Interviewing & Elicitation Techniques

Primary Intelligence Collection: Interviewing & Elicitation Ellen Naylor Ellen@EllenNaylor.com +1 720.480.9499 http://EllenNaylor.com http://cooperativeintelligenceblog.com

Interviewing “The next best thing to knowing all about your own business is to know all about the other fellow’s business.” John D. Rockefeller July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Interviewing Obtain what you want from someone who probably has the answer Knows WHO you are and probably WHY you want it July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Planning • Formulate Relevant Questions • Your Relationship with the Target? • Re-word Questions to Motivate Sharing July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Relationship with Target • Attitude about sharing information? • What have they shared before? • Where comfortable sharing? • Why share more? • Cold Call? • What will you share? July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Practical Motivators • Profession • Politics • Personal Issues • Personal • Predisposition • Emotional Intelligence July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Dominant July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Influencer July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Steady/Amicable July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Conscientious July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Re-word Questions to Motivate Minimize Ego Threat 1. Start with broad/open ended questions 2. Hypothetical questions 3. Indirect questions/statements 4. Narrow questions July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Listen for the Hints or Cues • Be patient, alert • Judge target’s emotional state July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Lay Aside Pre-Conceived Notions • Failure to Listen – Biased expectations – Desire for self-expression – Performance anxiety July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Observe Target’s Visual Response Visual cues indicate emotions – Intentional body language – Involuntary body language Involuntary Validity of response July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Leakage • When words & visual cues don’t match up • When Visual cues don’t match up Change the subject Probe more deeply July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Elicitation: Definition • Conversation that compels people to voluntarily tell you things without you asking • Involves planned, conversational interaction to gather the data needed. • Conversation flows without raising that person’s concern about what he told you. July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Remember Questions Better • Who is s/he? • Why are they asking? • What’s in it for me to share x, y or z? • How shall I respond? • How will s/he use what I say? • How much should I share? • Or should I share at all? July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Elicitor Skills • Natural gift for making friends • Good listener • Establish rapport well • Practical psychological insight • Broad general knowledge • Good memory • Two level listener July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Elicitation: Planned Conversation • Your personality • Your target’s personality • Desired outcomes? • What steps to take? • Builds on what you know • The right conversational points: timely • Conversation is interesting to target • Builds on human tendencies July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Human Characteristics in Elicitation • Desire to be recognized, appreciated • Curiosity, Gossip, Complain • Show off/share confidences w/other professionals • Occupational hazards: advising and teaching, • Self-effacement – downplay accomplishments • Habit to correct others • Prove someone else wrong • Over-talking when overly emotional July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

The Conversational Hourglass Knowledge about Target Personal, profession What’s worked before Expertise, knowledge Intended Outcome Your favorite Techniques Elements Style Pre-selected Questions about general topics Innocuous and non-threatening Stacking of Elicitation Techniques Test generalizations and presumptions about human factors in elicitation Attention on details of information being provided Pre-selected questions on other general topics Note signals from Target e.g. discomfort or comfort Pleasant and Non-confrontational Macro Topics Macro Topics Micro Topic Paraphrased from Confidential by John Nolan, p. 28 July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Expression of Mutual Interest • Lowers defenses, opens up conversation July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Provocative Statement • Engenders a question in response • Usually sets up another elicitation technique July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Simple Flattery • Often coaxes a person into conversation July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Quid pro Quo • I’ll share if you’ll share • Gesture of good faith and openness July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Purposefully Erroneous Statement • Deliberate false statements cause the knowledgeable person to correct you July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Oblique References • Positive or negative indirect comments • Generate either defense or criticism July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Exploit the Instinct to Complain • Indirectly criticize an individual, institution or industry expert July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Dr. Maya Angelou July 2016 ©The Business Intelligence Source

Ellen Naylor +1.720.480.9499 Ellen@EllenNaylor.com http://EllenNaylor.com http://cooperativeintelligenceblog.com Free: 6 page Win/Loss Cheat Sheets Contact Ellen Naylor