For the reason that days of the primary James Bond film, the life-and-death recreation of worldwide espionage will at all times be thrilling. Covert operations in high-risk environments performed by intelligence companies actually make a unbelievable theme for novels, motion pictures, and TV reveals. However the actuality of intelligence work is much from what’s portrayed within the motion pictures. It’s a deliberate and methodical process-driven occupation the place your complete crew have to be exact and completely coordinated. The slightest error may compromise the mission and run the danger of dropping lives.

That mentioned, it isn’t stunning that the management expertise of intelligence professionals are always being redefined and studied. Whether or not you’re a enterprise proprietor or an aspiring entrepreneur, you possibly can be taught some key classes from these professionals that may make you a better chief. I had the chance to interview one in all these leaders, and that is what I discovered.

Marc Polymeropoulos is without doubt one of the CIA’s most embellished senior intelligence professionals — he even wrote a e-book about his time there. Marc spent 26 years working on this planet’s most harmful locations and main covert operations. His tried-and-true management strategies even have broad functions past the world of the CIA. Two of his approaches caught with me, not just for their operational utility but additionally for the catchy nicknames: respecting the method monkey and honoring the glue man.