Below, Robert Mazur, a former U.S. federal agent and the New York Times best-selling author of “The Infiltrator,” a memoir about his life undercover as a money launderer within Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel, shares his key leadership lessons from the underworld. 

I was honored to be invited to deliver a keynote presentation at the GLL Global General Counsel Forum at Villa d’Este. Knowing I would be speaking to some of the world’s most gifted lawyers, it occurred to me I could deliver something of value by sharing insights with them about the training I received from psychologists and educators who taught me how to maximize rapport and communication. For me, learning those skills meant the difference between life and death. For those at the conference, hopefully, the stakes aren’t quite as high. But, regardless of one’s journey in life, learning how one can maximize relationships in their business and personal lives is paramount to success.