Former CIA agent Michele Rigby Assad shares her journey into the CIA and the importance of understanding different cultures. She discusses the challenges she faced in gaining trust while interrogating individuals and how her experiences taught her valuable lessons. The podcast also explores the cultural dynamics in the Middle East and reflects on the lessons learned from CIA service.
Emphasizing the importance of cultural understanding in gaining trust for interrogations.
Advocating for empathy in leadership to navigate challenges and recognize individuals' true capabilities.
Deep dives
Becoming a CIA Agent: A Surprising Journey
Michelle Rigby Assad, a former spy, shares her unexpected path to joining the CIA, which began after experiencing life-changing mission trips to Egypt and Russia. Initially aspiring to be a pharmacist, her travels sparked a passion for the Middle East, leading her to teach herself Arabic and pursue a master's degree in Arab Studies. Despite initial setbacks, she eventually landed a role as a counterterrorism officer in the CIA, navigating challenges and opportunities that shaped her remarkable career.
Vetting Iraqi Refugees: The High-Stakes Process
Assad recounts a poignant story of vetting Iraqi Christians seeking asylum, highlighting the intense responsibility of determining genuine cases versus potential threats. She describes the careful interrogation techniques used to assess credibility, emphasizing the critical role of her CIA training in analyzing individuals' intentions and ensuring the safety of both the refugees and host countries.
Finding Purpose Beyond the CIA: Rescuing Iraqi Christians
Transitioning from CIA service, Assad and her husband engage in a life-changing mission to aid persecuted Iraqi Christians, leveraging their diplomatic skills and expertise in vetting people. This project, born out of a desire to support human rights and provide safety and security, symbolizes the culmination of their CIA experience applied to a noble cause.
Leadership Lessons and Building Empathy
Drawing from her CIA tenure, Assad underscores the importance of empathy in leadership, distinguishing it from agreement and advocating for understanding diverse perspectives. She shares insights on navigating imposter syndrome, embracing challenges outside one's comfort zone, and transcending surface judgments to recognize individuals' true capabilities beyond external appearances.
Bestselling author and former CIA agent Michele Rigby Assad encourages people to think introspectively about their answer to that question in her book, Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me About What’s Worth Fighting For. Michele joins On Leadership to share her unique journey into the CIA, discussing the importance of understanding different cultures and religions and the challenges she faced in gaining the trust of individuals she was interrogating. She talks about how many of her stories taught her lessons that she hopes can empower others on their own paths to accomplishing their own unique personal and professional goals.
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