ISF Podcast

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S24 Ep9: Peter Hinssen - The Never Normal Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

This week, we have a rare repeat guest on the podcast. Listeners may remember innovator and thought leader Peter Hinssen from the 2019 ISF Congress in Dublin. We had him back this year at ISF’s 2023 Congress in Rotterdam. He and Steve had a chance to talk about the future of work post-pandemic. Their conversation offers lots of practical tips for leaders working to prevent workforce burnout and how boards can approach adopting new technologies like AI.
Key Takeaways:

1. COVID has made lasting impacts on the future of work.
2. Annual budgets and other commonly used business practices are in the process of evolving into ones that are more malleable and adaptive.
3. Companies will need to reinvent themselves to thrive in the new “never normal.”
4. With the rise of AI and large language models, organisations do have a lot of work ahead.
Tune in to hear more about:

1. COVID’s impact on the future of work (1:40)
2. Sunsetting pre-pandemic business norms while imagining new ones (2:47)
3. Companies in every sector will be reinventing themselves in order to thrive in the new “never normal.” (6:33)
4. As AI and large language models are integrated into global business, what’s next for business leaders? (14:12)
Standout Quotes:

1. “One of the good things I think that we've gotten back from COVID or that we've retained from COVID is that I think the acceleration of the future of work has really happened. I think we're now seeing companies that clearly see that the way we did HR, employment, and work pre pandemic, we can't just hope that that is going to come back. And I think that is a fundamental change that I think was really something that the pandemic helped us with.” -Peter Hinssen
2. “But you know, that stronghold, that idea, that framework of an annual budget that we've held on to for such a long time is very difficult to actually give up. But I think it's exciting, because I think in this never normal, we're going to see new mechanisms and new ideas and new concepts and new governance ideas that are going to come to fruition. But at this moment, we're still very much in that transition.” -Peter Hinssen
3. “I really believe after a decade of unicorn applause, we're now going to have a decade of potential phoenixes out there. And I think a big part as a leader in such a phoenix transformation is to actually give your workforce, your people that sense of we're going to do this together.” -Peter Hinssen
4. “We're going to have to deal with that governance of content, unstructured flows, and that's a whole new kettle of fish that we have to understand. New technologies, new mechanisms, new ways of dealing with that. And I think it's going to open up a huge opportunity in terms of thinking about risk and thinking about security in that context. So I don't think you can ignore this. This is the biggest thing that I have ever seen in 30 years in IT. And if you're not on top of this, you're gonna be behind … And I think honestly, more and more boards are going to need to figure out how to build the skills and the mechanisms and the place to discuss these things that are not just compliance with the tsunami, but also the innovations that you cannot afford to miss. And I think, honestly, that's going to change the dialogue in the board quite a bit.” -Peter Hinssen
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From the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

S24 Ep8: Christy Pretzinger - Leadership Empathy and the Cultural Balance Sheet Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

Today, Steve is in conversation with Christy Pretzinger, founder, president and CEO of WriterGirl. Over the past 20 years, Christy has grown the company from a modest freelance writing business into a healthcare content consultancy. She speaks with Steve about some of the practical tools she has implemented in order to grow the company’s culture, the role of leadership in training and retaining emotionally intelligent employees, and the impact her focus as a leader on the company’s cultural balance sheet has had on their financial balance sheet.
March 8th is International Women’s Day and we want to mark the occasion and make sure you haven’t missed our many valuable episodes with Steve in conversation with women in leadership. So we’ve put together a specially curated playlist featuring the best of women in leadership, and we want to give you special access. All we ask in return is this: just rate and review the ISF podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, send a screenshot of that rating and review to tavia.gilbert@securityforum.org, and I’ll send you back special access to the curated playlist.
Key Takeaways:

Leaders should track their cultural balance sheet just as they watch their financial balance sheet.
A leader who is intentional about culture increases employee retention.
Helping employees grow in emotional intelligence as the company grows can make work more productive and rewarding for everyone, especially clients.
Technology is never the answer to a people problem, and it will never replace human connection.

Tune in to hear more about:

1. Pretzinger’s story of growing her business (1:45)
2. The cultural balance sheet and how leaders can create a corporate culture based on emotional intelligence (2:40)
3. Preventing employee turnover (9:09)
4. Implementing new technological solutions with sensitivity to employee experience and client needs (11:26)
5. The need for human connection in business even was we advance technologically (15:46)
6. Building a team that works from home (16:34)
7. Intentionality when building culture (17:10)
Standout Quotes:

1. “Anyone who looks at a balance sheet knows that employee turnover is a hidden cost. It doesn't show up on a balance sheet. And I can count on one hand the number of people that have left our organization. And in fact, I don't even need the whole hand. And many people who leave continue to work with us on a contracted basis, so there is very, very little turnover. And even our younger employees expressed interest in retiring from this organization, which is really great.” - Christy Pretzinger
2. “We had everybody do a day-long workshop. And it was incredibly revealing. It took a lot of time. And it was very … I guess the things that I look for when we do these things are what Brené talks about is what every human wants is love and belonging. They want love and belonging, and they want to know that they matter.” - Christy Pretzinger
3. “About retention: I think about, obviously, a hidden cost on the balance sheet. But what I think about too, is all of that intellectual property walking out your door. You know, you've got ,we have people who have been here, I think, my longest employee is 13 years, I think. She started right after she got married, and now she has five kids. So I've literally watched her grow up. If she walked out that door, and we were so much smaller, she literally built the sales department and built the CRM tool, and still worked very heavily in contributing to that — if she walked out the door, it would be devastating. But yet, that's not going to show up on a balance sheet. .” - Christy Pretzinger
4. “So I still think that there is a tremendous place for — and not only a place but a need and a yearning for true human connection. And because I own a virtual organization, I know that you can have true human connection virtually, but it does require a camera.” - Christy Pretzinger
Mentioned in this episode:

ISF Analyst Insight Podcast

S24 Ep7: Empowering your team: Lessons from a sports coach Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Today, Steve is speaking with American football coach Randy Jackson. During his 30-year tenure coaching high school football in Texas, Randy earned a reputation for transforming struggling programs. In 2022, in a move reminiscent of Ted Lasso, he moved to Germany to coach the Potsdam Royals, and with Jackson as the offensive coordinator, the Royals went all the way to the German Bowl. When he’s not coaching football, Randy is a business consultant. Today, he and Steve talk about how he applies his experience as a football coach in the business world. They go beyond sport cliches and dig into some concrete ways leaders can build the culture of their organisation.
Key Takeaways:
1. At its inception, any organisation can benefit from building relationships and establishing a shared vision.
2. Leaders will do well to speak up frequently, reminding teams of shared aims.
3. When something goes wrong (or right!) it can be a good time to reflect, or as Randy puts it, perform an autopsy.
Tune in to hear more about:
1. Establishing a shared vision, charting a collective course. (3:50)
2. Staying vocal as a leader. (6:05)
3. Whether something goes to plan or not, an autopsy of the scenario can be a helpful way forward. (10:06)
Standout Quotes:
1. “So this is an activity I always do, and I did this in Germany, but close your eyes and then turn around three times, and then point True north. Well, I don't know how many people are in the room, but let's say I had 50. You're going to have 50 fingers pointing in all different directions. And so what we're going to do is, people will point in the same direction if you give them something to point at. And what you're in on you're in with.”” -Randy Jackson
2. “And if you'll talk about it, you can achieve it, but you can't talk about it once a week – you must talk about it. So whatever you want, I think every leader should say, here are the three things I want. You got to talk about those three things every day.” -Randy Jackson
3. “And the autopsy is about improvement, right? It's not about finger pointing, it's about trying to figure out how the collective can, if they hit that situation, again in the future, can adapt or behave differently.” -Steve Durbin
Mentioned in this episode:

S24 Ep6: Mo Gawdat - Rethinking the Paradigm of Artificial and Human Intelligence Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

Today's installment of the ISF Podcast revisits an earlier episode published February of 2023.
In this episode, ISF CEO Steve Durbin is speaking with author and former Chief Business Officer of Google X Mo Gawdat. Mo and Steve discuss the complicated relationship humans have with technology, particularly AI, and how both individuals and businesses can navigate that wisely.
Mentioned in this episode:

ISF Analyst Insight Podcast

S24 Ep5: Quantum Computing: The promise and the threat Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Steve is in conversation with quantum computing expert Konstantinos Karagiannis. Konstantinos is the Director of Quantum Computing Services at Protiviti, where he helps companies prepare for quantum opportunities and threats. He talks to Steve about how this nascent technology is already a security concern and what security leaders can do now to prevent problems down the road. He also offers ideas for overcoming the skills shortages that both the security and quantum computing fields face.
If you’re interested in discovering more about the technological implications of automation, machine learning and quantum computing, download the ISF’s Threat Horizon 2025: Scenarios for an uncertain future report, available to members on ISF Live. Not a member? Get in touch with your regional director today at https://www.securityforum.org/contact/.
Research:
Threat Horizon 2025: Scenarios for an uncertain future - full report (ISFLIve)

Key Takeaways:
1. It’s a big year for compliance. Per NIST, companies are asked to start their plans for migration in 2024.
2. Konstantinos sees a need for quantum programs at the university level.
3. Where quantum is today is just a glimpse of where it’s going.
Tune in to hear more about:
1. The future is now! (4:38)
2. What can be done at the university level to resource the industry (7:45)
3. Quantum computing speeds as an advantage (12:17)
Standout Quotes:

1. “It'll be time for companies, starting in 2024, to start their plans for migration. In the US, the White House has already telegraphed what's going to be expected of federal agencies. They published the NSM-10 memo, which states that once the finalists are out, you have to have a plan for migration, the timeline for deprecation of ciphers, all these steps are going to kick in.” -Konstantinos Karagiannis
2. “I don't see any university have that set for a quantum program. Like, you can't just go, come out, and like, we know that we can hire you to like, implement algorithms. There's no such thing. And I'd like to see that kind of preparation, so within a few years, we've got a whole crew of folks ready to at least implement algorithms. They might not be able to create a brand new one, but there's only a few dozen of them in the world anyway.” -Konstantinos Karagiannis
3. “Quantum works well on simulations. You could simulate up to like, 50 qubits, let's say, and you can make sure your algorithm works right. And you could torture test it. And then when you're ready to actually run it, that's when you pay for what we call shots, which is just runs on a quantum computer. So yeah, you might work on this, tweak it all month, and then you spend $1,000, let's say, and you do your runs, and you're good. You're done.” -Konstantinos Karagiannis
Mentioned in this episode:

S24 Ep4: The World Economy: Politics & regulations intertwined Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Today’s episode is the second part of journalist Nick Witchell’s conversation with Steve at the 2023 ISF Congress in Rotterdam. As organisations become increasingly data-driven, technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will have a huge impact on data security. Today, Steve looks at how security professionals can help their organisations adopt these technologies safely and smartly.
Key Takeaways:

1. Trade policy is feeling the effects of geopolitical conflicts.
2. Major technological advancements are not without environmental impact.
3. Business leaders would do well to remember that data in any quantitity can be faulty, can be tampered with, making regulation and collaboration all the more important.
Tune in to hear more about:

1. Conflicts such as the war in Ukraine shine a particular light on organisations’ areas of vulnerability. (2:42)
2. In the context of global warming, quantum computing poses major challeges. (5:50)
3. As quantity of data increases exponentially, so does the importance of quality. (9:33)
Standout Quotes:

1. “I think that the situation in the Ukraine, in particular, was a huge wake up call for a lot of organisations and a lot of individuals. I think very few people actually understood the way in which complex supply chains today actually operate. We do take things for granted, don't we?” -Steve Durbin
2. “Quantum computing requires immense computing power. Immense computing power requires a huge amount of electricity and generates a huge amount of heat. So if you think about all of those things in the environmental context, we really do need to figure out how we're going to exist in a world where global warming is a reality, where we are really driving as hard as we can in pursuit of different technological answers.” -Steve Durbin
3. “My biggest concern, the biggest threat that I see is data that has been tampered with. Because you or I may look at something and think that doesn't look quite right, so we'll dig into it. A machine doesn't necessarily do that.” -Steve Durbin
Mentioned in this episode:

S24 Ep3: Geopolitical Conflict: Are CISOs ready to tackle the impact? Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

Today’s episode is the first of two interviews with Steve Durbin in discussion with journalist Nick Witchell. Today they discuss cybersecurity in the current geopolitical moment. Steve looks at the current security landscape in that context, and touches on how security leaders can help guide their organisations in these turbulent times.
Key Takeaways:
1. Boards and CISOs need to be ready to step in with the necessary mitigation measures when increased cyber risks manifest themselves and when they are related to geopolitical tensions.
2. Social media presents real advantages, but when it comes to information, users must diligently consider the source.
3. Business leaders have many opportunities to learn from one another and gain supports as they move into the future.
Tune in to hear more about:
1. Nick Witchell asks Steve Durbin about companies’ overall readiness to address cyber risks in a global context. (4:07)
2. Steve Durbin reflects on misinformation and disinformation in the age of social media. (7:19)
3. Where business leaders can find support. (11:00)
Standout Quotes:
1. “There is, I think, probably two things that give me real comfort that we're moving in the right direction. The first thing is that there is an understanding now in the boardroom, that these things are material, and that they have to pay attention to them. And secondly, there is an enthusiasm in the boardroom to be involved in that, because they understand the implications on the things that they measure: risk, market cap, shareholders, and so on. So I think we're in probably a much better place to deal with some of these challenges this year than perhaps when we last spoke 12 months ago.” - Steve Durbin
2. “Personally, what I like to do is to take a number of different data points. So don't become over reliant on one particular feed, because again, within the social media space, if you think about it, you tend to lead always to people who are perhaps of a similar mind to yourself. And I think in the sorts of times that we're in at the moment, it's very important for everybody to try and get a balanced perspective, a balanced view.” - Steve Durbin
3. “ I think if I were to sum up the major role of the ISF at the moment, it's in that one word, support.” - Steve Durbin
Mentioned in this episode:

S24 Ep2: Beau Lotto - Thriving in Uncertainty Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

At the 2023 ISF Congress in Rotterdam, Steve sits down with keynote speaker Beau Lotto. Beau holds his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Developmental Neuroscience, and he teaches organizations how to apply scientific truths about perception to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. He has helped brands like Cirque du Soleil, Microsoft and L’oreal gain valuable, science-backed insights into their businesses and customers. Beau talks to Steve about how security leaders can change their way of being to effect change at their organisations, and he offers practical ways of incorporating play and diversity to improve team outcomes.
Key Takeaways:
1. Business leaders have a unique role when it comes to establishing business culture.
2. What you do is your function; what you are about is your business.
3. Authenticity is critical for buy in, and buy in is critical for success.
4. Seemingly small changes in initial conditions are powerful and can yield massive results.
5. Embracing uncertainty is a winning strategy, and it can be fun.
Tune in to hear more about:
1. The Host Effect (1:40)
2. Measuring Relevance (3:15)
3. Leading with Authenticity (8:55)
4. Transforming Initial Conditions (12:00)
5. Play as a Mindset (14:30)
Standout Quotes:
1. “... have you noticed that the personality of the party is very much the personality of the host? … it's because the brain infects and is infected by other people.”
2. “Your business is how and why are you relevant … what we do with my Lab of Misfits is we then measure their actual relevance on the audience. So we, in that case, we would measure the brain activity of the people during the performance, what happened to people before and after. So now what they can do is take ownership of what we call the human truth of value that they're actually in the business of.”
3. “You can be authentic in any situation … You don't need others to shape that for you; that's intrinsic within you. And that gives you that sense of being proactive, which is essential in times of uncertainty, which is what we're facing all the time.”
4. “...if you look at, say, the initial conditions of the solar system, you have Mars, let’s take Mars. If you were to alter its proximity to the Sun by one millimeter, make it a little one millimeter closer, in 10% of models the whole solar system collapses. If you take Mars and put it one millimeter further away, in 10% of the models the whole cell system explodes and goes off into space … so small change in the initial conditions can have massive transformative effects.”
5. “... play is actually an evolved brain state where we actually choose uncertainty. We don't avoid it. We actually want it. It's not that we hate it, but we're going to turn down our loathing of it. We actually seek it out. Right? And you know, not knowing who's going to win the Rugby World Cup is why it's fun to watch.”
Mentioned in this episode:

S24 Ep1: A sneak peek into Season 24 Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re previewing some of the best moments from the episodes you’ll be hearing from the podcast this season. Most of these were recorded at ISF Congress 2023 in Rotterdam this past October, with a few others in the mix.
Mentioned in this episode:

ISF Analyst Insight Podcast

S23 Ep8: Emerging Threats for 2024 Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

Today’s episode features Steve’s recent presentation to ISF members on Emerging Threats for next year. He offers a picture of the evolution of cyber, and the resulting challenges and opportunities for security professionals, in 2024.
Mentioned in this episode:

ISF Analyst Insight Podcast

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