Michelle Schafer’s Post

****Leadership and top management *** In my experience, I’ve observed that when top-down alignment is not established as a foundational element, it can lead to significant turbulence within the organization. Without clear support and direction from leadership, teams often struggle to coordinate their efforts effectively, which can result in misunderstandings, misaligned priorities, and ultimately, gaps in your security posture. Establishing strong leadership engagement from the outset is crucial for fostering a cohesive approach to cybersecurity, ensuring that everyone is aligned and working toward common goals. So what does that mean? A top-down approach means that your goals and strategies are established from the highest levels of leadership down to the operational teams. While this concept may sound straightforward, many organizations struggle to implement it effectively when it comes to developing a robust information security program. When leaders are not actively engaged with your information security initiatives, it complicates the process of building and maintaining a comprehensive program. Without a clear vision and commitment from the top, it becomes challenging to align resources, set priorities, and foster a culture of security throughout the organization. Your thoughts?? #cybersecurity #leadership #topdown #management #dataprivacy #datasecurity

🚨 Attention all #MSP CEOs, Security Leaders, and Cybersecurity Enthusiasts! 🛡️ Don't miss out on our exclusive 2-hour Cybersecurity Leadership Virtual Summit THIS FRIDAY! Join us on April 26th at 2pm ET for an event packed with invaluable insights and networking opportunities. 🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/44qJ2kp This summit is tailored for ANYONE in the MSP community, with a special focus on leadership. Here's what you can expect: 🔍 Top Trends in 2024: Discover the latest industry insights and strategies. 🚀 Top Challenges for MSPs: Address conflicts, talent acquisition, and profitability. 💼 Cybersecurity Sales Strategy: Learn effective approaches to boost sales. 🎯 Branding and Go-to-Market: Enhance your brand presence and market positioning. 🔎 Overall Vendor Landscape: Gain insights into the cybersecurity vendor ecosystem. 💡 vCISO Strategy: Explore strategies for implementing a virtual Chief Information Security Officer. Plus, don't miss our exciting bonus activity: a gamified Incident Response experience led by Bob Miller and a team of expert speakers! Best of all, it's FREE to join! Secure your spot now and prepare for an eventful session filled with valuable information and networking opportunities. Ready to register? Click here: https://bit.ly/44qJ2kp We'll see you on April 26th at 2:00pm ET sharp! 🕑 #CybersecuritySummit #MSPLeadership

🔒 Attention all cybersecurity team leaders! Let's dive into a crucial aspect of cybersecurity leadership: metrics definition. First of all, it goes without saying that your initiatives must go beyond surface-level impressions – they need to be both qualified and quantified to truly make an impact. Second, input from the direct report directly involved in projects is invaluable, as it can enrich your understanding of business needs. However, while delegating responsibilities can enhance your understanding of business needs, remember that from the top, you have a broader perspective. It's your responsibility to draft and finalize these crucial metrics, as you have the overarching view necessary for their effectiveness. Next, ensure your metrics are consistent and, most importantly, align both your KPIs and KRIs with current business objectives. Last, but not least. Remember, as a security team leader, your craft isn't about cyber magic, but rather about clear tangible understandable results and pragmatic strategies which allow executives make right decisions. #MetricsMatter #BusinessAlignment

🚀 Unlock the Path to Cyber Leadership Success! 🚀 I'm thrilled to share my latest article: "The Business Skills Security Leaders Need and How to Build Them." As cybersecurity professionals, we excel in technical expertise, but to climb the corporate ladder, we must also master essential business skills. This journey can be challenging, but it's crucial for integrating cybersecurity with overarching business strategies and driving innovation. 🔍 In this article, you'll discover: 👉🏽 The importance of strategic business thinking for security leaders. 👉🏽How to communicate effectively with non-technical teams and executives. 👉🏽Financial acumen and budgetary skills to justify security investments. 👉🏽The art of fostering a cyber-aware culture within your organization. 👉🏽Navigating C-suite politics and leading with emotional resilience. Whether you're a techie looking to step into a leadership role or an established leader aiming to enhance your business acumen, this article offers valuable insights and practical tips. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/etwcjPaH Let's start building the future of cybersecurity together! #CyberSecurity #Leadership #BusinessSkills #CareerGrowth #CISO #TechLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment

Succeeding as a cyber leader involves getting key stakeholders' on side and managing potential detractors. ❌ Left unchecked, the pressure from powerful detractors may get so intense that it derails the cyber leader’s mission. Managing potential detractors involves: ✅ Identifying and then closely watching them, ✅ Staying Calm ✅ Remaining friendly ✅ Actively listening to their concerns to understand the root cause of their frustrations. 🚀 Download the Cyber Leadership Institute's free CISO Playbook: Stakeholder Management, Influence and Persuasion and discover how to manage your stakeholders effectively — link in the comments. How do you manage potential detractors? Share in the comments below! #StakeholderManagement #Communication #Leadership

🌟 Reflecting on a Stellar Roundtable Discussion 🌟 Yesterday, I had the privilege of participating in a private virtual roundtable hosted by Technology Leaders Club, a community made up of over 2000 C-suite to director-level IT, cyber security, and data experts across the UK, Europe, and USA. The session brought together 6 senior executives to delve into the critical topic of aligning marketing and sales to drive revenue - a challenge many of us in leadership roles face. We explored several key areas: ▫ The major hurdles in achieving message alignment between marketing and sales teams. ▫ Effective strategies that have helped overcome these challenges. ▫ The pivotal role of leadership buy-in in aligning sales and marketing efforts and ways to foster it. The insights shared were not only enlightening but also practical, offering actionable steps we can take to enhance our organizational synergy. I am thankful for the opportunity to engage with fellow leaders and exchange ideas that are bound to make a significant impact on our respective companies. A special thanks to Deanna Nicholas for the excellent organization and to Amy Flécher, Trish McGill, Antoine Richert, Nathalie Magniez and Ulf Tausche for such a meaningful dialogue. For those interested in such enriching discussions, I highly recommend keeping an eye on future events by Rela8 Group. #Leadership #Marketing #SalesAlignment #BusinessGrowth

In recent years, the role of cybersecurity leaders has transformed remarkably. Gone are the days when their focus was solely on technical skills. Today, they are integral to shaping critical business strategies, driving organizational change, and developing strong leadership qualities that impact the entire company culture. 🚀 This evolution reflects the growing importance of cybersecurity in every aspect of business. Seeing how these leaders adapt, grow, and influence change across industries is fascinating. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this evolution! 🤔 How do you see the role of cybersecurity leaders changing in the future? 💭 Share your insights and experiences in the comments below! 📖 And don't forget to read our full blog, where Eduardo shares insights about this topic to understand the changing landscape of cybersecurity leadership better. Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/d4wXxHPu #CybersecurityLeadership #BusinessStrategy #OrganizationalChange #ORCAHRSolutions #leadership #cybersecurity #futureofcybersecurity #businessstrategies #leadershipinHR #companyculture

📘 Want to elevate your leadership game? I’m giving away 10 FREE copies of The Smartest Person in the Room! The Smartest Person in the Room is a powerful guide to transforming your approach to leadership, communication, and security. Written for those in cybersecurity and tech but valuable for any leader, it dives deep into the crucial skills needed to build high-performing, resilient teams and cultivate a security-first mindset. Here are a few topics in the book: 1. Learn why understanding and managing emotions is essential for effective leadership and fostering strong team dynamics. 2. Discover techniques to communicate complex cybersecurity issues in understandable and actionable ways for all team members. 3. Implement strategies to integrate security awareness into your organization’s DNA, from top to bottom. Stay tuned for entry details—don’t miss your chance to score a free copy! #Giveaway #TheSmartestPersonInTheRoom #Leadership #Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity leaders: It's time to speak the language of business 🚀⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Here's why mastering business acumen is your new superpower:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The cybersecurity landscape has expanded far beyond IT. With digital transformation touching every aspect of business, our role as security leaders has evolved.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ But here's the challenge:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ How do we communicate our value to non-technical leadership?⁣⁣ How can we shift from being seen as a cost center to a strategic asset?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? Speak their language.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Learn your company's goals, challenges, and KPIs⁣⁣ Align security initiatives with business objectives⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐧:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Use business terms instead of tech-speak⁣⁣ Focus on outcomes, not just processes⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Show how security contributes to revenue protection⁣⁣ Demonstrate ROI of security investments⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Adjust your communication style for different stakeholders⁣⁣ Use visuals and analogies for complex concepts⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Present security as an enabler of innovation⁣⁣ Show how robust security can be a competitive advantage⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐓 – 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Are you ready to elevate your cybersecurity leadership?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Don't forget to share ♻️ this with your network. #cyberresilience #cyberstrategy #securityroi #leadershipcommunication

Too many people are chasing the CISO role for the wrong reasons. They are doing it because they want to have authority, they want the fancy title, they think they are going to earn sh*t loads of money or they think they’ll become famous. While some of it might happen as a by product, it's not given. So of course, once they step into that role, they realise soon enough that most of what they are doing in their day to day has nothing to do with being famous or exhibiting authority or becoming a billionaire — they get frustrated, they blame the business and they give up. The most successful CISOs I have known, are humble leaders that know how to communicate, negotiate and inspire others. The most successful CISO are motivated by something else… - solving real-world problems - building leaders that build other leaders - bringing the business and its mission forward There's always going to be a new problem, a new challenge and a new crisis in your journey as a security leader. Often on a very regular basis. Often at the worst time you can imagine. That can be your thrill, if you learn to manage it well. If not, you’ll just burn out. Not every “battle” is worth it. Pick yours intelligently. Stay in the game longer. Build other leaders. Bring the mission forward. That's what it is truly about. The unpredictably never truly stops. Learn to embrace and manage it well. That’s your one superpower you’ll need to fight another day for the mission. 🚨 Want to break into security leadership? Get your guide to break into CISOship here: https://lnkd.in/d925s7xi 🚀 Want to 10x and accelerate your career in CISOship, either as aspiring or current CISO? Join my on-demand masterclass with 88 lessons, 15+ hours of video, and interviews and 12+ top security leaders from across the globe, here: https://lnkd.in/dJyPj9hv ♻️ REPOST to share this with others that can benefit #cybersecurity #leadership #artificialintelligence #masterclass #ciso #informationsecurity