The Unknown Knowns

What is intelligence? Contrary to popular belief, it has very little to do with spies, secrets or James Bond. In the first episode of a new three-part series, Dr Angela Lewis explores what intelligence actually is, why experts still debate its definition and why its real purpose is not collecting information but helping people make better decisions under conditions of uncertainty. Drawing on every...

What if the examples we remember most are distracting us from the lesson they were meant to teach? In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores how people learn, why certain ideas stick and what separates genuine expertise from simple familiarity. Starting with an unexpected piece of student feedback, Angela examines concepts such as salience, schema formation and transfer, exp...

In Part 2 of their conversation, Dr Angela Lewis is joined once again by former CIA officer Darrell Blocker to explore the habits and mindsets that underpin effective judgment. Building on their earlier discussion about intuition and expertise, Angela and Darrell examine the role of curiosity, observation and critical questioning in intelligence work and everyday decision-making. Drawing on storie...

In this two-part series, Dr Angela Lewis is joined by Darrell Blocker, a former CIA officer with 28 years of experience in intelligence operations and leadership. In part 1, they will explore one of the most misunderstood concepts in professional decision-making: intuition. Is it simply a gut feeling, or is it something built through years of experience, observation and training? Drawing on storie...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores a deceptively simple question: why do some messages land while others fail? Drawing on intelligence tradecraft and organisational psychology, Angela examines how audience, context, and professional culture shape the reception of information. From briefing senior executives to building credibility in new environments, she explores why...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores why some of the most persistent problems resist simple solutions. Rather than focusing on individual events or decisions, Angela examines how systems shape behaviour, outcomes and risk. From organisational challenges to geopolitical crises, she explains how feedback loops, incentives and interconnected relationships can create patter...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis examines how assumptions shape interpretation and why slowing down the decision-making process can often reveal what people initially miss. The episode draws on concepts to explain how analysts can structure information to improve understanding rather than simply delivering facts. Angela also explores the growing role of AI in analytical envi...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores the difference between imposter syndrome and intellectual humility and why the distinction matters in intelligence, leadership and decision-making environments. Drawing on psychology research, intelligence tradecraft and personal experience, Angela examines why high performers often question themselves most and why uncertainty is not...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores what happens to judgment and decision-making under sustained pressure and how resilience can be built before cognitive overload takes hold. Using the “mint strategy” as a framework, Angela examines how small interventions can interrupt stress spirals and improve analytical thinking in high-pressure environments. The episode explores...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores the role silence plays in leadership, analysis and decision-making. From uncomfortable meetings to high-pressure intelligence environments, Angela examines why silence is often misunderstood and how it can reveal uncertainty and hidden assumptions. The episode explores when silence creates space for better thinking and when it become...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores one of the most difficult challenges facing intelligence professionals and leaders: how to tell uncomfortable truths inside systems that may not want to hear them. Using the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked as a framework, Angela examines two very different approaches to dissent: speaking truth from outside the syste...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis is joined by Sibylline’s Associate Director of Product Operations, Jack Nott-Bower, to explore why professional development is often overlooked in intelligence teams and why that creates long-term risks. They examine the difficult transition from analyst to leader, why many high performers become bottlenecks after promotion and how training c...

In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores the concept of “flow” — the state of deep, immersive focus where high-quality judgment and insight emerge. Drawing on personal experience and cognitive science, she explains why modern work environments often prevent us from reaching this state, and why that comes at a cost to decision-making. The episode breaks down what flow actual...

AI can draft, summarise, and sound authoritative in seconds. But it doesn’t understand what it’s saying. In this episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr Angela Lewis explores the real role of AI in intelligence and decision-making—and where it quietly goes wrong. From reinforcing flawed assumptions to projecting confidence without competence, generative AI is not a neutral tool. It is a pattern engine...

Before decisions are made, something else is already at work: bias. In this premier episode of The Unknown Knowns , Dr. Angela Lewis explores the hidden role bias plays in shaping judgment, especially for intelligence professionals, leaders, and decision-makers operating under pressure. Far from being a flaw, bias is a feature of how we think—a set of cognitive shortcuts that help us move quickly...