That makes total sense. I've read a few of Mitnick's "Art of" books and the l0pht story is really in line with that. One technique that I found to be extremely

That makes total sense. I've read a few of Mitnick's "Art of" books and the l0pht story is really in line with that. One technique that I found to be extremely useful, personally, is a "purposeful intellectual slowdown" with the express purpose of discovering just a couple personality traits that would lead to an exploitable route. As in, does this person like to laugh? Are they all business? It's a lot easier in person, but I've got tons of hours of phone practice through honest work that has honed the skill quite a bit. Once you find the "in" then it's easier to ramp-up the goal pursuit!