The Danger of Thinking You're Right: Why Curiosity Beats Certainty with Brad Beeler
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 confessions happen more often than many people realize, and how investigators can avoid unintentionally steering themselves toward the wrong conclusions.
Brad shares powerful stories from his own career—including cases that changed the way he interviews forever—and introduces his mathematical model of criminal behavior, a practical framework for understanding motive beyond simply asking "Who had reason?"
We also discuss the importance of perspective over perception, the role of empathy without agreement, and the science-backed interviewing principles that lead to better information and better outcomes.
Whether you're in law enforcement, corporate investigations, HR, or simply interested in how people think and make decisions, this episode offers practical insights into improving communication, reducing bias, and finding the truth.
At its core, it's really about how humans make decisions, how our biases shape what we believe, and how curiosity can help us get closer to the truth. That's a theme your audience consistently responds to, and it comes through naturally in this conversation.
Check out more about Brad and his book "Tell Me Everything": Brad Beeler | Retired Secret Service Agent, Author, Keynote Speaker & Communication Expert
Truths:
- Why intuition is both an investigator's greatest asset and greatest liability.
- How confirmation bias quietly shapes interviews and investigations.
- What false confessions teach us about outdated interrogation tactics.
- Brad Beeler's mathematical model for understanding criminal behavior.
- Why perspective—not perception—is the key to effective interviewing.
- Practical techniques for building rapport, reducing bias, and uncovering reliable information.
- How investigators can challenge their own assumptions while improving case outcomes.
Come see Brad speak at the International Association of Interviewers Elite Training Days Conference!