Andrew Ross Sorkin's best sources are often "jilted" individuals—bankers who lost a deal, executives passed over for promotion, or spurned partners. These sources have nothing to lose and are motivated to talk, providing reporters with a powerful, albeit biased, starting point for a story.

A key leadership paradox is having the most communication channels but receiving the most filtered information, as people avoid sharing bad news. To get the truth, leaders must create a "listening infrastructure" by cultivating trusted confidants and actively rewarding those who deliver difficult news.

Jodi Cantor's careful language on the podcast isn't just caution; it's a strategic necessity. She operates under the assumption that her sources, or even the subjects of her reporting, could be listening. Every word is weighed to avoid giving the "wrong impression" and jeopardizing hard-won reporting access.

Front Office Sports began by publishing informational interviews, reframing the ask from "can I pick your brain?" to "can I tell your story?" This granted more meaningful access to influential people who were eager to share their experiences, building a powerful network under the guise of content creation.

To get past surface-level answers and understand someone's true motivations, ask them to go deeper than their initial statement. Then ask again, and a third time. This simple technique pushes past rehearsed responses, and the third answer is typically the one closest to the real truth.

According to internal CIA studies cited by John Kiriakou, financial incentive is the key vulnerability in 95% of spy recruitment cases. Motivations like ideology, love, family, or revenge account for only the remaining 5%, challenging romanticized notions of espionage.

For massive, secretive deals like a corporate headquarters relocation, confidentiality is a core requirement. A single leak to the press, against the company's wishes, can violate the terms of secrecy, trigger internal revolt, and cause a multi-million dollar opportunity to collapse immediately.

Instead of pretending to know more than they do, journalists can unlock far deeper stories by being direct with sources, saying, 'I don't know much about this, please explain it to me.' This approach works particularly well with the smartest experts.

It is commonly assumed that fear of retaliation is the primary reason employees stay silent about misconduct. However, research reveals a significant factor is the desire not to see their colleagues get fired. This social dynamic, not just individual fear, creates integrity gaps that leaders must address to encourage reporting.