Robin Dreeke, a former FBI behavioral analyst and author of "Sizing People Up," shares his expertise on trust and behavior prediction. He discusses the high stakes of misjudging trustworthiness and introduces a framework for evaluating relationships. Listeners will learn the six key signs to assess whether someone is trustworthy, including recognizing genuine support versus self-interest and the importance of emotional stability. Dreeke emphasizes that understanding motivations and maintaining objectivity is crucial for successful personal and professional connections.
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insights INSIGHT
Trust as Predictability
Trust is subjective and context-specific, not solely based on liking or shared values.
Instead, focus on predictability: what can you reasonably expect someone to do in a given situation?
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Core Motivations
When sizing someone up, remember everyone is hardwired for safety, security, and prosperity.
Figure out what the other person values and how they perceive their best interests.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Vested Source
Dreeke's first FBI source demonstrated vesting by caring about Dreeke's success.
The source knew his own success depended on Dreeke's, creating a symbiotic relationship.
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The Code of Trust is based on a system devised by Robin Dreeke during his years of field work at the highest levels of national security. The book outlines five principles: Suspend Your Ego, Be Nonjudgmental, Honor Reason, Validate Others, and Be Generous. These principles, along with four action steps (Align Your Goals, Apply the Power of Context, Craft the Encounter, and Connect), are designed to inspire trust in various settings, from personal relationships to corporate and military environments. Dreeke's approach emphasizes the importance of character-building and sincere efforts to be helpful and sensitive, leading to increased success and productivity[2][4][5].
Sizing People Up
A Veteran FBI Agent's User Manual for Behavior Prediction
Cameron Stauth
Robin Dreek
After two decades as a behavior analyst in the FBI, Robin Dreeke shares his expertise in reading people. His book provides a six-step system to predict future behavior, which is crucial for anyone involved in relationships, whether in leadership, teamwork, or sales. The system helps determine who can be trusted, who is likely to deliver on promises, and who might betray trust. The book is filled with anecdotes from Dreeke's career and practical tips on assessing reliability and trustworthiness.
Every day, we have to make choices on whether we can trust someone or not. If we make the wrong choice, it could mean a failed relationship or business partnership and all the emotional and financial costs that follow.
My guest today has spent his career sizing people up in high stakes situations. His name is Robin Dreeke, he spent two decades working as a behavioral analyst for the FBI, and in his new book, Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agent's User Manual for Behavior Prediction, he shares the tips everyone can use in determining whether or not someone is trustworthy.
We begin our conversation discussing how Robin's latest book builds off the work he did in The Code of Trust and the consequences of sizing people up incorrectly. Robin then shares the overarching framework he recommends using when you want to figure out if you can trust someone or not. We spend the rest of our conversation digging into the six specific signs you should look for when you're figuring out if you want to enter into a personal or professional relationship with someone, and you're trying to predict their future behavior.
The Art of Manliness 
