Communications

Question 1

Describe the communication model

Answer 1

Context overall
Noise interference

Message and feedback loop between sender (encoder) and receiver (decoder)
Channel in the middle

Question 2

Four ways people communicate

Answer 2

1. Listening
2. Talking
3. Reading.
4. Writing.

Question 3

When to talk and not write

Answer 3

Want Immediate feedback
Simple message
No permanent record needed
Assemble audience
Encourage interaction to reach a decision

Question 4

Nonverbal communication can be

Answer 4

1. Used to complement what is said.
2. Augment a verbal expression.
3. Regulate or control the flow of conversation.
4. Used to relieve tension.

Question 5

Four points for a business letters with technical information

Answer 5

1. Headings to organize and label.
2. White space to divide data for easy viewing.
3. Summarize your report.
4. Specify conclusions and recommendations.

Question 6

Four points to responding to an inquiry

Answer 6

1. Answer questions in the same order.
2. Refer to questions to clarify which ones you were answering.
3. Be as complete as possible.
4. Refer to additional sources

Question 7

Business writing tone points

Answer 7

1. Brief with necessary information.
2. Friendly but efficient.
3. Show interest in client concerns.
4. Helpful and friendly.
5. Write as you would speak.
6. No slang or bad grammar.
7. Conversational style.

Question 8

What is the executive summary also called?

Answer 8

Bottom line

Question 9

Describe executive summary

Answer 9

First thing audience will read
Written last

Question 10

Beginning middle and end of the report (clients perspective)

Answer 10

Beginning= executive summary
Middle = introduction
End= conclusions and recommendations

Question 11

How should you start the main part of your report?

Answer 11

By introducing your audience to your topic (brief introduction to the property)

Question 12

What is the main part of a report?

Answer 12

Introduction (middle)

Question 13

What is the second part of the introduction?

Answer 13

(Body of report)
All the inspection items

Question 14

In what order should you write a report?

Answer 14

Introduction (middle)
Conclusions and recommendations (end)
Executive summary (end)

Question 15

Seven tips to make your inspection reports stand out.

Answer 15

1. Purpose. What will it accomplish?
2. Write to your readers. Who is your audience?
3. Orderly manner. Inspect, write, summarize.
4. Length matters. Cover your topic, then quit.
5. Flow logically from start to finish.
6. Appearance matters.
7. Review and revise

Question 16

Contents of a report

Answer 16

1. Letter of transmittal.
2. Table of contents.
3. Summary.
4. Body. (Roof, exterior, etc)
5. Concluding remarks.
6. Attachments.

Question 17

What attachments should you send in a report

Answer 17

Glossary
Contract
Standards of inspection
Reference documents

Question 18

Merits of oral communication

Answer 18

Saves time
More forceful
Meaning is conveyed
Immediate feedback
Immediate clarification
Promotes informal communication
More effective with groups
Better for conveying feelings and emotions

Question 19

Limitations of oral communication

Answer 19

Distance is a hurdle
Unsuitable for lengthy messages
iMessage cannot be retained for long
Word once uttered cannot be taken back
Hard to control pitch, and tone
Demands thinking, coherently as one speaks
May lead to misunderstandings
Message chains

Question 20

Essentials of effective oral

Answer 20

Pronunciation
Brevity (proper exact words)
Precision
Conviction
Logical sequence
Appropriate word choice
Avoid hackneyed phrases (insignificant) and clichés and jargon
Natural voice
Finding the right register

Question 21

How to overcome communication barriers

Answer 21

1. Listen.
2. Watch
3. Repeat for clarification.
4. Minimize distractions.
5. Be open minded.
6. Correct channel and medium

Question 22

What are the four types of effective listening skills?

Answer 22

1. Content listening -to understand.
2. Critical, listening -to evaluate
3. Empathetic, listening -do you understand feelings, needs and wants
4. Active listening -helping resolve.

Question 23

Five effective listening categories

Answer 23

1. Attending. (mental sorting.)
2. Understanding. (decoding)
3. Evaluating. (critically analyzing)
4. Remembering. (retaining.)
5. Responding appropriately.

Question 24

Effective two way communication skills

Answer 24

1. Empathizing.
2. Clarify
3. Describing feelings.
4. Assertiveness.

Question 25

How to empathize

Answer 25

Receive the situation through the other persons eyes. Concentrate Adopt an attitude of caring Imagine how youd feel Speculate on persons, emotional state Respond with sensitivity

Question 26

How to clarify?

Answer 26

Questioning. 1. Specific 2. Sensitivity. 3. Open ended or closed questions. Paraphrasing 1. Confirm that you were both on the same page 2. Help responses by showing support

Question 27

Why people aren’t assertive

Answer 27

Fear of reprisal Insecurity about knowledge or expertise Question, self-worth Belief that it’s not worth the time or effort Acceptance of the explanation given Cultural considerations

Question 28

Types of oral communication

Answer 28

Face-to-face Video conferencing Telephone Interviews Group discussion Presentations Grapevine

Question 29

5 Report mistakes

Answer 29

1. Report noise. 2. Poor explanation of limitations 3. Recommendation noise 4. Technical jargon 5. Not reporting to clients preferences

Question 30

What are important to clients when reading reports

Answer 30

Why it is important Prioritize Headings help Tell me what to do Executive summary Cost estimates

Question 31

How many times should you tell someone something?

Answer 31

Three times 1. Executive summary. 2. Body or middle (introduction) 3. Conclusion and recommendations.

Question 32

Describe determining the purpose of a report

Answer 32

Are you writing this report to persuade or inform? Will it project into the future or review the past ? We inform clients about the condition at the time of inspection We are not trying to persuade the client to do anything or speculating how the property got to the state we are describing We do not predict what might happen

Question 33

Describe writing to your readers

Answer 33

Who are your clients? Experienced or inexperienced ? Cultural differences?

Question 34

Describe proceeding in an orderly manner

Answer 34

The last thing you write will likely be the first thing your audience reads

Question 35

Explain why the length of a report matters

Answer 35

Should be long enough just to accomplish its purpose Anticipate questions and objections and provide responses

Question 36

Describe flowing logically

Answer 36

Your first point should naturally flow into the second and so on. Think of the report as telling a story.

Question 37

Describe appearance on reports

Answer 37

Liberal use of headers and sub headers White space Colour only if it needs to be there Visuals for emphasis, but not as filler

Question 38

Describe review and revise

Answer 38

Once everything is written review and revise it again.

Question 39

What does HILR stand for?

Answer 39

Home Inspector Licensing Regulation

Question 40

What needs to be in the report according to the HLIR

Answer 40

1. In writing 2. Opinion, on the condition of each of the things that the contract requires inspector to inspect. 3. Identifies any of those things that the license he recommends the consumer obtain expert advice for. 4. Report specifies what is not covered by the home inspection 5. Consumers name and address. 6. Licensee’s name, and licensee business name. 7. Business address or mailing address. 8. License number, telephone number, fax, email. 9. Address of property inspected 10. Date of home inspection.

Question 41

This is the absolute minimum of home inspection

Answer 41

Written report. We should be debriefing as well.

Question 42

What is a letter of transmittal?

Answer 42

The transmittal letter provides the recipient with a specific context in which to place the larger document and simultaneously gives the sender a permanent record of having sent the material.

Question 43

Should you say the term no visible evidence?

Answer 43

No. Say I observed in the past tense

Question 44

Five steps for dealing with complaints

Answer 44

1. Don’t react. 2. Disarm them with empathy. 3. Reframe argument. 4. Make it easy to say yes. 5. Make it hard to say no

Question 45

What is the fourth and fifth step in writing a report?

Answer 45

Comprehension check Then answer questions

Question 46

What is brevity

Answer 46

concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.

Question 47

What is a hackneyed phrase

Answer 47

(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused