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Planning for the Future of Security Leadership: RRA’s Cyber Leadership Index
Article
The security landscape is rapidly evolving. Globally, we are seeing more companies investing the right amount of capital and resources to ensure the appropriate security footprint and posture is in place. This has been a consistent positive trend stretching back several years. Security is part of the conversation in the boardroom and key strategy sessions.
While cyber security capabilities are critical, program leadership is equally as important. These leaders must be able to:
- Partner effectively across the organization (with technology and well beyond into the business).
- Develop a roadmap and strategy that aligns to the digital, technology, and OT strategy and evolution of the enterprise.
- Build an effective team, with opportunities for growth and well thought out succession planning across key roles.
- Work closely with the board and the leadership team to develop a rapport and partnership with open lines of communication and an ability to articulate key risks and security topics in an effective manner to all audiences.
Technological change was considered the 4th largest threat to business health over the next 12 to 18 months.
In digital-first companies, cyber security specifically was called out as 6th most major threat affecting the business.
Only 36% of leaders believe their organization currently has the right talent to drive the digital journey.
In our annual Global Leadership Monitor survey, we asked leaders globally what would impact their business most in the next 12-18 months, and how prepared they felt to deal with that problem. Respondents ranked cyber security as a definite challenge, but also rated their ability to deal with that challenge highly. But this does not tell the whole story. Many leaders predicted challenges — from key talent shortage to geopolitical uncertainty — that create challenges specific to cyber security leadership. From the security challenges of hybrid working, to consumer behavior change and the associated data protection issues, and the threat of geopolitical conflict, we see that most business challenges will impact the day to day leadership of a cyber security function.
The Cyber Leadership Index: A tool for assessing your organization’s security and the leaders responsible for it Numerous frameworks exist to benchmark and assess an organization’s security program. These provide a point of view on where the program stands relative to best in class, peer group, and baseline organizations and targets. These are tremendously helpful in benchmarking and ensuring a strong posture. Where many of our clients struggle is in evaluating the extensions of the function’s capability. We developed the Cyber Leadership Index with a focus on helping organizations evaluate where they stand, not just across the capabilities of the function, but also, crucially, on the dimensions that signify how the security function fits within the organization, and how its leadership is driving the function forward. The Cyber Leadership Index can be a tool to evaluate the current state of the program, just as much as it can be a mechanism for organizations to think through where they aspire to be, and how to get there. The framework leverages methodologies used across other security frameworks, to provide a common point of reference in evaluation.
The framework works by assessing four key dimensions of the cyber security function, each with four sub-dimensions, and acts as a tool both to guide conversation and assess an organization’s cyber function, where that function stands and where future opportunities lie.
Alignment of cyber strategy to the tech/digital roadmap and business.
Development of a roadmap and strategy for the cyber function.
Degree to which cyber program is ‘at the table’ as strategy is developed.
Ongoing refreshing /evolution of cyber roadmap and strategy.
Security program matches with the tech ecosystem and risk profile.
Coverage of relevant regulatory & compliance frameworks and controls.
Core program capabilities: identify, protect, detect, respond, recover.
Coverage of customer, 3rd party and vendor risk.
Buildout of security team capabilities - full time & 3rd party members.
Provides opportunities to help team members grow and evolve.
Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
Focus on enhancing bench strength and developing credible successors.
Reshapes the organization culture to enhance cyber awareness.
Develops positive relationships with internal stakeholders.
Maintains external relationships e.g. regulatory bodies and agencies.
Engages and communicates effectively with non-tech stakeholders.
The cyber roadmap should be aligned with organizational strategy, and constantly evolving in tandem with technological, strategic, or regulatory changes.
Absent from leadership discussions; not ‘at the table’; not always informed of key decisions impacting security.
Bolted on at the back end; brought to the table or informed at the end of all conversations.
Cyber is brought to the table on some key decisions, and cyber security advice is sought and leveraged.
Cyber informs decisions on digital and technology and is actively engaged.
Strategy and roadmap are developed separately with little overlap and little alignment.
Strategy and roadmap are occasionally or loosely aligned.
Roadmap and strategy are mainly aligned, though changes in strategy may not always map onto roadmap.
Roadmap and strategy are constantly evolving in tandem, consistently weaving in the business and technology strategy.
Not at the table; not always informed of key decisions impacting security. Expected to “figure it out”.
Bolted on at the back end; brought to the table or informed at the end of all conversations.
Brought to the table on some key decisions, and cyber security advice is sought on a needs basis.
Informs decisions on organization-wide strategy and is actively engaged.
Cyber roadmap is event-driven and reactive.
Cyber roadmap is periodically refreshed as needed, or on an annual planning basis.
Cyber roadmap anticipates and adapts to needs, accounting for new technologies, new strategies, and new regulations.
Cyber roadmap is constantly in flux and evolving.
Not at the table; not always informed of key decisions impacting security. Expected to “figure it out”.
Bolted on at the back end; brought to the table or informed at the end of all conversations.
Brought to the table on some key decisions, and cyber security advice is sought on a needs basis.
Informs decisions on organization-wide strategy and is actively engaged.
Executing a security program encompasses both regulatory compliance and aligning with the organization’s technology ecosystem and risk profile.
Security is siloed in the organization and has little to no connection with other functions or organization strategy.
Security is largely siloed except for pockets where closer interaction with other areas of the business is needed.
Security is embedded with technology and strategy on ongoing basis.
Security is embedded across the business, and proactively informs decisions.
Does enough to be compliant with regulatory mandate, and fixes problems reactively where they arise.
Plans for near term changes to regulations as they arise.
Anticipates emerging regulations, creates a strategy and executes accordingly.
Two-way close relationship and partnership with regulators; may influence regulation.
Little or no framework. Security function “runs by feel” and need.
Framework leveraged occasionally to provide structure to the security function.
Full framework adapted ad hoc to external requests and regulatory requirements
Continuous security innovation e.g., security automation / proactive offensive security
Reactive to incoming requests or events.
Seeks to understand how new customer streams and vendors could impact security needs.
Aligned with vendor and partnerships strategy and new customer streams. Embedded as part of the conversation internally.
Security highly engaged with external entities. Security has trust elements with external partners.
The cyber roadmap should be aligned with organizational strategy, and constantly evolving in tandem with technological, strategic, or regulatory changes.
Some capability. People mismatched to responsibilities. Low alignment of skills / talent and responsibilities.
Pockets of high skill and of low skill, with little people strategy to fill gaps.
Skills are proactively spread with a few gaps.
Well-balanced, mature capabilities.
Builds the team to fit reactionary needs of the function. Few opportunities to develop / rotate.
There are occasional and ad hoc opportunities to progress.
Team has opportunities to progress or rotate, with a learning budget and time.
Strategy implemented for people development, career pathing, DEI, rotations, step up opportunities and active engagement with junior leadership.
Not at the table; not always informed of key decisions impacting security. Expected to “figure it out”.
Bolted on at the back end; brought to the table or informed at the end of all conversations.
Brought to the table on some key decisions, and cyber security advice is sought on a needs basis.
Informs decisions on organization-wide strategy and is actively engaged.
Still communicates in technical jargon. Needs handholding at board level. ExCo Tech officer would present the risk conversation with board.
Ability to present on certain topics at board level. May be assisted by another more senior tech leader.
Strong ability to present at board and ExCo level, translating complex technical needs into business requirements.
Strong relationships with ExCo and board. Can be called on informally. Board directors may call on CISO for advice in their respective companies.
No succession or contingency plan. Significant key person risk.
No successor; starts succession planning for the team as needed depending on suspected flight risk.
Has a successor. May have succession plans for some of the broader team.
Having a succession plan throughout the function – factors in other key functions – consistent pipeline.
Building relationships and influence across the organization, as well as with external regulatory bodies, is crucial.
Limited impact on culture. Security is seen as off to the side or ‘shouting from the rooftops.
Awareness training, programs and ongoing education of leadership and employees follows breached or risks.
Awareness training, programs and ongoing education of leadership and employees is constant.
Cyber is embedded in the culture of the organization. Leaders are well versed on security risks. Employees inform the cyber function of risks organically.
Strategy and roadmap are developed separately with little overlap and little alignment.
Strategy and roadmap are occasionally or loosely aligned.
Roadmap and strategy are mainly aligned, though changes in strategy may not always map onto roadmap.
Roadmap and strategy are constantly evolving in tandem, consistently weaving in the business and technology strategy.
Cyber consistently bolted on the back end. Not well connected with business needs.
Occasionally brought into relevant ExCo meetings. Some proactive relationships built with internal stakeholders.
Consistently brought into meetings on strategy. Proactively builds relationships with all internal stakeholders.
Maintains a continual presence on the ExCo.
Security function is reactive to inbound approaches.
Security function proactively connects with external bodies as needed.
Security function proactively partners with external bodies.
Collaborates with external regulators to build and influence future regulation and policies.
Security function is disconnected from the business with a rudimentary understanding of its needs.
Business leaders connect with security on an ad hoc and need basis. Some but limited proactive connection.
Security function proactively connects and partners with business leaders to assess needs.
Security informs the business. Security is brought in early and often to partner with the stakeholders on their functional needs.
Planning for the Future of Security Leadership: RRA’s Cyber Leadership Index
Authors
George Head leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Technology Officers Knowledge Team. He is based in London.
Ahmed Jamil leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Cyber Security Practice. He is based in Chicago.
Angela Jung is a senior member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Cyber Security Practice. She is based in Miami.
Harriet Wood is a senior member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Cyber Security Practice. She is based in London.
References
Russell Reynolds Associates Global Leadership Monitor
NIST Cybersecurity Framework