Internationally recognized elite negotiator Adam Dolník admits that his understanding of courage has changed with age. What seems like courage when you are young can later, with a family by your side, appear to be “complete irresponsibility,” he says.
You can watch the full interview in the video above or listen to it in your favorite podcast app. What were the main topics discussed?
00:07–05:07 Who is the toughest challenge for a negotiator? How does Dolník recognize that a case will be exceptionally difficult? How have terrorist organizations evolved over the past ten to twenty years? In what ways have attackers become more unpredictable?
05:07–09:27 How should the media report on terrorism without inadvertently serving its objectives? Where is the line between an extremist movement and a terrorist organization? What makes Hamas a unique counterpart in negotiations?
09:27–15:10 Are kidnappings becoming more common? What is the primary motivation behind them? Who are the most frequent targets? What triggers the involvement of negotiators? How do they gain the trust of a hostage’s family in an unfamiliar environment, and how do they manage their own emotions?
15:10–20:54 What role do psychological skills play? What does it mean to “get inside a kidnapper’s head”? What profiles are commonly found among kidnappers in organizations such as Boko Haram or the Islamic State? Is there a common profile, or is the spectrum highly diverse?
20:54–25:24 Has Dolník ever found himself in immediate danger? How does the profession of a negotiator affect his personal and family life? What should someone considering this career understand before entering the field? How does he distinguish between manipulation and ethical influence?
25:24–29:50 How do negotiation principles apply to politics? Does real negotiation behind closed doors differ from what we see in televised debates? How should one negotiate with an adversary who seeks war and does not honor agreements? What would an effective process for reaching an agreement with Russia look like?
Source: Aktuálně.cz
