Cunning leads to knavery; it is but a step from one to the other, and that very slippery; lying only makes the difference; add that to cunning, and it is knavery.

Cleverness about people sits very close to dishonesty, and the ground between them slopes. Working out what someone wants to hear is a skill; saying it when it is untrue is a different thing entirely, and the two feel almost identical from the inside on the day you cross over. What protects you is not cleverness but the rule you set in advance about saying things you know to be false.

Watch for the moment this week when a slight misstatement would make everything easier. Say the true version instead, even clumsily, and notice that the cost is usually smaller than you expected.