How to use 80/20 Rule to Stop Being Lied To

Ever heard of the Pareto Principle? Maybe you know it as the 80/20 rule. But how does this concept apply to police interviews? Let’s dive into the second part of our interview series: the assessment phase. Discover how understanding the Pareto Principle can make you a more effective interviewer

SECOND PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

The assessment phase is one of the easiest parts of an interview if you follow this simple guideline: let the interviewee do most of the talking. Remember the Pareto Principle—80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. Your job is to encourage them to share as much information as possible, giving you more data to analyze for truthfulness.

The key to getting more information is asking open-ended questions. These questions can't be answered with a simple yes or no. For example, instead of asking, "Were you there?" ask, "Can you explain your role in this scenario?"

Keep your subject talking by maintaining eye contact and providing verbal and nonverbal encouragement, such as saying "OK" or "I see," nodding, and smiling."

What To Do

Avoid interrupting the interviewee, even if you hear inconsistencies or lies. Note these for later and see if they're corroborated by other information. In high-stakes interviews, a second officer or interviewer should take notes to ensure the lead interviewer can focus on maintaining rapport and observing nonverbal cues.  

The Pareto Principle in Interview

Remember the Pareto Principle: 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In interviewing, this means that 80% of the talking must be done by the subject compare to the officers 20% asking questions.

Let me share a quick story to illustrate this point better. A few years back,  a senior officer and I interviewed someone connected to a person arrested for smuggling drugs. Being the senior officer, he took charge of the interview and I took notes. He dominated the conversation hurling  threats about lying, high penalties for not cooperating, etc. The individual was nervous but he was not talking, because he . the senior officer kept on breaking the Pareto principle by interrupting and talking more than listening.

I intervened with open-ended questions: When you come to the U.S. what do you usually do? The subject began talking and giving details. After another open-ended question and a tailored question, he gave us the information we were searching. By applying the Pareto Principle correctly, the individual talking 80% percent to my 20% of the questioning  we were able to get the to stop further narcotics.

Conclusion

As we continue our series, remember that the assessment phase is about letting the interviewee do most of the talking. Ask open-ended questions and keep the Pareto Principle in mind: 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort.

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