Page 73 - 2023 CIDI Notebook

Neutrality

Neutrality is one of the greatest tools in your investigator toolbox. If the interviewee truly
believes that you want their side, want their view, aren’t out to ‘get them’ or ‘get their
friends in trouble,’ and ‘aren’t working for the cops/prosecution/spouse/bad guy’ they will
be more amendable to talking with you. Be Neutral. Be pleasant.

The interview is about getting information for your client.
It is not about you getting information in YOUR timeframe, or answering questions in a way
convenient for you. Interviews take as long as they’re going to take, and there may be a
great deal of meandering, reminiscing, accusing, denying, lying, and back-and-forthing
to get there.
Conducting Interviews is an Ego-less job. It is not about you.

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Ego-less?

• You will interview people that don’t fit your chosen tribe.
• They will be of a different culture, religion, political party, social
class, education, life path, manner of speaking, or diametrically
opposed personality.

• If you cannot set aside your opinions and notions to conduct these
interviews, then you probably shouldn’t conduct interviews.

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