Aug 12, 2021
Sir David Omand is one of the most respected intelligence
professionals in the world and author of the book How Spies Think: Ten lessons in
intelligence.
His career in intelligence began shortly after graduating from
Cambridge in 1969 when he joined the UK’s GCHQ (Government
Communications Headquarters). He would later become the director of
GCHQ. He also served as the first UK Security and Intelligence
Coordinator, the most senior intelligence, counter-terror and
homeland security position in the UK.
In this OODAcast we discuss lessons in leadership from his time
in the intelligence service and his views on the current threat
environment, including threats to nations, corporations and
citizens of the free world. We also examine how his time in
intelligence informed his own models for understanding and
analyzing complex situations and how this motivated him to write
How Spies Think.
We examine concepts critical to any corporate or government
intelligence organization, including:
- The need to understand history for critical context (Like
Churchill put it, “the further back you look, the further ahead you
can see”). - Why trained defense lawyers can make good deception
planners - How to find balance between being separate enough from
decision-makers so they do not bias you but close enough so you can
know their plans and know how to influence them - The importance of building trust throughout the organization
and with partners and consumers - The new realities of the information age, including new tools
at the disposal of adversaries - New mental models for analysis
The interview also examines Omand’s lessons by use of a
framework he developed to capture the essence of how intelligence
analysts and operational decision makers can deal with the modern
information environment through perception and analysis. He calls
this the SEES model. SEES stands for:
- Situational Awareness: A baseline understanding of the
situation gained through observation. - Explanation: Contextualizing facts so they can be better
understood. - Estimation: The formal methods used to articulate what is known
and what may be coming. - Strategic Notice: The provision of actionable insights to
decision-makers.
This model is examined in the context of both history and
current operations in a way that can inform how intelligence is
used not only by governments but by businesses and citizens.
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How Spies Think: Ten lessons
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