Chapter 13: Investigator Etiquette — from Online Courses by Thomas Cooney
Reputation is built on manners as much as on captures. Too many investigators fail the basics.
- Professional without stiff. Take the work seriously; do not take yourself too seriously. Humor helps; class-clown chaos does not.
- House rules. No smoking indoors if they do not. No foul language. Feet off furniture. Keep noise down, especially with children.
- No premature diagnosis. Certainty comes late. Early labels stick in the client’s mind and can be wrong.
- Story selection. If they ask about other cases, prefer dry or funny ones. Horror stories teach people how to be haunted.
- Fear management. Natural fear is fine. Announcing you will “never go in that basement again” is not. If you cannot enter a room, you should not be leading the case—and the family still has to live there.
- No victory dances. A light across the room is data. Celebrate later, off-site.
- Transparency. Keep the family informed. Whisper-huddles look like secrets. If you need a private consult, excuse yourselves briefly and return with a clear update.
Clients will believe much of what you say. Speak carefully. Respect is not optional; it is the job.