Body Language Expert: Getting to the truth…
It’s occurred to me tha as a body language expert I spend lots of time talking about how to spot a liar in these newsletters. So let’s take it a step further and get into how to get the truth out of someone.
Getting an admission can be one of the hardest things to do. But with these 3 steps you’ll greatly accelerate the process.
The first key is setting up the situation just right. Getting angry and turning over tables like you see in police movies is a sure way to get people to clam up.
So you want to make sure you’re being extra nice. The Germans discovered in World War 2 that giving American prisoners fresh baked pastries was a great way to get secrets out of them….Just pasteries!! Never underestimate the power of a doughnut.
Then you need to structure your questions so that information keeps flowing. You’ll put them into cognitive overload just a bit so the story will fall apart if it’s not the truth.
Here’s a list of some questions that will help:
Would someone say that you did it? What reason?
What should happen to somebody who did something like this?
Is there any reason someone would say that they suspect you? What reason?
Would there be any reason your (fingerprints, hair blood, footprints, handwriting, tire prints, video picture, time card, etc) would be found at the scene? What reason?
What evidence would be the most damaging to the person responsible?
Do you think someone may have seen this happen? What would they have seen?
Would there be any evidence that might make it look like you’re responsible?
Do you think that the person regrets that it happened? Why?
Have people just misunderstood what really happened?
Have you told me anything that’s not the whole truth?
And last—BE QUIET! Ask these questions like you expect an answer. And don’t speak again till you get one or you’ll step on the opportunity you created. You’ll be amazed what people will say when they get uncomfortable in silence.
I need a favor from you. I’ve been nominated as one of the top body language experts in the world on Global Gurus. I need your vote to get to the top spot! Here’s what you do:
Go to http://globalgurus.org/, log in, find me under the body language expert category and vote!