What I Learned from Sabotage Manual by the CIA precursor

A story of moths, spies and bad listeners.

First published in 1944 by U.S. Strategic Services, a precursor of CIA, and declassified in 2008, Simple Sabotage Field Manual is a gold nugget of an interesting document illustrating an era and time, but also universal organizational and communication principles for what (not) to do.

While some things have obviously changed and may sound bizarre today – you will not bring a bag with large moths to movies to sabotage enemy propaganda movie projection (sic!) – some things have stayed the same, and apply to work and life.

I’m currently working on the book segment on interactions and communication, so I thought this story would be a nice addition. If nothing else, then for a few laughs.

I’ll share a few of the examples from the Manual, sections General Interference with Organization and Production, and General Devices for Lowering Morale and Creating Confusion.

Is there that one colleague or friend that does this? Or are you that person in some cases?

Make "speeches". Talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate your "points” by long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences. Never hesitate to make a few appropriate “patriotic" comments.

Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible.

Give lengthy and incomprehensible explanations.

Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, resolutions.

Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to re-open the question of the advisability of that decision.

P.S. If you’re curious, you can check out the scan of the whole manual here.