"To be a chief officer, you essentially need two things, you need to show value and you need respect... and usually that in order to get respect, you have to show value."

• Demonstrate how security efforts add value to the business.
• Build respect through contributions to organizational goals.
• Leverage respect to implement strong defenses against cyber attacks.

"There's the outer layers or the outer letters 'Chief Officer' is one and 'Information Security' is the other... World-class CISOs have that... perfect balance..."

• Develop leadership skills alongside technical expertise.
• Balance strategic decisions with technical security requirements.
• Lead the organization in a united effort against cyber threats.

"One of the ways you add value, it's so simple is to give other people what they want... Be open... I said, listen, it looks like you're really stressed... What can I do right now to help you?"

• Engage with employees to understand their challenges.
• Support employees to promote adherence to security policies.
• Build trust to enhance cooperation in identity and access controls.

"So, awareness and maybe I put awareness before value and respect... The first thing you need to have is awareness... what the organization is currently doing..."

• Assess the organization's security posture thoroughly.
• Identify potential vulnerabilities through increased awareness.
• Use awareness to guide strategic security decisions.

"If you want to be invaluable... understand where in that season you're at... and start planning for where you're going over the next 90 days."

• Anticipate future organizational changes to prepare for ransomware risks.
• Develop proactive strategies to mitigate upcoming threats.
• Show foresight in security planning to prevent ransomware incidents.

"If everyone considers the organization to be a success, then you add value by doing more of what you're currently doing... if the organization doesn't think they're meeting their mission... you need to start suggesting changes..."

• Understand the organization's perception of success to tailor security efforts.
• Maintain effective practices or propose changes based on needs.
• Align security strategies to support the organization's mission against cybercrime.

"So, my question to you right now is, how much value are you adding to the organization from a business perspective?"

• Align security measures with business objectives to show tangible value.
• Communicate how preventing data breaches supports organizational success.
• Gain support for security initiatives by demonstrating business benefits.

"I know a lot of folks always ask me... How can we better interact with our executives? How can we better educate our executives on cybersecurity?"

• Communicate cybersecurity importance in business terms to executives.
• Provide resources to help executives understand identity and access risks.
• Foster executive relationships to prioritize security initiatives.

"So one of the first things world-class CISOs do when they're starting a new job... is just reset, step back, spend a little time understanding the season your business is in..."

• Assess the organization's current priorities and adapt security strategies.
• Plan security measures that align with business cycles to mitigate cyber risks.
• Be proactive in anticipating threats during organizational transitions.

"Well, if we look at the fact that most people have come from a technical cybersecurity background... So right now you're out of balance because you're way too technical and not enough strategic."

• Shift focus from purely technical to include strategic business understanding.
• Develop skills in leadership and business alignment to prevent vulnerabilities.
• Balance technical expertise with strategic planning to enhance security posture.