Michael Gips

Lessons are best learned when we don’t expect them. When someone proselytizes us or pontificates, our defenses go up. Therefore, the best time to influence someone is when their guard is down.

Both artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI) have critical roles to play in security. But two recent reports accentuate the challenge of leadership that tethers technology to humanity.

A couple of months ago, I described in this column how security professionals could unify a divided country. I chose a mask as a symbol of that cohesiveness. But that thin piece of fabric worn around the mouth and nose can also be a gag — a barrier that distances leaders and stifles communication.

A reverend. An FBI Director. A Fortune 1000 CEO. A British Prime Minister. Four individuals representing widely different aspects of life: spirituality, law and order, business, politics.

Sure, Greek mythology begins with Zeus, Poseidon and Hades divvying up the universe in a game of dice. But they never employed risk management as a methodology to take the future into their own hands. How can security professionals best develop a risk mindset based on probability and rigor rather than intuition and emotion?

Background checks represent a moment in time, but continuous monitoring that listens to a candidate's data over time, looking and identifying changes in their background to mitigate risk is the future.

There's a special place for people whose jobs don't require tremendous sacrifices but insert themselves into the fray. Many of them are security professionals.

"No one knows." We keep hearing that phrase. But, it's up to security professionals, healthcare workers and public safety officers to truly inhabit many leadership titles during COVID-19.