Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Security Leadership and Management

Coping with Changes to Company Leadership

By Bob Hayes, Greg Kane
Bob Hayes & Greg Kane
October 1, 2012

Though we deal with risk everyday, there is one risk that rarely makes it into our risk management plans – a change in organizational leadership. Whether the result of an internal structural shift, an external hiring decision or a merger/acquisition, a change in leadership and reporting can signal a challenging time for security.

The new leader will have his or her own agenda, goals and view of what security does and what security’s role should be. If this does not mesh with your view or your existing strategies and operations, some meeting of the minds will be necessary.

You could choose to accept this risk, essentially ignoring it and dealing with the fallout as it arrives. However, a better choice would be to mitigate the risk by preparing for it and making the transition to new management as smooth and productive as possible.

 

What You Need to Consider

New leadership tends to fall into one of three categories.  

1.         The Advocate.  This is someone whose security goals align with yours and who is prepared to defend you and the security team in conflicts with other management. You can tilt this option in your direction by being armed with documentation of what security has accomplished to date, what your function does on a day-to-day basis and how successful it has been.

2.         The Associate.  At some level your goals likely align with this leader’s, but this is someone who can be best be described as a significant customer. You may disagree on the details of how to achieve security’s goals, but you will have to accept that in this case, “the customer is always right.” In this situation you want him or her to understand the value security brings to the organization. You need to be prepared to present a convincing case to ensure the boss ends up a satisfied customer.

3.         The Assassin.  This leader likely does not understand security’s role in or value to the organization. He or she may have a mandate that is at odds with your understanding of risk management within the organization. This situation may require a damage control approach, but in any case it necessitates preparation and a thorough understanding of your adversary and your current operating environment, because you may need to defend previous actions. If you can show that existing customers of security value your services, it will go a long way toward discouraging adversarial action.

 

What to Do

A proactive approach to new management is the best recourse; views are easier to change before they become entrenched. If a new leader is making statements to others about what he or she is going to do to “fix security,” then pride may prevent them from recanting or modifying their initial position. A preemptory strike may be required, and if you are not prepared to execute on it wisely, you may do yourself more harm than good.

Do some thoughtful investigation of why new management is being brought in and what the new leader’s background is. Ask yourself hard questions, take the viewpoint of the new management and be brutally honest with yourself. Is this new management likely to start up a new security program? Has he or she been brought in to help turn around risk-related failures, to realign functions or to sustain success? What led the organization to this point?

Next, do some research on the new leader’s career history. Identify the most likely security issues and risks they have faced in previous organizations. What industry-specific issues or regulations did they have to address? Be prepared to answer questions related to these issues.

If the new leader is an internal reassignment, identify the security services they would have used. How much have you spent on their previous business group? What experiences have they had previously in dealing with security, and were those experiences helpful or problematic? Understanding how your customers feel about security will help you understand how best to approach them.

Whether the new leader is an advocate, associate or assassin, you will need to educate them on what your department does. You will need to show the value of security and demonstrate how others see value in security. You will need to have documented results.

If you do not currently have this information, you need to develop it internally or with the help of a third party. It will help you immensely in the leadership transition and beyond.  

 

 

Read moreLeadership & Management online at SecurityMagazine.com/Columns/Leadership.

This article was previously published in the print magazine as "Facing a Change in Leadership."

KEYWORDS: Chief Security Officer (CSO) security department security leadership security risk management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Bob hayes1

Bob Hayes is Managing Director of the Security Executive Council. He has more than 25 years of experience in security, including eight years as the CSO at Georgia Pacific and nine years as security operations manager at 3M. The Council works with Tier 1 Security Leaders™ to reduce risk and add to corporate profitability in the process. To learn about becoming involved, visit www.securityexecutivecouncil.com/?sourceCode=secmag.

Greg Kane is Director of IT and Product Technology for the Security Executive Council.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Technologies & Solutions
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Internal computer parts

Critical Software Vulnerabilities Rose 37% in 2024

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Person working on laptop

Governance in the Age of Citizen Developers and AI

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

August 27, 2025

Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Global competition chart

    How Business and Risk Drivers Impact Mitigation Strategy

    See More
  • SEC column

    Rebuilding Influence after Corporate Restructuring

    See More
  • Protecting People at Risk

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • security culture.webp

    Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

  • physical security.webp

    Physical Security Assessment Handbook An Insider’s Guide to Securing a Business

  • Risk-Analysis.gif

    Risk Analysis and the Security Survey, 4th Edition

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • October 17, 2024

    How to Assess and Hone Your Security Program

    ON DEMAND: In this webinar, Erik Antons, a security risk management executive with more than 20 years of working in the Federal Government, energy, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors, shares his perspective on the building blocks of a successful manufacturing security program.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing