Wendy Evans and Georgina Heasman on Interviewing the Subject of an Investigation [Podcasts]

By Adam Turteltaub

There are few parts of an investigation that are more stressful than the interview with the investigation’s subject.  Done right it can close all the loops.  Done wrong, everything can unravel.

To learn how to handle things best we turn in the second of our two podcasts on investigations to Wendy Evans, Senior Corporate Ethics Investigator, Lockheed Martin and Georgina Heasman, Senior Manager, Global Investigations at Booking Holdings.  The two of them are the co-authors of our new book Fundamentals of Investigations:  A Practical Guide  and lead our Fundamentals of Compliance Investigations Workshop.

In this podcast they offer a host of great insights including:

• While it’s generally best to interview the subject last, there are times, such as in cases of alleged harassment or data theft, where you likely will need to sit down for a preliminary interview sooner
• Be sure to get a read on the subject and be respectful of the stress that they are under, including giving them psychological space before asking tough questions
• Clarify your role in the process as a collector of facts and that you have not already decided that they are guilty
• Invite them to share their perspective both in the interview and, if other things come to mind, afterwards
• Remind them of the confidentiality of the process and the need to focus on the allegation, not who made it

Listen in to learn more, and be sure to investigate their book Fundamentals of Investigations:  A Practical Guide  and the Fundamentals of Compliance Investigations Workshop.