Business continues to change, and if the next generation of security leaders hopes to succeed, they must be prepared to change with it, says Dick Lefler, former VP & CSO of American Express and current Chairman and Dean of Emeritus Faculty for the Security Executive Council. This will require, among other things, a much more active pursuit of alignment with the organization’s structure, goals and strategies.
“What matters to the organization in terms of a risk management role is that you’re identifying the risks that could either disrupt or enhance the organization’s strategy,” says Greg Niehaus, professor of Finance and Insurance for the Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. “Alignment is important in that you want everyone in the organization to be thinking about and potentially identifying those risks.” When the security leader is confronted with evolving business goals, evolving operational models, and evolving risks, such alignment can be more of a challenge than it has ever been.