Security Leader’s Communication Playbook

Jeffrey Brown is a recognized information security and IT risk expert with a strong track record of more than two decades implementing cost-effective controls for global Fortune 500 financial institutions, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, GE Capital, BNY Mellon and AIG. He is currently serving as the first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the State of Connecticut. Jeff is active in the information security industry as a frequent speaker at various events and conferences and is the author of multiple articles and publications. He co-Chairs the Evanta New York CISO Executive Summit and works in an advisory capacity with various events, including the Cyber Investing Summit. He is a board advisor and mentor for iQ4 in their Virtual Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Challenge, which aims to prepare some 10,000 students for the workforce and help address the security skills shortage. Jeff holds a B.A. in Journalism with an English minor and an M.S. in Publishing from Pace University. He holds multiple security certifications including CISSP-ISSMP, CISM and CRISC.

Foreword for The Security Leader’s Communication Playbook by Jeffrey W. BrownThe CISO role has evolved so rapidly in Fortune-class organizations -- from a siloed technologist to now a C-Suite leader who advises on the confluence of infosec, risk and business initiatives. Jeff Brown is among a small cohort of security leaders who have been at the forefront of this evolution. Jeff has led security teams in Fortune 500 financial services firms and now as the first CISO for the State of Connecticut. He’s brought that experience to this book and mixed it with his humanities training – he was a journalism major before he went into infosec – to offer an invaluable perspective on how CISOs must communicate to be effective.Communication isn’t a CISO ‘nice-to-have’ -- it’s now an essential skill. One meeting, they need to help a sales regional head understand and own risk around customer data collection processes. The next meeting, they’re briefing the board on the risk associated with a new acquisition and presenting a mitigation roadmap. CISOs must be influencers across levels of the business. Communications skills drive influential interactions.In this book, Jeff taps into his experience and skillset to provide clear, actionable guidance on the communication skills CISOs need to connect with the business. This hands-on guide doesn’t talk abstractly about how to communicate, but instead speaks directly to CISOs’ needs and is an essential part of any CISO’s library.

• ContentsPreface xviiAcknowledgments xixAuthor xxiIntroduction 1Part 1 Communication Foundational Skills 131 Foundational Communication Skills 152 People Skills 433 The Language of Business Risk 594 Company Culture 795 Better Business Writing 936 Say What? Verbal Communication Skills 1197 Communication Superpowers 157Part 2 Communication in the Real World 1838 Policies, Standards, Guidelines and Procedures 1859 T raining and Awareness 20310 Driving Change through Metrics 21711 The High Stakes of Incident Response Communication 23512 Communicating with Your Team and Colleagues 24913 Managing Up: Finding Your Boss’s Communication Style 26914 The Board of Directors 27915 Working with Auditors 29516 Your Next Job 30517 Consultants and Sales: Building and Maintaining Client Relationships 325Appendix 341Index 361