Hostage Negotiator Ties 2 Principles to Effective Leadership

[Corey Dutton]

Taken from a Tedx talk that was published in September of 2014, this inspiring video left me thinking about how principles used in successful hostage negotiation can be applied to leadership. So what do you think the success rate is for hostage negotiations? 50%? 75%? The actual success rate of hostage negotiations is an astounding 95%! If the principles used in successful hostage negotiations have led to such high success rates, how effective are these same principles when applied to leadership?

George Kohlrieser is a psychologist and seasoned hostage negotiator. Most important, Mr. Kohlrieser himself has been held hostage on four occasions. Mr. Kohlrieser believes that the principles used by hostage negotiators are closely tied to leadership, teamwork, and fulfilling potential. The first principle used in hostage negotiations that he ties to leadership is bonding. Bonding, as defined by Mr. Kohlrieser, means that you are able to get into the “space of another human being.” You don’t have to like someone you are bonding with, but by establishing a common goal with the person, you can accomplish great things.

The second principle used in successful hostage negotiations that Mr. Kohlrieser believes is fundamental to effective leadership, is based on trust. As a leader, Mr. Kohlrieser believes that you must become a “secure base” for those you intend to lead. A person who is a secure base offers protection. To develop trust as a leader you must become a secure base. But how do you build trust? Leaders must be able to both dialogue (talk), and listen, in order to build trust. Some leaders don’t talk well, they don’t answer questions, or they simply don’t listen. By learning to both talk and listen, you are able to build trust and thus will begin to establish yourself as a secure base for those you lead.

While watching this video of George Kohlrieser at a Tedx Talk, a couple of intriguing questions emerged: How do you bond with those you’re trying to lead? And, are you a secure base that inspires others, that gives others protection? (e.g. employees, family members, colleagues, partners, etc). These questions are hard questions to answer, and in this video, Mr. Kohlrieser challenges you to answer these questions for yourself. If you are in a position of leadership of any kind, take a few minutes to watch this entertaining and thought-provoking video. It will certainly get your wheels turning!

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Z9z_Fd3Bw)