Investigative Interviewing Series, (Part 2 of 3): Effective Listening

Last week, we started our 3-part investigative interviewing series. In the first installment, I discussed a powerful but underutilized technique: building rapport. This week’s tip presents another powerful interviewing technique: effective listening.

Most interviewers approach interviews with the idea that they need to know the right questions to ask. We challenge you to examine how you can possibly know the right questions to ask going into the interview when you haven’t even heard what the interviewee saw or knows.

Only through effective listening will you be able to know the “right” questions to ask. The first question is the only one you need to know going in: “Tell me, from start to finish, what you observed the day of the incident.”

Then, sit back, listen and identify which follow-up questions need to be asked.

How are your effective listening skills? No one is born with them, but you can develop them with practice. Take our listening inventory quiz below and become a better investigative interviewer.

So, how do you encourage interviewees to keep talking and give you the whole story? Join us next Wednesday as we discuss extension techniques.