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Here are five handy learnings:

1) An elicitation is a monologue, not a dialogue
Surprising, this, but true. The interrog- sorry, elicitator is trying to create an environment in which the vic- sorry, interviewee will want to give up the truth. That means implying that you already know what they’ve done, you completely understand the pressures that led to their error of judgment, and if they take you into their confidence, this whole silly misunderstanding can be fixed.

2) Cultivate short-term thinking
You want the interviewee concentrating on trying to please you, in the here and now. The moment he or she starts thinking of the likely long-term consequences – professionally, judicially and physically – of confessing that he or she has been ratting out the agency to a foreign power, he or she will tend to clam up.

3) Do no harm
The last thing your interviewee wants to feel is that you’re sitting in judgment like some big old judgey-judgey sourpuss: “The simple fact is that no good can come from being judgmental of a person in an interrogation situation – in fact, it can severely harm the process.”

4) Good cop/bad cop
... is an invention of Hollywood movies. It doesn’t work. The whole point is to make them feel you’re on their side.

5) “Enhanced interrogation”
… may be, like, totally legitimate – the authors are for guessable reasons loudly agnostic on the matter – but it doesn’t work so well. Getting the Truth “isn’t about instilling fear – it’s about minimising or eliminating it”. Plus: hello, Iraq? Also: it’s unsuitable in a white-collar environment.

SHORT-TERM THINKING: FOUR FACTORS 
Inherent vulnerability to influence • 
 Repetition
Loss of independent thinking •  
Lack of immediately identifiable consequences

Inherent vulnerability to influence When we’re watching an infomercial, we’re at a disadvantage in that there’s a one-way flow of information. We have no means of asking any questions or challenging any claims. Consequently, the marketer’s message is our sole source of data upon which to base our decision.

Repetition It’s a psychological truism that the higher the number of instances we hear something, the greater the likelihood we’ll accept it, or at least open the door to the possibility of accepting it. A fundamental characteristic of infomercials is the repetition of visual imagery that illustrates application of the product under various circumstances, or by various individuals.

Loss of independent thinking How frequently do you make the conscious decision to turn on the TV for the purpose of watching an infomercial so you can purchase a product you’ve never even heard of? Probably not all that frequently. The very act of viewing the infomercial is one that likely wasn’t actively chosen of your own accord.

Lack of immediately identifiable consequences There’s a reason why these marketers don’t tell you to take out your checkbook, or to get your credit card number handy. All they ask you to do is make a telephone call. What harm is there in that? In fact, if you call in the next ten minutes, they’ll double the offer! Where’s the downside? What’s happening here is that you have any number of reasons why you wouldn’t want to buy, say, a pair of plastic sandals with built-in exfoliating brushes. But you’re introduced to multiple reasons why you might be interested in buying them. The marketers are working to make the reasons you wouldn’t want to buy them go away, or to at least reprioritize them so that the reasons you might want to buy them go up on top. Before you know it, you have a snazzy new pair of plastic exfoliating sandals sitting in your closet. Successfully bringing those four factors to bear compels people to do whatever it is we want them to do. It involves temporarily replacing the factors they’re inclined to focus on with those we want them to focus on, or to at least reprioritize them so the ones we want them to focus on are on top. That’s the concept of short-term thinking. We tap the very same principle in any interrogation scenario we encounter, whether the aim is to get a terrorist to disclose the details of a bomb plot, a serial killer to confess to a murder, a job applicant to share his drug-related indiscretions, or a child to admit she didn’t do her homework.

1. GATHERING INTELLIGENCE
When you’re planning to pitch your product or service to a new client, build a file on the company. Stalk them–gently. Scour the company website. Search for local and national news stories about the firm. Identify one person (the asset), preferably a sharp, hungry someone well short of the C-suite, but whose star is on the rise. Start with his bio, then dig deeper.
You can learn more than you think from Twitter and Instagram feeds: Think food porn and article postings don’t matter? Study those, and you learn what really matters to someone. Find out his favorite restaurants, books, and magazines, and you learn his culture.

2. ASSET RECRUITMENT
My grandfather used to say, “Shoot one quail at a time.” At networking events, don’t hand out 100 business cards, only to go back to your office and send out 100 form emails. You are a spy. You’re smarter than that.
Instead, network like a spy: Use that intelligence you’ve gathered to figure out how to fit into that person’s tribe. Don’t push it–first contact should feel natural and easy. Talk about things that interest you both. Don’t go overboard on this, but you can even dress the part a bit. In highlighting your commonalities, as Seth Godin puts it, you’re sending the message: “People like us do stuff like this.” In other words, “We ‘get’ each other.” That’ll keep your business card from landing in the generic stack.

3. MIRRORING
True pros in the PI (and spy) world employ one technique to devastating effect: mirroring — the art of subtly imitating someone’s body language or facial expressions. Often, we do it unconsciously; it’s built into our neurons. It’s why yawns and laughter spread, and why babies mimic their parents’ grins.
Interviewers and interrogators use mirroring to establish rapport with suspects. And it can work the same for you: When you’re negotiating or pitching, try echoing your asset’s stance. If he starts to mirror yours back, it’s a good sign you’ve put him at ease.
If you’re nervous going into a meeting or a cocktail hour, you might be judged as less trustworthy.
Mirroring says, “People like us do stuff like this.” And it can work even when your asset, in many ways, isn’t really in your tribe at all.

4. CONTROLLING DEFENSIVE BODY LANGUAGE
Traditional lie detection techniques are based on observing signs of stress. To appear more honest, control your stress indicators. If you’re nervous going into a meeting or a cocktail hour, you might be judged as less trustworthy.
Two things you can do to combat stress:
Know your topic, and know it well
Assume a posture of confidence
Dale Carnegie famously said, “If you want to be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic.” Enthusiasm can not only camouflage anxiety; it can melt away stress. And your energy might just be contagious.

5. INTERROGATING GENTLY
As a PI, I can usually coax the truth out of a grudging witness. You, as a budding business spy, can pivot this technique toward filling those awkward silences at a stilted conference cocktail hour or board meeting.
If I do find myself at a networking event, I try to shoot one quail at a time. I scan the room for somebody who piques my curiosity. Maybe he dresses sharp. Maybe she’s the geeked-out one wearing an X-Files T-shirt under her blazer. Pick one person and make it your mission to find out something really interesting about them.
Stories lead to real conversation. Real conversation leads to connection.
A good interviewer knows the art of asking good questions. Instead of the old standards, like “What do you do?” try asking something unexpected, like: “Tell me why you love your job.” It might take your interviewee by surprise, but her answers will tell a story. Stories lead to real conversation. Real conversation leads to connection.

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