Security Leadership and Management

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Last month we talked about the knowledge transfer gap that exists in the security profession. We posited that the best of the best of security practitioners don’t have the time to teach their successors how to become future-oriented, business-aligned organizational influencers, and that the business-focused training programs available for security professionals do a great job of talking business, but they fail to marry business processes with the job of risk mitigation.

Each year, Security magazine honors top security executives who positively affect the security industry, their organization, their colleagues and their peers. They change the security landscape for the better. They are nominated by their colleagues and associates, and they are chosen based upon their leadership qualities and the overall positive impact that their security projects, programs or departments have on their shareholders, organizations, colleagues and the general public. 

The biggest skill set gaps in the security industry are business acumen, strategic capabilities and an entrepreneurial mindset, according to Kathy Lavinder, owner of Security & Investigative Placement Consultants and a well-known recruiter in the security industry. 

Next month, ASIS International will hold its 57th Annual Seminar and Exhibits. The event, September 19-22 in Orlando, will include keynotes from Jeb Bush and Vicente Fox, in addition to education tracks about workplace violence, security leadership and more.

This issue of Security magazine features the most influential people in security. An annual spotlight, the list boasts the best and brightest. But anyone can be influential, one way or another. Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another, said Napoleon Hill, the author of many success books. A Time magazine poll of the most influential people recently found Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao on top. If you know him from the boxing ring, his influence spread wider last year when he won a seat in his country’s Congress — and won it by a landslide.

In the world of sports, it’s all about reaching the next level: the World Cup in soccer, the Stanley Cup in hockey, the Masters in golf, the World Series in baseball, the Super Bowl in football and the U.S. Open in tennis, among others. Name the sport, there’s a championship to win. But first, the facilities – the stadiums, arenas, golf courses and other facilities in which the sports are played – have to be secure.

Adding business value. Getting a seat at the table. Running security like a business. Aligning security with the organization. These are the contents of the Holy Grail of security leadership. Everybody talks about them. Everybody wants them. But most security leaders view them as the stuff of legend – great for motivation, but unattainable in reality.

What does it take to motivate today’s security officer? If you know, please tell me. I have tried to get the most from every worker I encounter. When I fail, I cannot help but wonder what is wrong with my approach or with me. I’m open to new ideas and will read what the latest experts have to say. Lately, I have been motivated to try the suggestions from two authors who wrote books on motivation and human nature: one book by Daniel Pink titled “Drive - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” is a look beyond the traditional carrot and stick approach. The other is by Paul Lawrence and Nitin Nohria and is titled “Driven How Human Nature Shapes our Choices.” I think motivation and choices are two inseparable concepts.

The war for talent is ramping up and any business owner, hiring manager, or HR pro will tell they’re receiving plenty of applicants, but how many of them are truly qualified?