In most cases the courses listed below can be structured to meet the specific interviewing circumstances, needs and wishes of the requesting agency, conference or association.  In these circumstances customized sessions involving a multi-topical presentation is possible.  Other courses necessitate a level of interviewing knowledge, skill and ability to fully maximize the learning-job task application of the material.  For questions any of these topics or a related interview topic, please call me at 828-606-9167.

Allegations of Workplace Harassment – Interviewing through the Labyrinth

• The interviews related to an inquiry into an allegation of workplace harassment can prove to be most challenging.  Who is truthful?  Who is deceptive?  Could it be that there is a combination of both truth and deception in the assertions of all involved?  Might perceptions and interpretations of what is alleged to have occurred be clouded?  This session addresses the mechanics of “how” and the abilities necessary “to” travel through the maze of this, a most emotional and potentially consequential, interviewing undertaking.

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Elicitation Techniques:  Tier Alpha

• In an interview, the person has information, knows you want the information and is willing to provide the information.

  In compliance gaining, the individual has the information, knows you want the information and is not readily willing to provide information.   The same person could be willing in A, B and D and not willing in C.

  Elicitation Techniques: Tier Alpha is designed to enhance your ability to address the above dynamics and additionally, provide the opportunity to raise communication skills to the next level:  communicating with someone possessing information, not aware you want the information and subsequently shares that information with you.  Additionally, the ability to apply the techniques in a structured interview is incorporated into the curriculum.

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Finding Shakespeare in the Interview

• Shakespeare’s plays are psychology books without footnotes.  The consummate interviewer continually seeks to understand human nature, motivations and actions.  In this examination of some of Shakespeare’s most notable plots and characterizations insight into interviewee actions, responses and machinations are presented.  This study allows for a more cognizant identification of and subsequent response to the interviewee’s actions before and during the interview.  This session affords an excellent way for the interviewer to gain insight into the complexity of human nature and learn to structure an interview accordingly.    

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Fraud Related Interviewing

• The fraud investigation involves a unique set of interview related dynamics.  Central to the success of the fraud investigation is the level of specific interviewing knowledge, skill and ability competencies of the interviewer.  The fraud related interview has its own set of appropriate persuasive themes, techniques and practices. 

  Within this course the participant will: Incorporate the dynamics of the fraud triangle and fraud diamond to the interview process; Prepare an interview strategy based upon the information received from a fraud investigation concerning the facts and information involving the fraud personality type; Review a fraud related interview and address the interview points positive and negative as well as assess the motive, rationalization and capacity of the interviewee.

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How to Interview like the Dickens

• Almost everyone is familiar with the stories from the inimitable Mr. Charles Dickens.  His characters exist with us today just as they did when he brought them to life over one hundred years ago.  But what most people do not realize was that Dickens was an astute observer of human cognitions and behaviors.  Consequently, some of the more complicated dynamics of interpersonal communication – especially as it applies to the interview process – are readily understood through the examination of some of Dickens’ more memorable characters.  This session is designed to provide the participant with having more than just a ghost of chance at becoming a more effective interviewer.

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Huh? Staying Focused during the Interview

• The average adult attention span is twelve minutes and falling.  A most fundamental task of an interviewer is to pay attention.  Since most interviews of any significance take longer than twelve minutes it is incumbent upon the interviewer to possess the self-discipline to stay focused for extended periods of time.  In this session techniques designed to enhance the ability to stay in the interviewing moment are addressed, practiced and applied.

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Interviewer Ethics

• Above all else, the interviewer does not want to undertake actions that would cause someone to make an admission to something they did not do or take away the volitional aspect of compliance.  But, just as importantly, there may be legal, organizational as well as individual parameters applied to the conduct of the interview.  In this session, the importance and establishment of just such ethical parameters are examined, formalized and interfaced with the interview process.  

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Interviewer Communication Profile

• Studies show that the interpersonal communication ability of the interviewer is more important than the interviewing technique applied.  Communication is the “road” upon which the “vehicle” of the interviewing technique travels.  The appropriate technique on the wrong road can meet with failure whereas a less than optimal technique on the right road can lead to success.  In this session, the interviewer has the opportunity to identify their communication profile – its inherent advantages and disadvantages – and learns how to adjust their communication accordingly.

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Interviewer Personality Dynamics

• Aristotle noted three elements necessary to effective communication:  emotion, logic and character.  The character or personality of the interviewer is one of the most important and neglected variables of the interviewing process.  Herein the interviewer will identify their personality profile, how that profile relates to others and their shadow personality attributes. Once the interviewer comes to “know thyself” they can utilize with purpose, their personality strengths and strive to strengthen their personality shortcomings.

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Interviewing from Head to Poe

• When it comes to relating to others Edgar Allan Poe - the most enigmatic of American authors, described in one of his stories, a dynamic that took science over 150 years to understand.  The interviewer possessing this knowledge and that can adroitly apply this skill, significantly enhances the opportunity for consistently, productive interviewing outcomes.

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Interviewing Generation ME!

• The last four decades have significantly involved societal shifts toward situational ethics, the abdication of responsibility, moral ambiguity and a heightened sense of entitlement.  Additionally we are experiencing the delayed onset of adulthood and the diminution of the ability to focus and pay attention.
  

  All of these shifting dynamics are making themselves felt throughout society but nowhere more obviously than in the workplace.  Consequently, from the applicant interview, supervision, audits, HR issues continuing through to interviews related to internal irregularities or fraud, interviewing Generation ME! brings forth a whole new set of criteria.

  In this session the new set of criteria is presented, explored and aligned with the interview process.  Group exercises are utilized to address the related elements and recommended interview strategies to respond to their subsequent influences.

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Interviewing for Quality Information

• Within an interview, as a communication event, the interviewer has a number of established objectives: 

  • Gather quality data or information from the interviewee.
  • Determine specifically, if the information is complete.

  Toward this end, the interviewer must have the ability to QUESTION.  A question is an activating event.  If the questioning strategy employed is not productive, then the interviewer must have the ability to use additional approaches until the strategy most appropriate to the interviewee and the interview circumstance is found.

  
  Once the interviewee begins to talk, the interviewer must be able to determine if the interviewee has provided all relevant information accurately.  The interviewer must have more than a vague impression that the interviewee has provided information completely.  The interviewee may be forthcoming with regard three of the four salient topic areas.  Only in one area has the interviewee elected to manipulate information.  Consequently, the interviewer must know specifically where and how, within the interview, the interviewee is manipulating information and direct the subsequent questioning accordingly.

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Investigative Discourse Analysis

• The systematic analysis of written discourse: statements, transcripts, emails, letters, etc., can serve to assist in the assessment of interviewee veracity, provide the foundation for the planning for a subsequent interview as well as identify the critical, related areas that require further inquiry.  Often, written discourse relevant to an inquiry is only seen as a piece of paper to be filed.  It is thought to be only useful at face value - as a record, sworn statement, or archive.  In Investigative Discourse Analysis the participant learns how these documents can be put to work as investigative-inquiry decision-making tools and as veracity indicators that can serve to carry the process to conclusion.

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Is That the Truth?

• This session is an examination of deception within interpersonal communication, the challenge of determining when someone is deceptive and ultimately applying the appropriate questions. Who can use this information?
  Anyone who would be put at a disadvantage by deception:  Auditors, persons responsible for hiring, making loan determination and recommendations, supervisors, administrators, managers, investigators, security personnel, counselors, etc.

  Why you should be concerned about deception
              Avoid hiring mistakes
              Base decisions on the truth
              Increase productivity
              Determine who is truthful and who is not
              Know if disciplinary action is warranted

  Do you really know?
              -           What happened?
              -           If the financial circumstances as articulated are the truth?

  1. If job applicants are truthful about their background?
  2. If subordinates are truthful about performing assigned tasks?
  3. If management or supervisor decisions are based on truthful information?
  4. If harassment or discrimination charges are based on the truth?
  5. If the sales contracts are based upon truthful financial disclosure?

  Program Features:

  1. Hands-on, experiential training, you’ll actually practice techniques taught and develop proficiency in detecting deception in everyday, job responsibility related situations.
  2. These skills will be some of the most valuable personal tools in your collection of management/supervisory and operational skills.

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Persuasive Interviewing

• Of the three dynamics of the interviewing process – questioning, detecting deception and persuasion – the last element – persuasion -  most often proves to be the most challenging requiring the highest level of knowledge, skill and ability.

  From the writings of Aristotle to modern scientific research, the concept of motivating another to act in a certain manner has been a continuing factor within the human equation.  Additionally, the interviewer as a persuader is faced with the additional challenges of ensuring that the cooperation is voluntary and that nothing has been done within the interview that would cause someone to make an admission to something that was not true.

  Within the session Persuasive Interviewing, the foundational aspects of the persuasion process are addressed.  The concept and role of attitudes as it relates to the persuasive process are presented in relation to the interview process.  Lastly the specific transitions that must take place to move the interviewee from unwilling to willing are examined.

  The session involves participant analysis of actual interviews as well as debriefings from those who sat in the interviewee’s chair as to why they made the admission, why they did not make the admission and the role of the interviewer in their decision.

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Rapport and the Interview Process

• No element of the interview process is more perplexing than the concept of rapport.  While all agree that the need to develop a rapport is critical, little is specified as to how to develop a rapport, know that rapport has been established and the interviewing strategies most conducive with rapport.  In this session the precise dynamics of rapport, its development and utilization are examined and clarified.  The goal for this session is for the interviewer to be able to develop and utilize rapport on a more consistent and effective basis.

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Storytelling, Metaphors and Similes:  The Gentle Art of Gaining Compliance

• This course is designed for the participant already aware of the basic principles and methodologies to effectively and consistently interview those individuals from whom the need to gain compliance is necessary. This session focuses on the application of storytelling, metaphors and similes in conducting a compliance gaining interview – the skillful ability to weave the interviewer’s compliance gaining frames via stories, metaphors and similes. Participants will be afforded the opportunity to develop and apply each of these three methodologies within the compliance gaining interview process.

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The Narcissist, Fraud and the Subsequent Interview

• The correlation between narcissism and fraud is high indeed.  As society demonstrates more and more of the attributes of the narcissist, the link grows demonstratively stronger and is manifested more often.  Interviewing the narcissist involves an enhanced skill-set.  Knowing and recognizing the narcissist’s vulnerabilities enables the interviewer to avoid being overtaken by the narcissist’s façade and transition to acquiescence. 

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They did ask the Typical Questions:  How I fooled the Auditors

• Ever wonder what it is like to be interviewed by an auditor knowing you are involved in fraudulent activity?  Is the person across from you – the auditor – just such a person?  Those involved in fraud will always endeavor to accomplish two goals – manipulate “things” and manipulate people.  “Things” can be – documents, receipts, etc.  “People” in this case, means you, the auditor as an interviewer.  Within our examination we will address the role of the auditor as an interviewer and the knowledge, skill and ability necessary to make sure “we don’t get fooled again”.