People are pretty good at giving you the headline and leaving the footnotes to yourself. They’ll hand you a polished vision, sprinkle in a few buzzwords, then drop the details like a magician’s assistant when you try to hold them up. The subtle signals are often the smallest: a quick change of subject after you ask for specifics, a half‑smile that doesn’t reach the eyes, a pause that lets the truth sink in before they answer. That’s where the real agenda hides—right where you can’t see it because it’s dressed up as ordinary politeness.