Great CISOs act as business executives who own risk and strategy, while bad CISOs hide behind tools and excuses; the piece contrasts the two with concrete patterns to help security leaders improve.
The article argues that a CISO's impact comes from mindset, strategy, and ownership rather than budget or technology. It positions the role as a CEO of the security program, responsible for business outcomes and resilience.
Good CISOs define a crisp, generative strategy that tells the organization how to win against adversaries, while bad CISOs mistake a list of projects for strategy and spend time firefighting. The piece shows how a strategic view creates self-reinforcing flywheels that lower control costs and scale security, contrasted with a reactive fire-station approach.
Vendor management is another dividing line: effective CISOs buy secure products and use purchasing power to push vendors toward better security, whereas ineffective ones chase tools without strategic alternatives. The article also highlights communication habits, urging leaders to speak the language of risk, capital, and opportunity instead of techno-speak and fear-mongering.
Finally, the author stresses cultural responsibilities-getting bad news fast, empowering teams, and building board partnerships. By treating security as a business function and fostering trust across the organization, a good CISO creates a durable, scalable security posture that outlasts any individual leader.
Check out the full stdlib collection for more frameworks, templates, and guides to accelerate your technical leadership journey.