Truth Be Told

What if the most powerful negotiation skill isn't knowing what to say, but understanding what the other person is thinking? In this episode of Truth Be Told, host David Thompson , Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI) and CEO of Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ) , sits down with Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator, bestselling author of Never Split the Difference, and founder of The B...

The higher you climb in leadership, the easier it becomes to lose sight of the people you're leading. So how do you stay connected, build trust, and make better decisions when you're responsible for a team of 57,000 people? In this episode of Truth Be Told , Dave Thompson sits down with Cassandra Brown, Vice President of Asset Protection at Walmart , for a candid conversation about leadership, com...

What happens when someone remembers the sound of an impact—but not the details immediately before it? When they recall pieces of an experience out of order? Or when their emotional response doesn't look the way we expect it to? Those gaps and inconsistencies can be easy to interpret as deception. But trauma can fundamentally influence how people experience, process, store, and retrieve information...

What do you say when someone you care about isn’t okay—and are you willing to truly listen to the answer? In this episode of Truth Be Told, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with Lindsey Gray , a mental health professional and Suicide Prevention Training Manager with Wounded Warrior Project , for a powerful conversation about veteran mental health, suicide prevention, and human connection. Lindsey expl...

Why would an innocent person confess to a crime they didn’t commit? It’s one of the most misunderstood questions in criminal justice—and the answer reveals important lessons about interrogation techniques, false confessions, wrongful convictions, and the way we search for the truth. In this episode of Truth Be Told, host Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with attorney, advocate, and photographer Robin...

What happens when fear becomes policy—and the people labeled “the worst of the worst” are no longer treated as people? In this episode of the Truth Be Told Podcast, host Dave Thompson, CFI explores the powerful story behind the documentary Leaving Hotel California and the complicated legacy of Guantanamo Bay, post-9/11 interrogations, enhanced interrogation techniques, torture, and the human conse...

Most communication problems aren't really about what happened. They're about what happens next. In this episode of Truth Be Told, Dave Thompson sits down with communication expert Alex Perry to explore why even well-intentioned people misunderstand each other — and what we can do differently. From difficult conversations and feedback to active listening, empathy, body language and leadership prese...

Can better communication save your relationship, strengthen your leadership, and improve your toughest conversations?  In this episode of  Truth Be Told , Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with licensed therapist Kristina Virro   to explore the psychology behind effective communication, healthy relationships, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution. Whether you're navigating a marriage, leading...

What if the most effective way to prevent crime isn't another arrest—but another conversation? For nearly 30 years, Keeley Knowles lived with a severe heroin addiction, funding it as one of the United Kingdom's most prolific shoplifters. Stuart Toogood spent those same three decades serving as a police officer with West Midlands Police. By every measure, they should have remained on opposite sides...

How do experienced investigators end up on the wrong path—even when they're trying to do the right thing? In this episode of Truth Be Told, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down once again with retired U.S. Secret Service agent and author Brad Beeler for a conversation that challenges some of the biggest assumptions in investigations. We explore how gut instinct can become confirmation bias, why false conf...

What happens when you spend more than two decades helping organizations communicate, investigate, and build trust across the globe? In this episode of Truth Be Told , Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with WZ Vice President of International, Chris Norris, CFI to explore what he's learned from working in more than 45 countries and traveling to over 80. From living in the UK to teaching investigators in...

This episode of Truth Be Told dives into the intersection of wrongful convictions, communication, strategy, and even poker. In this powerful conversation, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with innocence attorney and poker player Claudia Salinas to explore how psychology, trust, bias, and human behavior shape both the courtroom and the interrogation room. From uncovering wrongful convictions to reading...

What if the strongest thing you can do… is talk about it? In this powerful episode of Truth Be Told, Pasha Palanker shares his extraordinary journey from Soviet immigrant to decorated U.S. Army veteran — and the invisible battle that followed him home. After surviving roadside bombs, earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with Valor, and serving in some of the most dangerous combat environmen...

What happens when the people meant to protect… become the ones you have to investigate? In this episode, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with Sean Buckley —former New Zealand detective and United Nations investigator—whose career has taken him from local policing to some of the most complex, high-risk investigations across the globe. We get into what it’s really like to build trust in environments wh...

In this episode of the Truth Be Told Podcast, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with singer-songwriter Cami Clune (as see on NBC's The Voice) to explore communication, storytelling, and songwriting—and how artists say what others struggle to express. Cami shares her journey through the music industry, from early performances to her breakout moment on The Voice, along with the mindset needed to handle r...

The loudest voice in the room isn’t always the most effective—but the silent one can cost you everything. In this episode, Khris Hamlin, Vice President of Asset Protection and Retail Technology at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) breaks down what it really takes to lead when you don’t have direct authority, and why communication—not control—is the defining skill of modern leadership....

What happens when the psychology of communication meets one of reality TV’s most fascinating relationship experiments? In this episode of the podcast, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with Ashley Carpenter and her father, Paul Carpenter, for a candid conversation about truth, trust, and what we can really learn from the experience of Love Is Blind . Ashley takes us behind the scenes of the pods—where...

Most people are communicating all wrong—especially when stakes are high. Erika Ettin, a leading dating coach and communication expert, reveals the surprising truths about how subtle words, small gestures, and online signals can make or break trust, chemistry, and connection—even beyond dating. If you've ever felt misunderstood, frustrated, or unsure how to truly connect, this episode will transfor...

In this episode of the Truth Be Told podcast, host Dave Thompson, CFI interviews Barry Black , a former FBI agent with a diverse career spanning accounting, bomb disposal, and sniper roles. They discuss Barry's journey into the FBI, the importance of communication in investigations, the motivations behind financial crimes, and the challenges of interagency cooperation. Barry shares insights from h...

In this special episode of Truth Be Told, Dave Thompson, CFI is joined by Nate Frazier —Founder and CEO of Red Knot Capital —and the thinking behind Red Knot’s acquisition of Wicklander-Zulawski. Through stories that span forensic interviewing, global leadership, mergers, and crisis management, Nate shares why Wicklander’s legacy, science-based methodology, and commitment to humanity made it a nat...

In this episode of Truth Be Told, host Dave Thompson, CF I sits down with Scott Tillema — former SWAT hostage negotiator, FBI-trained crisis negotiator and practitioner with over two decades of experience — as he reveals how high-stakes communication tactics from crisis negotiation can transform leadership, decision-making, and everyday conversations. Scott breaks down his proven “Four Pillars of...

In this episode, Dave Thompson, CFI sits down with Michael Reddington, CFI to break down five of the biggest misconceptions about communication — in the interrogation room, the boardroom, and everywhere in between. From the myths of “control,” “rapport,” and “active listening” to the flawed belief that people owe us the truth, Dave and Mike unpack how these assumptions quietly sabotage influence....

What if your next training didn’t just check a box - but actually changed behavior? In this episode, Dr. Carrie Graham joins us to unpack how better learning design can turn information into transformation - whether you’re leading a classroom, a corporate team, or a law enforcement agency. Dive into the world of transformative training with Dr. Carrie Graham , where the focus shifts from the facil...

This Truth Be Told episode is a powerful exploration of wrongful convictions, highlighting the harrowing journey of those who have been unjustly imprisoned. Through the lens of Jeff Deskovic's story, the conversation delves into the systemic failures of the justice system and the resilience required to overcome such profound adversity. Jeff shares his personal journey of falsely confessing, being...

In this episode of Truth Be Told, host Dave Thompson engages with Carlamay Sheremata , a former school resource officer and author, to explore the intricate connections between leadership, communication, and personal experiences. They discuss the CALM method, which emphasizes Connection, Awareness, Language, and Measured Response as essential tools for effective leadership and parenting. Carla sha...