From IC to Leader 🎙
Leadership in cybersecurity isn’t just about a title — although sometimes the title forces the issue. Whether you’re an IC, a manager, or a director, there’s a real shift that has to happen when you move from doing security to leading security.
In this episode, Garrett and Shawn dig into the core differences, including the transition from:
- SecOps worker → SecOps leader
- AppSec worker → AppSec leader
- GRC worker → GRC leader
- Manager → Executive leader (VP, CISO, SVP)
We talk about what really changes:
- Doing it yourself → delegating effectively
- Delivering results → setting strategy and holding teams accountable
- Celebrating your own wins → celebrating your team’s wins
- Being the technical expert → translating security into executive language (revenue, growth, customer trust)
If you’re thinking about what the next step looks like in your career — or you’re already in a role where leadership is expected — this conversation is for you.
Show timeline:
- 00:00 ...coming up
- 00:20 introduction & agenda
- 02:30 progressing in career
- 03:55 core differences between an IC and a leader
- 05:30 doing the work or delegating
- 07:20 you don't have to be a people manager
- 08:55 when people management isn't right for you
- 11:40 transitioning to people manger
- 14:50 is people management a calling?
- 17:50 delegating and celebrating
- 20:40 delivering key results and managing strategic objectives
- 22:50 climbing the corporate ladder
- 24:10 the real job of the c-level team, including the CISO
- 33:50 final thoughts and wrap-up
- 37:44 b-roll and bloopers
- Cybersecuritygrowth.com and cybersecuritygrowth.com/webcasts
- Live on members.cybersecuritygrowth.com bi-weekly, Fridays at 2:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM PT, 6:30 PM GMT in your pod feeds a few days later.
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