As technology advances, the role of the CISO has become increasingly complex and risky. The CISO is responsible for information security for both physical and digital assets, and with the fast-paced adoption of technology by the corporate world, cybersecurity has become immensely complex. The CISO is tasked with surmounting unknown and uncontrollable factors, making their position unenviable and risky.
However, CISOs have maintained a great reputation for being trustworthy partners to executive management. They have evolved through every cyberattack and learned to become more resilient and wiser, continuously improving their practices. To prepare for the future, CISOs must be experts in both enterprise IT governance and cybersecurity, able to present emerging threats and countermeasures in simple terms to executive management and the board of directors.
CISOs should also be able to translate business strategy into implementable IT strategy and play an important role in the delivery of cyber-safe products and services. Compliance with global laws and regulations is also crucial, as CISOs need to be constantly vigilant for changes to international regulations.
Continuous and ongoing learning is integral to every cybersecurity professional, and CISOs must acquire deep domain knowledge, master skills related to evolving technology, and stay informed on cybersecurity laws. CISOs must also educate others in simple terms, demystifying the complexity and fear surrounding their field.
CISOs should be agile and prioritize human interaction, working software, customer collaboration, and the ability to respond to change over rigidly following a plan. They should adopt a mindset of servant leadership, focusing on serving customers, partners, employees, and the community at large. Lastly, CISOs should lead by example by following best practices, being tolerant of short-term failure and open to new ideas and creating an environment of safety. Through these principles, CISOs can remain elite professionals and ensure the safety and security of their organizations.