Question

Justin's neighborhood association has asked him to speak in front of the zoning board regarding

city development plans in their area. Justin is a real estate agent who sells investment property in
the area, as well as a resident.
Which of the following techniques is ineffective for gaining credibility and authority?
Justin speaks loudly and clearly when he introduces himself as a concerned resident of the
O neighborhood. He summarizes his past activity with the neighborhood association and his
relationship with local businesses
Justin explains that the neighborhood association asked him to come and speak today. He tells
O the zoning board that they share a common goal of making the city a great place to live and
work.
Justin comes from a work meeting and keeps his tie on but takes off his suit jacket. He explains
O that he works closely with possible investors and has seen the benefits from zoning decisions in
the past
Justin avoids eye contact with the board so that they don't feel intimidated. He also doesn't want
to take away from the neighborhood's statement so he doesn't mention his relationship with real
estate investors

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. Justin avoids eye contact with the board so that they don't feel intimidated. He also doesn't want to take away from the neighborhood's statement so he doesn't mention his relationship with real estate investors.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this situation, Justin needs to communicate his interest in the neighborhood while showing he is an authority in this area by explaining his experience in this field and demonstrating he knows about the topic. In this context, it is ineffective to avoid eye contact because this might be interpreted as a lack of confidence or knowledge. Also, if he does not mention his experience or relationship with real estate investors the audience will not know he is an authority in the field and his ideas are credible. Thus, option D is ineffective for showing credibility and authority.