This secret is unwrapped by Professor Robert Cialdini. He has elaborated on the psychology of persuasion and found the seven principles of persuasion. The seven principles are used in marketing, branding, sales, but also in rhetoric and interpersonal communication in general.

Working within clandestine services, secrets became part of my life and part of all my relationships, both professionally and private. Sharing a secret with another person is part of building rapport, part of trust building, and it is actually a principle of persuasion. A secret might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get closer to a person, a window of opportunity, hence the principle of scarcity.

Mythical secrets have high marketing value in building brand, but also in building rapport. Who is not overwhelmed and flattered to be trusted with a secret? We all harbor secrets, but to share them with someone is to bond with a person, it is to show faith.

In line with the Chatham House rule, to be able to participate and act and refer to the training but not reveal the identity nor the affiliation of the trainees or the trainer makes the session not only exclusive but scarce.

Today, secrets and confidentiality are even more unique, in a world where everything is shared and transparency is the new default. In a world where friendships and relationships change and the world spins. Secrets are part of scarcity, a principle of persuasion, but will the capacity of keeping not only a way of a secret be the new black?