How Spies Think

Description

From the former director of GCHQ, learn the methodology used by the British intelligence agencies to reach judgments, establish the right level of confidence and act decisively. Intelligence officers discern the truth. They gather information – often contradictory or incomplete – and, with it, they build the most accurate possible image of the world. With the stakes at their absolute highest, they must then decide what to do.
In everyday life, you are faced with contradictory, incomplete information, too. Reading the news on social media, figuring out the next step in your career, or trying to discover if gossip about a friend is legitimate, you are building an image of the world and making decisions about it.
Looking through the eyes of one of Britain's most senior ex-intelligence officers, Professor Sir David Omand, How Spies Think shows how the big decisions in your life will be easier to make when you apply the same frameworks used by British intelligence. Full of revealing examples from his storied career, including key briefings with Prime Ministers from Thatcher to Blair, and conflicts from the Falklands to Afghanistan, Professor Omand arms us with the tools to sort fact from fiction, and shows us how to use real intelligence every day. "One of the best books ever written about intelligence analysis and its long-term lessons. Brilliant, lucid and thought-provoking'’ Christopher Andrew, author, The Secret World: A History of Intelligence "Omand has a unique combination of experience as both a producer and consumer of secret intelligence, a deep knowledge of intelligence history and techniques, and a gift for lucid exposition. An invaluable book for anyone who wants to think like a spy but also for those concerned about the role spies can play in a democracy'’ Lawrence Freedman, author, Strategy: A History David Omand was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and “homeland security”. He served for seven years on the Joint Intelligence Committee. He was Permanent Secretary of the Home Office from 1997 to 2000, and before that Director of GCHQ.

COMBINES REAL-LIFE INTELLIGENCE EXPERIENCE WITH LESSONS IN
SMART THINKING: this book is informed by the rational thinking of Prof
Steve Peters' THE CHIMP PARADOX(690k TCM) – but uniquely pairs this
with the thrilling espionage history of Richard Aldrich's GCHQ (24k TCM) and
the brain-tickling satisfaction of the GCHQ PUZZLE BOOKS (400k TCM).

MILITARY LESSONS THAT APPLY TO PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL LIFE: These lessons apply to everything from making
decisions in your personal life to business strategy, and use experience from
the field in a self-betterment context not dissimilar from Ant Middleton's
application of SAS leadership training to civilian life in FIRST MAN IN (466k
TCM).

THE ULTIMATE INSIDER AUTHOR, WITH LESSONS FROM HISTORY:
Professor Sir David Ormand is a former director of GCHQ and has been at
the forefront of intelligence in both government and academia for decades. He
shares personal insight from the Iraq War, the Falklands War, 9/11, the Fall
of Yugoslavia, the Cold War, and many more.

A TOOLKIT FOR THE POST-TRUTH AGE: In the digital age, with
misinformation rife, we all need to become more analytical and discerning to
protect ourselves from new threats. In ten accessible, entertaining lessons,
this book helps us to protect ourselves from influence, make clear-minded
decisions and discount false information.

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