Fifteen Axioms for Intelligence Analysts
Abstract
Recently, the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) has seen a spate of new thinking on its mission and on how it conducts that mission. As well-meaning and insightful as all this new thinking is, however, most is coming from senior DI managers, not from the analysts and other junior and mid-level officers who carry out the DI's mission on a daily basis. In addition, some frontline DI officers -- myself included -- would take exception to the idea that the concepts put forth in Tradecraft 2000 truly represent new thinking. Much of it is merely a return to the basics of DI tradecraft that many of us in the Directorate seem to have forgotten. Before leaving the DI on a rotational assignment, I endeavored to set down some of the axioms by which I have tried to live in my career. To experienced analysts, many of the principles will sound like truisms. But the new DI analyst, and more than a few old hands, would be well served by remembering these 15 principles in their everyday conduct. The principles are as follows: (1) Believe in your own professional judgments; (2) Be aggressive, and do not fear being wrong; (3) It is better to be mistaken than to be wrong; (4) Avoid mirror imaging at all costs; (5) Intelligence is of no value if it is not disseminated; (6) Coordination is necessary, but do not settle for the least common denominator; (7) When everyone agrees on an issue, something probably is wrong; (8) The consumer does not care how much you know, just tell him what is important; (9) Form is never more important than substance; (10) Aggressively pursue collection of information you need; (11) Do not take the editing process too seriously; (12) Know your Community counter parts and talk to them frequently; (13) Never let your career take precedence over your job; (14) Being an intelligence analyst is not a popularity contest; and (15) Do not take your job or yourself too seriously.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA525713
Entities
People
- Frank Watanabe
Organizations
- Central Intelligence Agency