Skip levels aren't about gathering intel. They're about building trust two levels down - and that trust compounds over time.

If your only goal is information extraction, people will figure it out fast. In this episode, I break down how to run skip levels that build relationships instead of eroding them, the questions that actually unlock honesty, and why the trust you build now pays off in moments you can't predict.

I cover:

- Why interrogation-style skip levels backfire
- The real purpose of skip levels (hint: it's not going around your managers)
- Why skip levels that only happen during problems create panic
- How to make people feel safe enough to share the unfiltered version
- The one question that opens doors others keep closed
- What it means to leave someone feeling heard, not used

If your skip levels feel awkward or surface-level, this one will help you reset.