Episode Summary

Former spy, acclaimed author and returning guest Julian Fisher is back on The Security Circle—and he has unfinished business.
Julian’s first appearance remains one of the five most-downloaded episodes in the history of the podcast. This time, he returns to take the ideas behind Think Like a Spy even further, revealing how we can transform casual contacts into trusted, strategic relationships capable of changing our future.
At the heart of the conversation is Julian’s OTTERS framework: Objective-setting, Targeting, Trust-building, Elicitation of motivations, Recruitment and Stewardship. Drawing upon HUMINT tradecraft, acting techniques and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Julian explains why genuine relationship-building is fundamentally different from collecting business cards or adding names to a network.
Together, Yoyo and Julian explore social capital, trust, authenticity and the importance of understanding what motivates another person. They also examine Strategic Transcendence: the ability to step away from the emotional battlefield, resist an instinctive reaction and respond in a way that serves the outcome we truly want.
Through wonderfully relatable stories—from forgotten business cards to confrontational meetings—Julian demonstrates how pausing, observing and remembering our objective can preserve relationships, strengthen our influence and prevent a moment of emotion from damaging years of trust.
In an age of AI, total data and growing digital vulnerability, Julian offers a compelling reminder that the real secrets are still kept between people.
Because a contact may know your name—but a strategic relationship can change your future.
The Intelligence Maven: https://theintelligencemaven.com/
It contains details of Julians next Think Like a Spy Strategic Relations Workshop, which kicks off online on 29th September.
LinkedIn page may be of interest to some listeners: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-fisher-67161920/
For anyone who might like to buy the book: Introduction – Julian Fisher