Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Red Team summary
Micah Zenko
How to Succeed by Thinking Like the Enemy
13 mins
Topics
Table of Contents
Red Team
Summary of 6 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 6
Organizations can use red teams to uncover hidden problems, but only if they’re willing.
As humans, we’ve got a rather peculiar blind spot for our own mistakes. This is why, for example, we get friends to proofread our essays in university. And it’s also why organizations hire red teams, groups of experts whose job it is to work out the weaknesses in a company’s strategies, structures and security measures.
Though red teams can be incredibly effective, many leaders are reluctant to accept their help. Authoritarian figures or personalities don’t enjoy being contradicted and often refuse to enlist red teams in the first place. This was the case with the head of Federal Aviation Administration. It took a terrorist attack on a Pan-American Airway plane in 1988 with 270 fatalities before he decided to bring a red team into his regular operations to uncover security weaknesses.
Red teams also require the right members in order to be effective. Red teamers are those who can think outside the box, and there are fewer of those people around than you might think. Psychologist Scott Eidelman demonstrated how we often fall victim to existence bias by assuming things are fine just the way they are.
An excellent red teamer does not have this bias. Instead, they have an incredible eye for detail when it comes to working out what could be done better. Red teamers must, of course, be able to think like the enemy.
CIA analyst Rodney Faraon even likens sharp red teamers to method actors capable of immersing themselves in the minds and identities of someone else. In the case of a red teamer, they’re becoming one with the enemy.
Finally, organizations must ensure that red teams play an appropriate role in day-to-day life. Being assessed is stressful for both leaders and employees, so don’t let your red team run rife! Restrict them to where their expertise is needed to keep staff from feeling like they’re under constant surveillance.
Want to see all full key ideas from Red Team?
Key ideas in Red Team
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Red Team about?
Red Team (2015) gives insight into the military and security strategies that try to anticipate the adversary’s next move. Covering events from the capture of Osama bin Laden to mysterious break-ins operated through warehouse skylights, this book is a reminder of everyday vulnerability and what to do about it.
Best quote from Red Team
When you hear best practices, run for your lives. The Titanic was built with best practices. – Colonel Gregory Fontenot, Director of the Red Team University, 2011
—Micah Zenko
Who should read Red Team?
- Anyone interested in military tactics or history
- People who want to learn how to think like their enemies in order to defeat them
- Company leaders who want strong arguments for increasing cyber and facility security
Categories with Red Team
Books like Red Team
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked
Start growing with Blinkist now
28 Million
Downloads on all platforms
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
91%
Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
*Based on survey data from Blinkist customers