Wicklander-Zulawski and Associates

The Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) method is a non-confrontational interview that allows the interviewer to build credibility through a brief introductory statement—and then show understanding through rationalizing.

The participatory approach is specifically used when there’s circumstantial evidence or that there’s a possibility that your subject might have an excuse, an explanation, so some type of alibi that may or may not be true.

Even though there's going to be a third person in the room, we need to create a one-on-one conversation with the subject.

What's really important when it comes to fact-gathering interviews is an understanding of question formulation. It's necessary to understand when to ask an open-ended, expansion, closed-ended, enticement, assumptive, or even echo question.

Even though we might ultimately deny a request, we don't want to do so in a way that creates an adversarial relationship with the subject. Think about it like this: nobody likes being told no.

The great thing about the enticement question is that we can use it regardless of whether we have any evidence. The wording of the question thus becomes very important.

A well-crafted statement freezes the moment of the admission or confession, providing the reader a snapshot into the mind of the guilty party.

What we have to remember is that it isn't personal. It's not about us. It's not personal to anyone except the individual who was involved in the incident.

Here's one unfortunate reason: "If I work in a building with 500 people, surely somebody else will say something. It doesn't have to be me."

If you're unfamiliar with any of these laws, or how your company or organization handles them, now would be a great time to visit that with your legal team or your human resources team to make sure everybody's on the same page.