How to level up from security pro to security leader
Brief
There comes a time in a cybersecurity professional’s life when being a tech expert is no longer enough. The next step may lead to management or the C-suite, but the goal demands a different kind of expertise.
Technical skills will continue to serve a new CISO well, but the role demands additional capabilities built on that foundation. That may mean prioritizing investments amid tight budgets or helping business leaders weigh the security tradeoffs behind a product launch.
“The strongest CSOs and CISOs are the ones who can confidently translate technical risk to business priorities,” says Chad LeMaire, CISO at ExtraHop. Without that ability, technical depth can become “a career ceiling” instead of a competitive advantage. “Presenting solely as the most technically skilled person in the room may actually hold CISOs back,” LeMaire adds.