In this week’s WZ / IAI interview and interrogation training tip, Dave Thompson, CFI discusses the detailed formatting and structure of a rationalization story. During an interview, it is important to recognize the subject may be resistant to telling the truth. In effort to minimize this resistance the interviewer should show understanding by rationalizing. When providing a rationalization, it should be tailored and relevant to the subject based off of the facts of the case and their background. A rationalization is broken into four phases; Stating the topic, telling the story, providing the moral of the story and finally linking it back to the investigation. These steps are discussed in detail during the video, identifying the importance of formatting a rationalization correctly.
Every loss prevention investigator should continuously strive to enhance their investigative interviewing skills as part of an ongoing commitment to best-in-class interviewing performance. This includes holding ourselves to an elite standard of interview and interrogation training that is ethical, moral and legal while demanding excellence in the pursuit of the truth. The International Association of Interviewers (IAI) and Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) provide interview and interrogation training programs and additional guidance to investigators when dealing with dishonest employees, employee theft, sexual harassment, policy violations, building rapport, pre-employment interviewing, lying, denials and obtaining a statement.
By focusing on the latest information and research from experts in the field as well as academia, legal and psychological resources, these video tips provide interview and interrogation training techniques that can enhance the skill sets of professionals with backgrounds in Law Enforcement, Loss Prevention, Security, Asset Protection, Human Resources, Auditors or anyone looking to obtain the truth.