Admit your mistakes quickly and without undue apologies/ self-flagellation. Not only will people trust you more, you’ll usually move on from the mistake much faster.

People like talking about themselves more than they like hearing about you. If you interact with people for work memorize 1 thing about them, could be a kids name, a sport they like, a hobby they do, their job, etc.

Ask them about it every once in a while. People are always surprised and appreciate your interest in them.

If you want to change the subject in a conversation, discreetly but noticeably drop something. Make it look accidental. It will break the train of thought of the other person and allow you to restart the conversation. Old dark psychology trick.

Don’t put who an email will be sent to until after you have it ready to send so you can’t accidentally send an unedited or unfinished emails.

Diarrhea is the best excuse to get out of anything. No one questions it and no one expects you to go to a doctor for it.

A fluorescent jacket, a bogus lanyard and a clipboard will get you access to 2/3 of the places that usually aren't accessible.

Automated phone systems don’t understand nonsense. If you need to speak to a person answer the prompts with things like “chicken nuggets”. Or “ shoelace”. It will assume an error in its language system and route you to a person.

Have friends generationally older and younger than yourself.

Talk positive about people behind their backs.

My great grand dad was adopted by a mixed race baptist deacon who was also local postmaster. Significant because we took his name. Doubly hilarious because most of the older part of the family was super racist while carrying that dude's name. When I found his death certificate, with the proof, my dad lost his mind. My aunts lost they minds. I was chuckling way under my breath.

My grandmother left my granddad and she got pregnant. Her lover dumped her.

My grandfather took her back along with the baby. They had two kids together after that.

He always treated her son the same as their two kids.

I didn't learn any of this until my 50s.