CISOs, Stop Worrying About Your Budget and Focus on Your Brand

See this episode’s highlights:

• How building an intentional brand connects you to the C-suite. (01:00)
• To build an intentional brand, create three lists. (09:45)
• Shout-out to Houston’s late, great Atchafalaya River Cafe. (20:56)
• Use the tactics of framing and priming to reinforce your brand. (23:13)

CISOs tend to see their budget as the key thing capping the cybersecurity function’s potential enterprise impact, when in fact the function’s (and the CISO’s) reputation has just as much to do with the role cybersecurity can play. And, unlike the budget, which has many drivers beyond our control, CISOs can exert almost complete control over their brand! In this episode of CISO Edge podcast, Gartner experts Leigh McMullen and Chris Mixter share the steps needed to create an intentional — and impact-amplifying — CISO (and cybersecurity function) brand.

Leigh C. McMullen is a Distinguished Vice President, Analyst in Gartner's CISO, Security and Risk Management team. Leigh leverages his experience as both a line-of-business manager and IT leader to provide CISOs with insight on navigating and making a difference within the C-suite. Additionally, he provides clients with a holistic view of cybersecurity leadership research, specializing on the topics of future operating models, vision and strategy, politics, influence, business engagement, internal marketing and communications.