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The 5 universal truths of human interaction

The founder of Verbal Judo explains the five universal truths of human interaction

By Police1 staff

Dr. George Thompson was the founder of Verbal Judo, a tactical communication system widely used in law enforcement to de-escalate conflicts and gain voluntary compliance. A former English professor and police officer, Thompson developed Verbal Judo in the 1980s to help officers communicate more effectively, reduce use-of-force incidents, and improve officer safety. His teachings emphasize deflection, persuasion, and maintaining professionalism under stress. His book Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion remains a key resource for officers seeking to enhance their communication skills.

In this video, Thompson explains the five universal truths of human interaction which remain true across the board, regardless of cultural background or gender.

  1. People feel the need to be respected
  2. People would rather be asked than be told
  3. People have a desire to know why
  4. People prefer to have options over threats
  5. People want to have a second chance
Have you tried to talk things down before turning to force? This checklist may help

This article, originally published on September 24, 2010, has been updated with the video of George Thompson describing the five universal truths and background information on his life and career.

Dr. George J. Thompson founded the Verbal Judo Institute, a tactical training and management firm based, and co-authored Verbal Judo. In his career, Thompson trained more than 500,000 police officers and his Verbal Judo course is required in numerous states.