — What did they hear?
- Charm rating — Halo — use last.
- EI brand quiz — See that page’s caveats.
Environments
- Low-shame repair — Second tries allowed.
- Mixed-status talk — Not only peers.
- Cross-cultural hosts — Display rules named.
- No diagnosis theatre — Educational frame.
False positives
- Sales glow — Carnegie cosplay.
- Compliance — Obedience as skill.
- Gossip skill — Information without care.
- Feed charisma — Cues that do not exist in the room.
Interpersonal talent: a cue is information. A label without a review date is a caste.