Cyber Security Leaders

Posted by mctracy On April 19, 2023

Success in the cyber security industry starts with leadership. Without strong and capable cyber security leaders, information technology staff will not be able to adapt and grow with the development of cyber threats.

“In a recent Gartner survey, 57% of respondents said they are struggling to find and hire emerging security leaders -- individuals who are not currently working in a formal leadership position or role, but have demonstrated the requisite aptitude, competencies and capabilities needed to lead a cybersecurity organization in the future. Retention is a challenge, too, given the average tenure for a CISO is between 18 and 26 months.” (Tech Target).

This presents unique challenges as the cyber landscape grows in complexity and overall risk. As technology becomes more embedded in everyday life, cyber security becomes increasingly crucial. Cyber security leaders need to have the knowledge and skillset to effectively lead staff to better protect digital assets and prevent cyber-attacks.

“In large firms, it can be hard to get things done on a complex topic such as cybersecurity, which cuts across all corporate silos, particularly where maturity levels are low and radical change is required. It requires time, persistence and relentless drive.” (Forbes).

The lack of a substantial average tenure leads to doubt and unrest amongst higher ups.

“In practice, short tenures breed long-term stagnation: You don’t achieve a lot in large firms in two or three years. Often, very little gets done beyond tactical measures and alleged technical low-hanging fruits. Projects are frequently aborted or left unfinished, as the next CISO has other views or business priorities have changed.” (Forbes).

However, there are ways to combat this stemming issue of a lack of cyber security leadership.

“Use regular performance and career discussions to start proactively identifying, evaluating and fostering emerging cybersecurity leaders. This signals to those interested in stepping up into more senior roles that their line managers are taking an active interest in their development.” (Tech Target).

Company culture fostered through leadership has a big impact on whether or not these emerging cyber security leaders will stick around.

“There is, of course, no guarantee an investment in fostering cybersecurity leadership talent will result in a high-potential individual staying until they are able to fill a future leadership vacancy. Other factors are key determinants of how long they stick around, including the prevailing corporate culture, perceptions about the quality of the organization's leadership or the individual's ability to secure a better role in another organization.” (Tech Target).

There are many benefits to fostering a positive and productive company culture.

“Emerging leaders are more productive and effective in their roles when they're being developed. Additionally, valued employees are less likely to become disgruntled or, worse, malicious insiders -- an especially important consideration for cybersecurity personnel with elevated system access.” (Tech Target).

Want to learn more about improving cyber security? Responsive Technology Partners is the leading cyber-security expert in the Athens, Metter, Milledgeville, Vidalia, and Atlanta, Georgia areas. We also have locations in Tampa, Florida, Roanoke, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Service offerings include I.T. support, cyber-security and compliance, cloud-based POS systems and support, telephony, cloud services, cabling, access control, and camera systems. Our company’s mission is to provide world-class customer service through industry leading I.T. solutions that make every customer feel as if they are our only customer. Please visit our website to learn more: https://www.responsivetechnologypartners.com/.