Part 3 - Individual Transformation: Establishing Systolic Trust

In part three of our three part series, I promised a look at the individual level of organizational transformation and then map that to Cybersecurity. What I call the "systolic trust" level refers to the changes that occur within individuals themselves as they undergo an organization's transformative process. For a reminder, every individual in an organization comes from a place of their own unique background, experiences, beliefs, and values that have been influenced by the behaviors of the organization. Our goal is to untangle that. Because this happens on the individual level it can happen on the executive, managerial, and individual contributor level of the organization. No one is immune to these effects. Especially our, traditionally more conservative, cybersecurity folks. 

We all have the opportunity to lead and to be leaders. Yes this is overstated but it is still true. It doesn’t matter if you lead from the front(doing), lead from the side(partnership), or lead from behind(empowerment).

• Leading from the Front: This involves the leader being at the forefront, setting an example, and showing the way. It often implies a more visible, directive, and hands-on approach where the leader takes charge and expects others to follow.

• Leading from the Side: This is more about collaboration and partnership. The leader works alongside team members, facilitating and supporting rather than directing. It's often seen in teams where expertise and roles are shared, and the leader acts more as a facilitator.

• Leading from Behind: This style is more about empowering others. The leader takes a step back, allowing team members to take the initiative and lead in their areas of expertise. It’s about nurturing and developing others' leadership potential, with the leader providing guidance and support when needed.

We all can lead. That’s the first thing we need to understand.

Enter Dare to Lead

Second, in order to understand change we must understand that we all come from a place of fear, and that true leadership requires the courage to be vulnerable, to face fear, and to engage in tough conversations. Which brings us to Brené Brown and her book, Dare to Lead.

There are several components the book focuses on:

• Rumbling with Vulnerability: Where the author emphasizes that vulnerability is not a weakness but a measure of courage. Leaders must be open to uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure to lead effectively.

• Living into Our Values: It's crucial for leaders to not only identify their core values but also to operationalize them in their work and behaviors. This alignment fosters integrity and authenticity.

• Braving Trust: Trust is foundational in leadership. Brown introduces the BRAVING inventory, a tool for measuring and building trust, which includes boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non-judgment, and generosity.

• Learning to Rise: Leaders must learn how to recover from setbacks and failures. Brown discusses strategies for resilience and how to learn from mistakes, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership.

• The Role of Empathy and Connection: Empathy is a key skill for leaders, as it fosters connection and effective communication. Brown discusses how to cultivate empathy and use it to strengthen relationships within teams.

• Courageous Conversations: The book highlights the importance of engaging in difficult conversations, giving feedback, and addressing issues head-on, all while maintaining respect and understanding.

• The Armor of Leadership: Brown warns against behaviors that leaders often use to shield themselves, such as cynicism, perfectionism, and armoring up. She advocates for embracing vulnerability and staying true to oneself.

At first glance this may come across as a “nice to know” but a little unreachable. However that is not the case. This is 100% reachable.  We can break down this book into its essential components and show how it can enable individuals in organizations to move from being driven by quarterly pressures, politics, and fear to a place of creating an organization of innovation that you can pass on to the next generation with pride.

Schedule a call with us to talk about how to get this started.

What does Dare to Lead and Systolic Trust have to do with Cybersecurity?

• Embracing Vulnerability: In cybersecurity, vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, but Brown's perspective encourages leaders to embrace vulnerability as a strength. This means acknowledging the uncertainties, risks, and emotional exposures that come with managing cybersecurity threats. By doing so, leaders can foster a culture of openness and continuous learning, which is crucial for adapting to new and unforeseen challenges. 

• Leading with Values: Brown emphasizes the importance of identifying and leading with core values. In a cybersecurity context, this could mean prioritizing values such as integrity, vigilance, and innovation. When unexpected changes occur, these values become a guiding light, ensuring that the team's response aligns with their fundamental principles.

• Building Trust: Trust is a critical component in any team, but it's especially vital in cybersecurity, where the stakes are high and the environment is often stressful. Brown's approach to building trust involves consistency, transparency, and accountability. Leaders should encourage open communication and share both successes and failures to build a foundation of trust.

• Rumbling with Vulnerability: This concept involves having tough conversations and addressing the hard issues head-on. In cybersecurity, this could mean openly discussing the potential and real impacts of security breaches, the limitations of current systems, and the need for change. By confronting these issues directly, the team can work together to find innovative solutions.

• Learning to Rise: Cybersecurity is an area where failures – such as security breaches – can provide valuable lessons. Brown's approach encourages a mindset of resilience and learning from mistakes. Instead of fostering a culture of blame, leaders should encourage analysis of what went wrong and how to improve, turning setbacks into growth opportunities.

• Braving Trust: This acronym (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Non-judgment, and Generosity) provides a framework for building trust in teams. In cybersecurity, respecting boundaries (like privacy and data protection), being reliable and accountable, maintaining confidentiality (Vault), acting with integrity, avoiding judgment, and assuming the best (Generosity) in others are all crucial for a cohesive and effective team.

• Daring Leadership: Finally, Brown's concept of daring leadership is about being courageous and making tough decisions. In the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity, leaders often need to make decisions with incomplete information and under pressure. Embracing daring leadership means being open to new approaches, taking calculated risks, and leading change proactively.

If a cybersecurity group within an organization successfully adopts the principles from "Dare to Lead," it can act as a catalyst for widespread positive change, influencing the organization's culture, collaboration, risk management, employee engagement, leadership style, crisis management, innovation, and overall reputation. Simply put, if you can change the individuals in the most conservative portion of the organization the ripple effect can be massive.