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Communicating Intelligence to Decision Makers
Abstract
Mid-career intelligence analysts selected to brief senior individuals outside their
organizations face a daunting task. The skillset and training that make them strong
intelligence analysts are markedly different than those needed to professionally communicate
intelligence. Poor communication can result in ineffective engagements with senior
leaders and lead to decision makers acting upon misused, misunderstood, or neglected
intelligence. In this report, we answer the following question: before and during
initial or early-stage interactions with unfamiliar principals, how can intelligence
professionals best communicate complex information to decision makers to enhance their
understanding of intelligence? Through interviews with 19 industry professionals with
military, executive, legislative, and non-governmental experience, we identify several
characteristics, considerations, and conventions that increase the likelihood of successful
engagements. Characteristics of effective communicators include preparedness, credibility,
flexibility, and confidence. Considerations for effective engagements include context,
time, modality, and organizational perspective. Conventions for effective engagements
include ensuring message clarity, delivering a penetrating message, earning trust,
tailoring the communication strategy, and identifying the anchor. These findings inform
a communication strategy model and workflow upon which future research can build.
Type
Master's projectDepartment
The Sanford School of Public PolicyPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22849Citation
(2021). Communicating Intelligence to Decision Makers. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22849.More Info
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Rights for Collection: Sanford School Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program Master’s Projects
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