Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 32 | Page 46

CIOopinion CIO OPINION “ LEADERSHIP IS AT THE CENTRE OF EVERY SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN BUSINESS. M.K. Palmore, VP, Field Chief Security Officer for Palo Alto Networks Five leadership maxims for today’s cybersecurity leaders Curating a highly skilled, capable and resilient workforce is the key to success when leading a team. M.K. Palmore, VP, Field Chief Security Officer for Palo Alto Networks, discusses five ways to become a strong leader of today. Leadership is at the centre of every success and failure in business. At a time of crisis, the critical strengths of leaders, like compassion and agility, are pushed front and centre. Some organisations will thrive while others will struggle with the challenges that change brings, and much of it is based on the choices and actions of leaders. It’s stating the obvious that every organisation needs strong leaders, particularly when the going gets tough. It’s important to keep developing your own skills as a leader, as well as cultivating the next generation of leaders from the pool of talent available. So, where to look for leadership material? In cybersecurity, it’s not unusual for technologists to lead teams. I have been lucky to work for technologists that not only have a good perspective on leadership, but can practice what they preach. However, the more shared stereotype is that technologists understand technology but not people. The common thought is that they tend to be technically proficient but lack the social and emotional skills required for effective leadership, which presents a challenge in cybersecurity. As an industry that requires specific knowledge and deep expertise, technologists are the obvious choice when it comes to leadership. For non- 46 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com