"Have Spies": A CIA Leadership Lesson on Toxic Managers & Company Culture
One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard came during a senior leadership course at the CIA: "Have spies."
It sounds like a punchline, but it was a serious tactical directive from a seasoned Directorate of Analysis manager. He shared a failure from earlier in his career where he hadn't realized a toxic mid-level manager was working under him until that person moved to a new assignment. The manager moved along, and all of a sudden, the stories began to surface and the "murky" reasons why stellar analysts had been leaving that office for two years suddenly became clear. Sound familiar?
Oftentimes, the people who manage up the best are the ones who stomp on the people below them and take credit for their work.
His solution was to embrace the mission: cultivate "spies" two or three levels down. Find the people who will give you the unvarnished ground truth of what's happening on the floor, because the view from the front office is often curated.
I see this same dynamic playing out in the private sector, especially in the tech world where the pace is relentless and manager training and accountability can be minimal. If you're a senior leader, you have to ask: How well do you really know the mid-level managers reporting to you? Are they doing right by their people, or are they standing on the shoulders of others while holding them down? (For more on navigating these leadership dynamics and protecting your team, check out my recent podcast episode here.)
For the government pivoters out there: If you're preparing to move into the private sector, you need to conduct your own counterintelligence. Use your interviews and networking to uncover the ground truth of a company's culture before you sign.
Is the hiring manager proud of their own promotions, or the accomplishments of their direct reports?
How does the team handle conflict when things go sideways?
Does the leadership actively protect their people, or just the bottom line?
You are interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you. You deserve a culture where you're respected, not just "managed."
If you need help vetting these opportunities and conducting your own career counterintelligence, check out MissionPivot™ for dedicated resources and support designed specifically for professionals transitioning out of federal service.
