Former Detective Reveals 5 Behaviors That Expose Liars

In the realm of business, the capacity to ascertain deceit and unveil truth stands as a valuable skill for leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives alike. Former Human Intelligence (HUMINT) interrogator, Lena Sisco, offers her perspectives on the application of interrogation skills in diverse fields, enabling individuals to navigate challenging conversations with certainty and accurately identify deceptive behaviours.

Sisco underscores five key behaviours indicative of lying and provides guidance on managing these behaviours when encountered. These behaviours encompass the inability to answer yes or no questions, avoidance of “I” and “my” pronouns, behavioural incongruence, the use of smokescreens, and alterations in speech patterns. By familiarising themselves with these behaviours, individuals can heighten their capacity to discern deception and handle challenging discussions with efficacy.

Among the behaviours highlighted by Sisco is the inability to answer closed-ended questions with a simple “yes” or “no”. Truth-tellers typically respond promptly with a succinct affirmative or negative, while liars tend to evade or oversell their responses, thus raising suspicion. Attending to individuals’ responses to such questions can yield valuable insights into their veracity.

Furthermore, Sisco addresses the avoidance of possessive pronouns “I” and “my” as a deceptive behaviour. Liars often employ alternative pronouns or altogether eschew possessive pronouns to create distance from the information they convey. Observing the use of pronouns in individuals’ conversations can signal potential deception and prompt further inquiry to uncover the truth.

Sisco also underscores the significance of identifying behavioural incongruence, where an individual’s body language conflicts with their verbal communication. Incongruent behaviours, such as shoulder shrugs or contradictory head nods and shakes, may indicate uncertainty or lack of conviction. Mindful interpretation of these nonverbal cues can provide valuable insights into the veracity of communicated information.

Moreover, Sisco discusses the use of smokescreens as a deceptive manoeuvre to deflect attention from the truth. In response to attempts to sidestep specific questions or topics, it becomes imperative to steer the conversation back to the original subject to effectively ascertain the truth.

Lastly, Sisco accentuates how changes in speech patterns, such as pitch, rate, and breathiness, can betray deceptive behaviour. Nervousness associated with lying can alter vocal cords and speech patterns. Attentiveness to such alterations can offer cues for potential deception and facilitate further probing to unveil the truth.

By cultivating awareness of these behaviours and deploying targeted questioning techniques and redirection strategies, individuals can elevate their capacity to detect deception and navigate challenging conversations with confidence. Sisco’s insights furnish valuable tools for professionals in human resources, employee relations, sales, finance-related investigations, and various other fields, enabling them to effectively navigate discussions and uncover truth in difficult scenarios.

In summation, Sisco’s expertise as a former interrogator provides valuable insights into identifying deceptive behaviours and addressing them effectively. By acquainting themselves with these behaviours and employing strategies to uncover the truth, individuals can refine their ability to lead challenging conversations and make well-informed decisions in diverse professional settings.