What would you do if you discovered that an employee was being held hostage by kidnappers? This incredible leadership training program, Inside Risk, was created by my friend George Kohlreiser (former professional Hostage Negotiator) and experiential producer Edouard Getaz, then moderated by my friend and TEDxFultonStreet presentation coach Brad Boyer.
Inside Risk recreates a real case with just that circumstance, and even though it’s role-playing, the “situation room” delivered an experience with a lifelike intensity. Participants explore the story of the 1988 kidnapping of a Swiss engineer through an interactive experience incorporating film, multimedia, and live moderation… and I was blown away.
How does an executive place a value on a human life? How to do business with killers who are known to lie? In a country where even paying a ransom is a serious crime? Making decisions with incomplete information? In real leadership scenarios, there are no easy answers. This program helped me to re-think how I would approach the impossible, and do business under tremendous pressure, with the most difficult of people. I feel I grew tremendously, in the span of just a few hours.
Notes outlining principles of bonding and negotiation, for InsideRisk
Inside the “Situation Room”: Two large monitors, one startlingly realistic chair for a kidnapping victim
Chair for kidnapping victim
Colleagues for the day. Class moderated by my good friend and TEDxFultonStreet mentor, Brad Boyer.
The real tape recorder and real notes, from the harrowing kidnapping case from 30 years ago.
