Historically Black colleges and universities are crucial in preparing students for technical careers, but accreditation and cybersecurity program enrollments are at risk.
Countdown begins—my book launches June 2025!
The Book That Redefines Leadership Success
Transform Your Cybersecurity Strategy
- Every leader has had challenges due to failing business requirements or achieving cybersecurity goals. This is your #1 source to win the board over! It merges cybersecurity into leadership practices so you can communicate and win!
- Keeping readers prepared, adaptive, and hacker-minded.
- Gain relevant skills to lead teams and risk initiatives
- Learn how to strategize and influence stakeholders
- Build your cybersecurity journey with success
Learning Relationships for Cybersecurity Leaders
Situational Leadership Theory, now called the Situational Leadership Model, was developed by Dr. Paul Hersey and Dr. Ken Blanchard while working on the textbook “Management of Organizational Behavior.” It was introduced in 1969 as the “Life Cycle Theory of Leadership,” later renamed in the mid-1970s. Both theorists created their versions: Hersey’s is known as the Situational Leadership Model, while Blanchard’s is called Situational Leadership II (SLII). Hersey and Blanchard defined leadership styles based on the balance of task and relationship behavior, categorizing them into four styles (S1 to S4) that vary in title depending on the version used.
SLL has a direct influence on developing and leading a security environment. This is where the leaders understand capabilities and security states– are we failing or having success? The intersection amounts to Situational Awareness (SA) – where leaders must know their environment or risk failing!
Strategic teams and CISOs must learn onboard environmental knowledge, which drives decisions. Every CISO has had some involvement with SLII and SA. They use the information gained to influence decision-making, generate monthly reports, deliver status updates, and answer critical questions during executive meetings. As CISOs, the information serves as their knowledge base and decision-making authority – such as how to delegate, coach, or support teams. All which leads to accomplishing business objectives. Imagine a corporation where the CISO is unknowledgeable about internal security teams. When emergent situations arise, the ability to make tactical decisions may fail or cause serious risks. Alternatively, when the CISO understands their technology landscape and has accurate information, they are positioned to improve security.
Authority, Responsibility & Accountability
- Authority - The right to give orders or valid instructions
- Responsibility - This is Obligation to achieve certain objectives
- Accountability - This is the obligation to report (give an account) to higher authority for the discharge of those responsibilities.
- Power - The ability of individuals or groups to influence the beliefs or actions of other persons or groups and is more complicated than authority.
Cybersecurity Leadership Utilizes The Model
S1
Telling (Directing)
- Leaders fell people what to do and how to do it
- High task behavior. Low relationship behavior.
S2
Selling (Coaching)
- Leaders provide direction. But they attempt to sell their ideas to get people on board.
- High task behavior. High relationship behavior.
S3
Participating (Supporting)
- Leaders focus on relationships and less on providing direction They work with the team and share decision-making responsibilities.
- Low task behavior. High relationship behavior.
S4
Delegating
- Leaders delegate most of the responsibility to the group They monitor progress but are less involved in decision- making.
- Low task behavior. Low relationship behavior.
Before Attack Occures
Business Champion
C-Suite Leadership
Techbical Expertise
Influnencer
Business Acumen
Risk Manager
C-Suite Leadership
Secure Technologies
Manage Workforce
Hacker Minded
Cybersecurity Leadership Starts With This Book!
Want to become a cybersecurity leader? It all starts with the right book! Cybersecurity Leadership— How to Develop a Successful Mentality and Win is a conceptual approach to formalizing and understanding how to manage cyber risk and business requirements. The term mentality refers to the thinking process that drives cybersecurity success, beginning with the individual and progressing to the unit, team, or group. The publication also defines various tactics, strategies, and successful techniques to lead technological groups and gain the board’s trust.
Reading this publication bridges different leadership and technical objectives. This becomes valuable when establishing board-level relationships. Every leader has had challenges due to failing business requirements or achieving cybersecurity goals. This is your #1 source to win the board over! It merges cybersecurity into leadership practices so you can communicate and win!
Often, leadership and technology operate within separate silos. This is where the publication works best – it remediates the issue and merges cybersecurity as a technology and business concern. As a reader, you will discover innovative strategies to mature your cyber protection program and build positive interactions with associates, influences, and executive decision-makers.
An Authors Leadership Journey
The leadership paradigm presents challenges, especially in environments filled with misinformation and disorganized practices. During my career, I was involved with leadership assignments and experienced various leadership styles. We see similar patterns in the cybersecurity domain as professionals transition between corporations and government agencies.
While serving in the military, one of my responsibilities was to provide professional development training. The curriculum was 40 hours long and offered unique opportunities to learn leadership. It was often described as a “meeting of the minds,” as junior sailors brought various perspectives on what constitutes trustworthy leadership. Topics such as Situational Leadership, Conflict Management, Responsibility, Authority, and Accountability (RAA), and motivational theories were discussed. What I remembered most was that people became leaders through experience and learning. This set the stage for self-leadership and serving others. One fact: when issues arise, it is often a question concerning leadership since they carry the “sword”. Today, we confront similar concerns in the cybersecurity domain.
The cyber domain faces numerous challenges, including incidents, technological changes, workforce demands, and evolving business objectives. Despite these challenges, the environment has made significant strides, and leadership maturity is needed. With a wealth of information available through industry engagements, speaking events, podcasts, and writing, the public continues to wonder: Are we safe, or are we doomed?
Join me on a journey that transforms cybersecurity leadership!
Discovering the SECRET Behind The Book
What if Dewayne told you that mastering cybersecurity leadership doesn’t just come from technical skills? In his groundbreaking book, Dewayne Hart reveals the hidden truths that separate good leaders from great ones in cybersecurity.
He emphasizes the importance of purpose, organized leadership, communication, and risk management. He further elaborates on why you must embrace business objectives or fail the board. He argues that true leadership goes beyond just understanding technology; it requires fostering trust and collaboration within teams and meeting business objectives.
Throughout the book, you’ll discover insights on how to build a resilient cybersecurity culture, prioritize risk management, and navigate the threat landscape. He combines real-world experiences with practical strategies, making this book a must-read for aspiring and current cybersecurity leaders.
So, what’s the secret? It’s about understanding the threat landscape, navigating teams to win, and influencing the board. Dewayne Hart’s approach encourages leaders to think critically and act decisively, ensuring their organizations are prepared, adaptive, and hacker-minded.
If you want to discover the keys to effective cybersecurity leadership, stay tuned for the release in June 2025.
Explore Forbes Articles and Podcast to guide your development.
Top-tier organizations practice and drive cybersecurity protection as a daily requirement.
In this article, I’ll explain the role of cybersecurity leadership in driving internal teams to become “cyber-focused.”
