Mar 5, 2021
Robert Wallace spent a 33 year career with the Central
Intelligence Agency and is widely known for the very well done
books he and co-author Keith Melton have produced on the history,
culture and tradecraft of intelligence (including the SpyCraft book
which was turned into a Netflix series and the Spy Sites series of
books documenting the intelligence history of Washington DC, New
York and Philadelphia).
This OODAcast examines Robert’s career from the beginning,
resulting in interesting stories and insights into his leadership
and management style relevant to any leader in business or
government today. His professional life began as he received an MA
in Political Science from Kansas University in 1968 and then
received a draft notice which resulted in his two years of service
in the US Army, including service in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta leading
long-range reconnaissance patrol teams.
In the CIA his initial assignments were as a field case officer.
He rose through the ranks at the agency and was Chief of Station in
three locations where he directed the full range of CIA activities.
Upon returning to headquarters he worked on budgets for the agency
and defended spending in front of congressional oversight
committees.
In 1995 Robert became deputy director of the Office of Technical
Service (OTS) and in 1998 was appointed its director. The OTS is
the organization most analogous to the “Q” branch in James Bond
movies, responsible for creating spy devices and capabilities
necessary to conduct clandestine operations with safety and
security.
You will find Robert’s observations on both leadership and
management at the CIA not only interesting but directly
transferable and applicable to leading any large organization. And
his insights into the value of intelligence for the nation and the
value of information for companies is also brought to light.
Robert’s book collaboration with Keith Melton began with the
2008 book Spycraft, soon followed by The Official CIA Manual of
Deception and Trickery. Their Spy Sites trilogy captures the
history of American espionage from the Revolutionary War to
today.
Additional Resources:
Every Time I Get Stabbed In The Back My Fingerprints Are On The
Knife
Cyber Crisis: Protecting Your Business from Real Threats in the
Virtual World