The Refractive Thinker®: Vol. XXVI Dynamics of Power

Ch 3: Cybersecurity Awareness Amid Geopolitical Conflicts and Global Turmoil’s Dark Enlightenment

The Refractive Thinker® Volume XXVI: Dynamics of Power explores one of the most influential and misunderstood forces in modern society: power. This peer-reviewed doctoral anthology brings together diverse scholars and practitioners to examine how power shapes leadership, organizational culture, ethical decision-making, generational behavior, social influence, and human connection.

Guided by Managing Editor Dr. Cheryl A. Lentz, this 26th edition of the award-winning Refractive Thinker® series refracts academic research through a practical lens—translating complex theory into actionable insight for leaders, educators, business executives, and change makers.

Across nine chapters, this volume explores topics including:

• Contextual and relational leadership
• Transformational leadership and change agency
• Cybersecurity awareness amid global instability
• Generational forces that shape workplaces
• Cultural and gendered dimensions of power
• Ethical leadership, authority, and influence
• Resilience and social impact leadership
• The refractive role of silence in leadership

Designed to make scholarship accessible beyond academia, each chapter bridges doctoral research with practical business and leadership applications. This edition continues the mission of The Refractive Thinker®—bringing scholarly insights out of the ivory tower and into the hands of those who can use them to lead, inspire, and create meaningful change.
Ideal for leadership professionals, consultants, doctoral learners, educators, HR executives, organizational development specialists, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics that shape modern leadership.

Chapter 3: Summary

Geopolitical instability and global conflicts are increasingly entangled with advances in cyber technologies, creating a complex risk landscape that challenges governments and organizations. Balancing technological innovation with ethical considerations, crisis preparation, and maintaining public trust has become central for practitioners and policymakers, highlighting the need for proactive strategies in cybersecurity awareness, crisis management, and resilience planning, particularly in environments of heightened volatility for leaders. The intersections of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing within the context of geopolitical tensions and shifting global power dynamics will help in constructing a strategic context. Particular attention is given to the role of deepfakes, disinformation campaigns, and AI-enabled warfare as destabilizing forces that can erode trust, alter public perception, and intensify crises. The dual role of innovation—as both a shield against cyber threats and a weapon for exploitation—is examined through technologies such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), blockchain-based governance, and threat detection and response (TDR) frameworks. Case discussions of the United States’ technological rivalry with China, Russian cyber aggression, and the volatile role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in global security clarify how these dynamics contribute to a new form of digital arms race. Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), misinformation strategies, and cyber espionage provide the backdrop for understanding how organizations and policymakers can prepare for crises, mitigate risks, and strengthen security frameworks amid an era of dark enlightenments (DE) in global affairs. The chapter is framed with a practitioner-focused lens aimed at addressing emerging threats.