How Spies Think

Former MI5 director David Omand distills decades of intelligence experience into a framework for making better decisions in a complex, disinformation-filled world. How Spies Think introduces the 'SEES' model — situational awareness, explanation, estimation, and strategic notice — offering tools used in intelligence to avoid cognitive traps. Omand’s writing is calm, wise, and grounded in real-world cases, from counterterror operations to geopolitical crises. He explains how intelligence officers navigate uncertainty, ambiguity, and deception — lessons increasingly relevant to public life. The book is practical, insightful, and surprisingly accessible, offering clarity in an age of noise.