5 Approaches For Security Leaders To Show How Valuable Cybersecurity Is For Company

Every department in an organization needs to collaborate rather than operate independently in order to accomplish its objectives. Regretfully, according to Forrester, 97% of companies feel that business objectives and cybersecurity priorities aren’t aligned.

This impression is explained by other factors. Occasionally, the security role is misinterpreted, poorly explained, or improperly owned and managed. Because cybersecurity measures frequently overlap with other business operations, this may negatively affect an organization’s capacity to manage risk, keep expenses under control, and preserve business agility.

Thus, how can leaders in cybersecurity enhance alignment with business objectives and demonstrate the economic benefit of cybersecurity? Here are five recommended practices to think about:

Always Prioritize The Business

The purpose of security teams is to support businesses, not the other way around. While it’s true that cybersecurity is vital for modern, digitally transformed firms, security leaders also need to assist business leaders in seeing the value and advantages that the cybersecurity function can provide to the company. Empathy and the capacity to articulate oneself in the words of the business and view the world from their perspective are prerequisites for this. Additionally, in order to guarantee that security controls consistently support business goals, cooperation, effective stakeholder engagement, and a coalition of attitudes are needed.

Transition From Risk Aversion To Risk Mitigation

Traditionally, an organization’s appetite or tolerance for risk is decided by the board or a supervisory committee. Leaders in security must continue to be that tolerant. Tolerance is frequently subjective, though, which makes it more likely that there may be disagreements when implementing it in planned or ongoing corporate operations. In the context of achieving corporate objectives, it is more practicable to weigh the degree of risk exposure against continuing legal and regulatory obligations, cost, and agility. To help the business understand risk in a more balanced light, security professionals must undertake thorough scenario preparation. Recall that not all risk is harmful. If risk is properly managed and risk owners are consulted, risk can offer a business opportunity.

Use Corporate Governance To Bolster The Message Of Values

Security teams have long struggled with the perception that they are only valuable in the event of an emergency or catastrophe. Since governance also supervises security services during times of peace, it can provide a valuable narrative to the boardroom regarding the location of total value. This is where the ability to develop relationships is crucial for a security executive. Executive directors, for instance, can be helpful in promoting the security discussion and coordinating security efforts with the goals and purposes of the company. Security leaders might not be able to directly participate or have a seat at the table, but advocates can help start conversations in boardrooms about issues pertaining to network vulnerabilities.

Increase Value By Maximizing Efficiencies

Security teams must adjust security controls to match the organization’s pace of evolution; otherwise, waste and inefficiencies will soon accumulate and diminish the security measures’ worth. Possibilities to improve security efficiency include:

• Business process re-engineering: It is possible to increase the effectiveness of the security controls put in place in the company by moving away from the idea that “we’ve always done it this way” and toward a different way of thinking about the design of a control or process.
  Automation: Whenever possible, take into account automation for processes that are well-understood, highly repeatable, and have a low error rate.
  Innovation: New technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence can provide effective means of implementing security controls within the company.

Develop Your Leadership Abilities To Boost The Security Brand

Business stakeholders will be able to appreciate the value that security adds to the company and the identity of the security team with the support of a strong brand and culture. Applying leadership skills from the following can help security practitioners establish a reputation for high relevancy:

• Master the art of negotiating by always putting the business’s best interests first. Compromises in terms of security and risk tolerance are frequently required. Make no qualms about sacrificing short-term interests in order to get larger long-term benefits.
  Boost your soft skills: Making adjustments to one’s approach and style, such as developing one’s emotional intelligence and honing communication techniques, can change how stakeholders view a leader and make them appear more personable and approachable.
  Demonstrate how security can support strategy, boost revenue, and preserve profitability by thinking and acting strategically and with positivity.
• Security chiefs want their counterparts in the boardroom to recognize them as a division that can manage risk and business strategy, is creative and financially successful, and supports the organization’s strategic goals. Prioritizing the business, shifting from a risk-tolerant to a risk-balanced approach, and honing leadership abilities will enable security teams to more effectively accomplish the business objectives of the organization and confidently present their value offer.