EPISODE 26: It’s A Wonderful Hack! Building A High Performance Security Team

Apr 18

Written By Lianne

Welcome to Compromising Positions!

The tech podcast that asks non-cybersecurity professionals what we in the industry can do to make their lives easier and help make our organisations more prepared to face ever-changing human-centric cyber threats!

This week we are joined by Dr David Burkus, one of the world’s leading business thinkers and best-selling author of five books on the topic of business and leadership. Dr Burkus has worked with the leadership teams of some internationally known names such as PepsiCo, Adobe and NASA.

In this episode, “It’s a Wonderful Hack! Building a high-performance cybersecurity team“, we discuss the three elements of the “Team Culture Triad”: common understanding, psychological safety and prosocial purpose, and how these elements are the backbone of every successful team.

We delve into how interpersonal trust is a reciprocal process, that trust needs to be met with respect and an open mind, and how we can build a culture that learns from mistakes and people feel safe to challenge at all levels in the business.

We also discuss how being part of a team is more like chess than checkers. We can’t treat all people like they have the same skills or ways of working, we’re a team yes, but it’s a team of individuals.

And the “It’s a Wonderful Life” test. A brilliant thought experiment to show the impact of your team’s contributions, which may not always be tied to revenue.

Key Takeaways:

Try a Little Tenderness: Empathy is important, but it's not just about feeling someone else's pain. To truly collaborate effectively, you need to understand your teammates on a deeper level, including their unique strengths, weaknesses, and working styles. By achieving this common understanding, you can anticipate their responses and adjust your approach to optimize teamwork.
Hey Boss, your Idea Sucks: When was the last time someone in your team challenged your decision? If it was a while ago, you might want to take a look if you’re building a team that fosters psychological safety.
Developing Pro-Social Purpose: A team that prioritizes collective success over individual gain fosters a collaborative environment. When team members are driven by a common purpose, they're more likely to support each other and work towards shared goals. This sense of purpose strengthens the team and empowers individuals to contribute their best work.
It’s a Wonderful Life: Imagine if your cybersecurity team didn't exist. What would the consequences be? While this exercise helps you identify potential negative impacts, it's equally important to consider the positive contributions your team makes.

Links to everything we discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes and if you liked the show, please do leave us a review.

Follow us on all good podcasting platforms and via our YouTube channel, and don't forget to share on LinkedIn and in your teams.

It really helps us spread the word and get high-quality guests, on future episodes.

We hope you enjoyed this episode - See you next time, keep secure, and don’t forget to ask yourself, ‘Am I the compromising position here?’

Keywords: cybersecurity, storytelling, psychology, networking, silos, purpose, psychological safety, leadership

Show Notes

Dr Burkus has an awe-inspiring career as an author. You can check out his books on Amazon
The importance of psychological safety by Amy Edmondson
Melina Palmer’s episode
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick M. Lencioni
The beautiful Hyde Park Picture House Cinema in Leeds - GO NOW
Get your Die Hard Christmas Advent Calendar at ETSY
Vote for us! European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards

About dr David Burkus

One of the world’s leading business thinkers, Dr. David Burkus’ forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are helping leaders build their best team ever.

He is the bestselling author of five books about business and leadership. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages.

Since 2017, Burkus has been ranked multiple times as one of the world’s top business thought leaders. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, the Financial Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning. A former business school professor, Burkus now works with leaders from organizations across all industries, including PepsiCo, Fidelity, Adobe, and NASA.