Moving from Good to Great
Presenting to the Board
Security has become a Board Level concern as an integral component to overall Corporate Strategy and Competitive Advantage.
By integrating security into their corporate strategies, board members know they can mitigate risks, protect their assets, and enhance their competitive position in the marketplace.
What do Boards want from CISOs ?
Establish a common language for evaluating risk: Develop a framework or use an agreed-upon language to communicate risk clearly so that non-technical board members can easily understand.
Connect directly with board members: Establish relationships with individual board members and align on key issues ahead of time.
Be articulate and concise: Present your information clearly and concisely, focusing on the most critical aspects.
Define new program initiatives: Clearly explain the objectives, expected outcomes, the reasoning behind program initiatives, and how they align with the organization's strategic goals.
Use metrics to report on program initiatives: Develop KPIs and measurable targets to assess the effectiveness of security programs using data-driven and digestible metrics.
Present a realistic approach for risk mitigation: Instead of striving for risk elimination, present a practical approach for mitigating risks while offering a well-balanced strategy.
Make Your Time with The Board Impactful
Strategy: Articulate the security strategy and how it aligns with the business objectives.
Threat Landscape: Inform about the current threat landscape, including emerging security threats and trends.
Risk Assessment and Management: Present an assessment of the security risks, their potential impact, and the mitigation measures.
Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: Compliance with relevant security regulations and standards.
Incident Response and Business Continuity: Effective incident response plans in place.
Investments and Budget: Resource requirements, including budget, staffing, and technology investments and the ROI of these investments.
Security Awareness and Training: They may want to see any metrics or indicators of improved security awareness.
Third-Party Risk Management: Approach to managing security risks associated with third-party providers.
Future Trends and Emerging Technologies: Insights into future security trends, technologies, and potential impacts.
Governance and Reporting: Updates on the company's security posture and progress in mitigating risks, including KPIs and metrics used.
Build a world-class team and a balanced security program: Evidence of a thorough assessment of the existing security program and a strategic approach to hiring the right team.
Leading as a cultivator of authenticity, trust, integrity, and empathy: Evidence you are creating a positive and productive work environment by demonstrating authenticity, trustworthiness, integrity, and compassion.
By implementing these strategies, you can make your time with the board more impactful, effectively communicate the importance of information security, and secure the necessary support and resources to enhance the organization's security posture.
Recognize and Harness Your CISO Superpowers
Chief Empathy Officer - Understands how to lead and nurture with grace and integrity in a highly diverse, ambiguous, and unpredictable environment and recognizes burnout as a growing concern.
Chief Translation Officer - Masters nuances in communication to enable action. Translates highly complex, technical concepts into pure business-speak and builds a data-driven narrative. Understands that KPIs in one environment do not necessarily translate to risk tolerance within another.
Chief Look Around the Corner Officer - Anticipates challenges and utilizes broad knowledge and resourcefulness to seize opportunities to improve your security posture.
Chief Crisis Officer - Recognizes and responds to organizational impacts of ongoing global events and threats.
