Use FBI-born elicitation to make anyone open up

Elicitation techniques trace back to FBI interrogation methods designed to make suspects talk without direct demands. Corporate spies picked them up next, realizing that a flattering remark or a feigned confusion invites people to speak more freely. You don’t need a hidden badge to use these tools for good.

In one example, a team lead complimented a junior analyst on the “impressive depth of your charts,” instantly prompting the analyst to detail their data-gathering process. In another, a marketing director confessed, “I don’t get why our campaign underperformed—maybe the keyword choice was off?” giving colleagues a chance to explain insights they otherwise withheld.

By alternating recognition, mild complaint, feigned naiveté, and minor error, you wire conversations toward expansion. These prompts exploit fundamental drives: people want praise, crave validation for their complaints, yearn to teach what they know, and can’t resist correcting mistakes. Ethically applied, elicitation transforms one-word answers into meaningful dialogue.

Understanding the psychology behind these moves invites intentionality. You shift from passively waiting for others to share, to gently guiding them into revealing thoughts and feelings. The result is richer, more productive interactions that benefit both sides.

One begins by offering genuine praise for a specific action, then sprinkling in a relatable complaint to invite solidarity. Next, feign a partial understanding to trigger their inner teacher, and finally make a harmless mistake they need to correct. This sequence, repeated thoughtfully, moves any conversation from surface to substance—try it tomorrow at lunch.