A former FBI agent shares his simple but powerful toolkit for
assessing who you can trust--and who you can't.
After two decades as a behavior analyst in the FBI, Robin Dreeke knows a
thing or two about sizing people up. He's navigated complex situations
that range from handling Russian spies to navigating the internal
politics at the Bureau. Through that experience, he was forced to
develop a knack for reading people--their intentions, their
capabilities, their desires and their fears.
Dreeke's first book, It's Not All About Me, has become a cult favorite
with readers seeking to build quick rapport with others. His last book,
The Code of Trust, was about how to inspire trust in others as a
leader. In Sizing People Up, Dreeke shares his simple, six-step system
that helps you predict anyone's future behavior based on their words,
goals, patterns of action, and the situation at hand.
Predicting the behavior of others is an urgent need for anyone whose
work involves relationships with others, whether it's leading an
organization, collaborating with a teammate, or closing a sale. But
predictability is not as simple as good and evil, or truth and fiction.
Allies might make a promise with every intention of keeping it, not
realizing that they will be unable to do so due to some personal
shortcoming. And those seeking to thwart your endeavor may not realize
how reliable their malevolent tells have become.
Dreeke's system is simple, but powerful. For instance, a colleague might
have a strong moral code, but do they believe your relationship will be
long-term? Even the most upstanding person can betray your trust if they
don't see themselves tied to you or your desired result in the long
term. How can you determine whether someone has both the skill and will
to do what they've said they're going to do? Behaviors as subtle as how
they take notes will reveal their reliability.
Using this book as their manual, readers will be able to quickly and
easily determine who they can trust and who they can't; who is likely to
deliver on promises and who will disappoint; and when a person is vested
in your success vs when they are actively plotting your demise. With
this knowledge they can confidently embark on anything from a business
venture to a romantic relationship to a covert operation without the
stress of the unknown.
