In the 19th century, Karl Benz, creator of Mercedes-Benz (and the first person to legally operate an automobile on public roads), predicted the global market for his invention would be limited by the lack of qualified drivers.
“If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail”
History has shown that Karl Benz’s prediction was right. Statistically, nearly all traffic fatalities are the result of driver error, not mechanical failure or weather conditions. While weather conditions may increase the risk of an accident, how the driver reacts and interacts with the weather plays an integral part of the outcome. Society’s embrace of the automobile is a matter of economics over practicality, of convenience over skill. The costs are obvious.
Fast-forward to 2001 and the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Approximately 3,000 people lost their lives in that single, horrifying moment. The world reacted. The US responded by creating Homeland Security and leveraging all their resources to prevent a future attack.
It is interesting to note; however, that 3,000 people lose their lives due to traffic fatalities in the US every month! Even more ironic is that, after 9/11, traffic fatalities increased 9% at a time when police officers were being pulled from traffic safety duties to work on Homeland Security. In the 3 years after 9/11, there were over 100,000 traffic fatalities compared to only 60 terrorism related deaths, none of which were on American soil. Were the right resources being allocated where they are most effective?
Finding the right resource to address an issue is half the battle. American psychologist Abraham Maslow was quoted in 1966 as saying “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” In fact, a concept named “Maslow’s hammer” was created based on this.
This is a cognitive bias that involves an over-reliance on a particular tool because it was immediately available or familiar and was originally referred to as a “Birmingham screwdriver” referring to the practice of using one tool for all purposes. An article published by Abraham Kaplan in “The Conduct of Inquiry: Methodology for Behavioral Science” (1964), Kaplan referenced the law of the instrument saying, “It comes as no particular surprise to discover that a scientist formulates problems in a way which requires for their solution just those techniques in which he himself is especially skilled.”
As investigators, we know there there are many facets of an investigation with no two alike. We understand the need to hire a plumber to fix a leak or a mechanic to fix your transmission. The same applies when conducting a qualified, competent and airtight investigation. Investigations and subsequent employee, union, criminal or civil hearings have become exceedingly more complicated. Combine this with a savvier workforce who have a wealth of information at their fingertips, and this results in investigators needing to dot their I’s and cross their T’s now more than ever. While the old adage, “anyone who has themselves as a lawyer has a fool for a client”, still rings true today.
Whether conducting surveillance, investigations or subject interviews, the unique challenges of operating under local and federal laws, employment and union guidelines, human rights expectations can be overwhelming if you are inexperienced in these areas. The results may be:
- Liability by not following court accepted guideline
- Legal requirements may be overlooked
- Skewed results
- Lack of impartiality
- Missed opportunities/overlooked queues
The desire to do the right thing is often overshadowed by the need to do things quickly, cost-effectively and easily. This may be driven by corporate or client pressure, significant losses through thefts, budget constraints and other mitigating factors. Knowing your limitations and recognizing that others have abilities in areas you lack while having access to a wide range of experts ensures the best possible outcome. Consider that the costs of doing things incorrectly will always overshadow the costs of doing it right.
Originally published by the Council of International Investigators in their magazine, The Councilor, in Q2 2022
