#14 – Pose as a friend, work as a spy
“Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weakness and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying.”
Source: Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws Of Power.”