Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agent's User Manual for Behavior Prediction

by Robin Dreeke

So to determine how people will act, you simply need to learn what they think is in their own best interests, and use that knowledge to predict their behavior.

Predictability comes first. Trust follows. If you can’t reasonably predict what someone will do, you usually can’t trust them.

Besides, “just being yourself” is overrated. If you can’t bring your best self to a meeting, stay away.

When you’re sizing people up, your greatest sources of information will usually be through conversation.