The Unknown Knowns

Where is the line between influence and manipulation and how do you know when you've crossed it?

In Part 2 of this series, Dr Angela Lewis moves from theory to practice, exploring how influence works in the real world and the ethical questions it raises. She examines why intent alone is not enough, how context shapes perception and why the most effective influence often leaves people feeling they made the decision themselves. Rather than offering simple rules, Angela provides a practical framework for recognising ethical influence, avoiding manipulation and becoming more aware of the techniques that shape decisions every day.

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#Leadership #CriticalThinking #Psychology #Influence

What separates persuasion from manipulation? Is there a clear line, or do most forms of influence exist somewhere in between?

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr Angela Lewis explores the psychology and ethics of influence through an unforgettable story about a couple who both tried to end their relationship without ever having an honest conversation. From there, she unpacks the broad spectrum of influence, from education and advocacy to negotiation, collaboration and manipulation. Drawing on philosophy, psychology and intelligence tradecraft, Angela examines why influence is an essential part of leadership and intelligence work, why manipulation is so difficult to define and why transparency and agency may be the key differences between ethical influence and something more problematic.

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#IntelligenceAnalysis #Leadership #CriticalThinking #Psychology #DecisionMaking #Influence

The Intelligence Cycle has shaped intelligence analysis for decades. But what if it only tells part of the story?

In the final episode of the Intelligence 101-ish series, Dr Angela Lewis explores why intelligence is better understood as a dynamic system than a linear process. Using an unforgettable cooking disaster as a metaphor, Angela explains why following the steps is not the same as understanding how the whole system works.

This concluding episode challenges one of intelligence's most familiar models and offers a fresh way of thinking about complexity, decision-making and professional tradecraft.

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#Intelligence101 #DecisionMaking #Leadership

How do intelligence professionals turn scattered information into something decision makers can actually use?

In Part 2 of the Intelligence 101-ish series, Dr Angela Lewis introduces one of the most influential frameworks in intelligence analysis: the Intelligence Cycle. From planning and collection to analysis, dissemination and feedback, Angela explains how intelligence moves from a simple question to an informed assessment. Along the way, she explores why intelligence is not about certainty or prediction but about reducing uncertainty, evaluating competing explanations and helping leaders make better decisions.

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#Intelligence101 #IntelligenceAnalysis #CriticalThinking #DecisionMaking #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment

What is intelligence? Contrary to popular belief, it has very little to do with spies, secrets or James Bond.

In the first episode of a new three-part series, Dr Angela Lewis explores what intelligence actually is, why experts still debate its definition and why its real purpose is not collecting information but helping people make better decisions under conditions of uncertainty.

Drawing on everything from Michael Bay's Armageddon (1998) to corporate security and everyday leadership, Angela explains the difference between data, information, research, and intelligence. She explores why intelligence is not about predicting the future with certainty but about creating decision advantage when the future is unclear.

Whether you're an intelligence professional, a business leader or simply curious about how better decisions are made, this episode provides a practical introduction to one of the world's most misunderstood disciplines.

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#CriticalThinking #DecisionMaking #Leadership #IntelligenceAnalysis

What if the examples we remember most are distracting us from the lesson they were meant to teach?

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns, Dr Angela Lewis explores how people learn, why certain ideas stick and what separates genuine expertise from simple familiarity.

Starting with an unexpected piece of student feedback, Angela examines concepts such as salience, schema formation and transfer, explaining why we often struggle to recognise familiar patterns when they appear in unfamiliar settings. From Marvel films and intelligence failures to leadership challenges and everyday decision-making, she explores how the same cognitive dynamics show up across very different contexts.

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#CriticalThinking #Leadership #DecisionMaking #IntelligenceAnalysis

In Part 2 of their conversation, Dr Angela Lewis is joined once again by former CIA officer Darrell Blocker to explore the habits and mindsets that underpin effective judgment. Building on their earlier discussion about intuition and expertise, Angela and Darrell examine the role of curiosity, observation and critical questioning in intelligence work and everyday decision-making. Drawing on stories from nearly three decades in the CIA, Darrell explains why the simple question "why?" remains one of the most powerful tools available to analysts, leaders and anyone seeking to understand people more deeply.

The conversation explores pattern recognition, human behaviour, non-verbal communication and the importance of developing systems that help us think more clearly under pressure. Angela and Darrell also discuss the relationship between experience and instinct, the value of self-awareness and why expertise is often the result of disciplined curiosity rather than natural talent.

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#Leadership #DecisionMaking #IntelligenceAnalysis #ProfessionalDevelopment

In this two-part series, Dr Angela Lewis is joined by Darrell Blocker, a former CIA officer with 28 years of experience in intelligence operations and leadership.

In part 1, they will explore one of the most misunderstood concepts in professional decision-making: intuition. Is it simply a gut feeling, or is it something built through years of experience, observation and training? Drawing on stories from intelligence work, Angela and Darrell discuss how professionals develop pattern recognition, why expertise often feels instinctive and how trusted mental frameworks help people make effective decisions in uncertain environments. They examine the relationship between experience and judgment, the importance of learning what "normal" looks like and why some of the best decisions happen before we can fully explain them.

This conversation offers valuable insights for anyone interested in leadership, intelligence, decision-making and the development of professional expertise.

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#Leadership #DecisionMaking #CriticalThinking #IntelligenceAnalysis #ProfessionalDevelopment

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns, Dr Angela Lewis explores a deceptively simple question: why do some messages land while others fail?

Drawing on intelligence tradecraft and organisational psychology, Angela examines how audience, context, and professional culture shape the reception of information. From briefing senior executives to building credibility in new environments, she explores why effective communication is about more than transmitting information. It is about creating understanding.

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#Communication #Leadership #IntelligenceAnalysis #ProfessionalDevelopment

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns, Dr Angela Lewis explores why some of the most persistent problems resist simple solutions.

Rather than focusing on individual events or decisions, Angela examines how systems shape behaviour, outcomes and risk. From organisational challenges to geopolitical crises, she explains how feedback loops, incentives and interconnected relationships can create patterns that are difficult to see when we focus only on immediate causes.

The episode explores why well-intentioned interventions can produce unexpected consequences and how adopting a systems perspective can help leaders, analysts and decision-makers better understand complexity. By stepping back from individual events and examining the broader environment, we can often identify the forces truly driving change.

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#SystemsThinking #Leadership #DecisionMaking