Conrad Hall, the renowned cinematographer who has shot such classic movies as In Cold Blood, Cool Hand Luke, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (to name just a few), believed passionately in the power of learning. While he had mastered his craft and worked with some of the biggest movie stars and directors of his time, he always felt there was much more to learn. “You are always a student, never a master,” he said. “You have to keep moving forward.” This sentiment holds true in the intelligence world, and it has set me on a path to remain open and flexible as I’ve built my own business. I like to think of intelligence training as learning from a long line of masters. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have learned my spy skills from gifted individuals who practice their craft with caution, pride, and a strong sense of excellence. These people, too, have been taught by gifted professionals—and on down the line it goes.
It is also true that everyone in this learning chain has a good-sized ego (a fairly big ego is required to carry out an intelligence operation or to run a business of any size). You need to exude confidence, be a leader, make quick decisions, and be ready to take full responsibility when something goes wrong. However, I am confident that myself and every teacher with whom I’ve had the honor of working will agree on one thing: You can never stop learning. In the espionage world, the moment you deem yourself “a master” you’re putting yourself (and your team members) at great risk. In fact, one of my most esteemed colleagues who taught at the Farm says, “One of the best qualities a recruit can have is an ability to take criticism. This isn’t all about you, it’s about the mission—the outcome. When you’re out in the field you’re always gathering information. We do this because we know that information has the ability to save lives. The second you think you know everything, you’re through.” It’s the same with business. An entrepreneur must lead with confidence, make the tough choices, decide which risks to take, and know that when something goes wrong, it’s on you. If you reach a point where you do not accept the wisdom of others and you aren’t open to learning new skills from those who possess different gifts, that’s when you’re placing a ceiling on how much your company can achieve. To encourage my team members (and myself, of course) to remain teachable, I suggest practicing the following:
Be a good listener: Spies are excellent listeners. This is one of the best lessons a businessperson can take from espionage. By listening, you are learning, and you never know when you’re going to hear that bit of information about a company you’re curious about, a product you want to sell, or a contact you want to meet. Prioritize listening over sharing.
Remain open to criticism: Each of us has our own unique gifts and talents. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to learn from others who have different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds.
Be willing to change yourself: Many of us would prefer to change the rules or change the course of how a business operates rather than change ourselves. If you can’t blend and make sacrifices as an intelligence officer, you’ll be killed. In business, sometimes we have to take a moment and acknowledge we are the ones who need to change—not our sales team, our marketing department, or our employees. Things don’t always operate in a manner that suits our own needs, and sometimes we simply have to adapt. Spies never settle for reusing the same approach when recruiting assets or developing an alias. Take a cue from the intelligence world and make a point of adding new skills, exploring new viewpoints, and being flexible.
THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN RISK AND FAILURE:
The Toxic Ego
It is always easy to accept that we all have limits, but intelligence officers are taught to push themselves to achieve more and do better while also respecting individual limits. Spies aren’t superhuman, and anyone who makes the mistake of believing they are will likely fail. Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt of the aptly named Impossible Missions Force does everything from free-climb cliffs to hang off the side of airplanes midair. While I’ve known spies who have saved their lives by diving into rivers in the dark of night to avoid a knife fight, I don’t know any who would make the mistake of thinking they could hold their breath underwater for six minutes (which Ethan Hunt also does). In espionage as well as in business, the fine line between taking a risk and going too far and failing is determined by the size of one’s ego. I’ve seen time and again how a big ego can destroy a deal. Walking away from an inappropriate or undoable offer is one thing, but walking away from something because of an unreasonable view of your singular value to the situation is a terrible mistake. To keep your mission moving in a constructive direction, you have to avoid developing a toxic ego (and avoid working with people who have one whenever possible). Make a point to carefully consider the following:
Analyze negative feedback: We’ve all worked with customers who will never be happy. Technology makes it very easy for someone to leave a negative review of a product or service. It’s an unfortunate part of running any business. But if you find yourself immediately dismissing all criticisms, you need to take pause. Feedback about products, employee performance, and customer service is always valuable, whether it’s from a brand-new employee, a VP who has decades of experience, or a new customer.
You can’t control everything: Being a self-starter is a crucial quality in an intelligence officer. The CIA can’t check in on its people every single day. Nothing would be achieved. The CIA trains its people well, knows certain personality traits work well for espionage, and then lets the intelligence officers do their jobs. Accepting that your teammates are capable of doing their jobs and giving them the space and power to do so is crucial to their success.
You can’t work only with people who agree with you: The CIA carefully pairs partners. Each needs to enhance the other’s skills and abilities, as this is the best way to put intelligence officers in the position to complete successful operations (and stay alive). Imagine two partners in hostile territory readily agreeing on every move and every decision. It might sound great at first—but complete agreement means there’s no discourse. It eliminates healthy discussions about things like why it’s not a great idea to scale a foreign government’s building in broad daylight or why it’s not a good idea to overextend a business and buy two warehouses. If everyone is agreeing with you about everything, it’s likely you’ve put yourself in a situation that is supportive of a toxic ego.
You set goals that are unattainable: Whenever intelligence officers receive a requirement from an analyst, it’s their duty to execute it. Thousands of lives could be at stake. That’s why it’s crucial that in intelligence work everyone understands what’s “attainable.” Sure, we’re taught to push and take risks—but not at the expense of destroying an entire operation. I admire lofty goals, and as an entrepreneur I set the bar high for myself; but as an intelligence officer, I know how arrogance and ego can pull a person to inflate goals. Flying too high, both in espionage and the business world, can have grave consequences.
I’m fortunate that the individuals who have trained me have gone above and beyond in sharing their valuable skill-set experiences and wisdom, but they’ve also given me something bigger. They’ve demonstrated how critical it is to remain teachable and to maintain a healthy ego at all times. I wouldn’t have had success if I hadn’t been open to listening and learning. I’ve trusted the experience and expertise of the people I’ve partnered with, who have shown me the ropes in those areas and helped me achieve new things. I’ve learned firsthand that if you aren’t finding yourself in situations where you don’t know everything and need someone else to guide you, then you’re just not pushing yourself enough. Plunge yourself into unknown waters, ask for help—and see how your company grows as a result.
[ SPY MYTHS DECODED ]
YOU CAN START A CAREER IN THE CIA AT PRACTICALLY ANY AGE.
True!
You do not have to apply to the CIA immediately after graduation to be considered for a career as an intelligence officer. Many people who work for the CIA have had long and successful careers in other areas. Many of my colleagues have enjoyed careers in different branches of the military before working as intelligence officers. Law enforcement is also a popular first career before joining the CIA. Ultimately, the CIA needs people from so many different backgrounds and skills that applicants are not limited to new college grads. The CIA requires a bachelor’s degree, but it looks for people who have studied everything from business and international relations to economics, finance, and chemical engineering. The group of people assembled at headquarters is incredibly diverse because protecting America requires appreciation for people with different skill sets, backgrounds, personalities, and life experiences.