(13 Traits + 7 Strategies)/2 = 10 Effective Ways to Improve Communication – BSW #243

Eighty-eight percent of Boards of Directors (BoDs) view cybersecurity as a business risk, as opposed to a technology risk, according to a new survey from Gartner, Inc. However, only 12% of BoDs have a dedicated board-level cybersecurity committee.

A CISO's success (and job longevity) is often dependent on support from the board of directors. Answers to these questions will reveal how security savvy a BoD is... 1. Does the board have at least one security expert? 2. Does the board ask good questions? 3. Does the board’s chain of command and reporting structure put the CISO in a position of authority? 4. Does the board conduct regular and detailed risk assessments? 5. Does the board have security-focused subcommittees? 6. Does the board meet regularly with the CISO? 7. Are the IT budgets and cybersecurity budgets presented to the board together? 8. Does the board integrate security concerns into all its discussion? 9. Does the board receive security training? 10. Does the board practice sound cybersecurity hygiene in its own communications? 11. Does the board use benchmarks to measure security preparedness? 12. Does the board make a determined effort to drive security culture throughout the company? 13. Does the board create a climate of open, honest information sharing?

Below are seven strategies to make cybersecurity professionals’ organisations safer from the countless network security threats they’ll be facing in the near future: 1. Create a “Security-first” Culture 2. Create a Continuous Security Education Program 3. Implement a Zero-Trust Model Throughout the Business 4. Implement SSL Visibility – “Break and Inspect” 5. Review and Test DDoS Defences Regularly 6. Secure all Inbound and Outbound Network Traffic Using SSL/TLS Encryption 7. Establish and Test Disaster Recovery Plans

Underestimating, or not properly preparing for, adversaries can lead to big trouble — in both football and cybersecurity. So what can cyber teams learn from “The Game”?

We spend a lot of our time focussing on what good leadership looks like. But good leadership is not just a set of rules. It is a feeling that can be experienced by those who are led. So, here are the three things that are felt by the team under lazy leadership. If you are a leader, these are three things you should look out for to ensure you are never causing your team to feel this way: 1. You Feel Tired 2. You Feel Confused 3. You Feel Undervalued

The research distinguishes between three ways to set goals: assigned, participative, and self-set goals. - Assigned goals are those set by the leader and not negotiated with workers. - Participative goals require input from the team on what they should achieve. These goals are not mandated but co-constructed together with the leader. - Self-set goals are those that workers set by themselves without input from the leader. The research found: - Assigned goals are as effective as participative and self-set goals - Your team may prefer assigned goals

To become a better communicator, you have to have the tools and skills to create the right message for the right audience, right? Here are the top 10 communication skills that will enhance the way you speak and listen:  1. Clear Signaling  2. Highlight Uniqueness 3. Reading Faces 4. Still-Face Experiment 5. Facial Absorption 6. Use Powerful Words 7. Embodied Cognition 8. Sharing Feedback 9. Positive Body Language 10. Storytelling