Here's how you can develop the essential skills to lead an information security team.

Let me share from my own journey: Harness your expertise, focus on fostering a culture of continuous learning. Blend strategic planning with clear communication. Prioritize team development; empower individuals to grow. Cultivate ethical integrity; set a high standard. Finally, refine decision-making skills, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Remember, it's not just about the destination, but the journey of growth and improvement.

You know, from my years in the cybersecurity game, I've found that staying adaptable is key. Keep an eye on emerging threats, regulations, and tech advancements. But it's not just about staying informed; it's about taking action. Implement new security measures, update protocols, and continuously refine your strategies. The cybersecurity landscape is always evolving,

Understand key information security concepts, tools, and practices. This includes areas like network security, encryption, threat modeling, and incident response. Continuous learning through certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM) and hands-on experience is crucial.

Developing the essential skills to lead an information security team entails mastering technical expertise in areas like network security and encryption, alongside cultivating soft skills such as communication and conflict resolution. It also involves understanding business objectives and risk management principles, staying updated on industry trends, and continuously learning. Effective leadership qualities like vision and integrity are crucial for inspiring and motivating team members towards shared goals.

I believe that you have to have strong leadership and communication skills. You have to have good judgement and be able to make quick decisions at critical moments. Critical thinking skills, determination, and knowing what you are trying to achieve.

Know technical tools and their weaknesses, so you know what your information security team is dealing with as well as being able to communicate with technical teams (devs, admins, etc.) Get at the very minimum some foundational knowledge of: - Operating Systems - Databases - Network protocols - Logs & SIEM - Containers - Identity & Access Management - Static Application Security Testing - Least Privilege Access - Web browsers - Cryptography - Security standards, e.g. ISO27001 - Security frameworks, e.g. OWASP Top 10 and MITRE ATT&CK - Incident Response - Cloud Security - Vulnerability Management - Intrusion Detection

Learn to see the big picture and align information security strategies with business objectives. This involves risk management, policy development, and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Strategic plan should address at very minimum: - technical risks - legacy systems, technological debt, perimeter protection, overreaching access, unnecessary software (including browser extensions) - people risks (employees, contractors) - awareness training, especially for non-technical staff with access to confidential information - embed security into existing processes - e.g. SDLC, CI/CD pipeline - suppliers (especially for SaaS) - review their solution's architecture, internal controls, processes, etc. Follow your favourite security standard/framework, e.g. ISO27001. Leverage Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) tools for assessing your suppliers. Measure technical risks via automated tools. Create metrics for security awareness training.

Effective communication is key to explaining technical issues in an accessible manner to non-technical stakeholders. Practice writing clear policies and reports, and speaking at meetings and conferences.

A picture is worth 1000 words. A video is worth 1000 pictures. We all know that. Use quality pictures and memes to get the important messages across. Almost nobody has time to read walls of text these days. Use the communication method preferred by the person you are dealing with. Practice what you are going to say/present before important meeting. Seriously, record yourself and listen to how you sound, so you can improve. Be CONCISE - always simplify your message, cut AI fluff. When presenting metrics/stats, make sure to use Pacman charts -> leadership loves them 😉.

Good leaders inspire and motivate their teams. Develop these skills through leadership training programs and by gaining experience in team management roles. Focus on conflict resolution, decision-making, and delegation.

1. Identify skill gaps. 2. Create competency matrix for all team members. 3. Create Business Continuity Plan based on skills and team members availability. 4. Identify mentors and mentees in each area. 5. Encourage knowledge transfer within the team. 6. Create regular checkpoints to evaluate progress. 7. Address the obstacles. 8. Incentivise proactive mentors and mentees with external professional trainings. 9. Provide extra time off for employees who study for relevant certificates.

Timely decision making is so critical in the Information security field due to the time sensitivity of the incidents. I am a big believer of following & mastering the three Cs of effective decision making which are a) Engage into a healthy conflict and consider everybody’s perspective on your team b) Analyze and give consideration to all ideas & c) Get to closure and communicate and move on. We need to put a deadline to each of this phase so we can move on quickly and do not delay decision making. Every team member should have a clear understanding of what is expected coming out of these discussions. There will always be times when you will think you would have made a better decision but that is where we learn and grow professionally.

Advocate for a security-minded culture within the organization. This involves training programs for staff, promoting security awareness, and leading by example.

Read HBR aka Harvard Business Review offers valuable insights on leading teams, managing change, and making smart decisions. Dive into their articles, books, and case studies to enhance your leadership prowess. Pro tip: they offer a few articles for free per month.