Creating psychological safety in cybersecurity

Psychological safety doesn't just help performance. It also creates space for us to name problems, admit vulnerabilities, and then find ways to get better.

Besides keeping technology safe to use, cybersecurity also needs to protect the people using it. Arguably, this is the most important goal for this industry.

That’s why cybersecurity specialists are responsible for making things safer, but also for making people feel safe. To achieve this, specialists in the information security space need to understand people’s emotional background: their fears, their motivations, their perceptions of cybersecurity, and what makes them pay attention and become emotionally invested.

When people feel that it's them against cybersecurity policies and specialists, they resist new information, processes, and habits. But when they feel heard and understood with no judgment, they open up to sharing their experience, to learning, and to putting those lessons into practice.

If cybersecurity specialists approach their work from an empathetic point of view, it becomes easier and it creates a powerful feeling of camaraderie between them and their colleagues.

Today's guest, Emma W., experienced cybersecurity specialist with the UK Civil Service, offers detail-rich, practical observations and examples on how cybersecurity teams can create a positive experience for the people they serve.

You’ll also learn about some of the abilities that information security specialists can use to create the psychological safety that’s conducive of openness and learning. Additionally, you get to hear Emma talk about her work and what keeps her going in such a complex and challenging space.

In this episode, discover how to make cybersecurity less intimidating and more approachable by:

• Creating a positive experience for people (02:26)
• Developing the abilities to guide people (13:13)
• Learning from Emma about what her role looks like (17:35)
• Practicing self-care to make high-pressure cybersecurity work sustainable (29:55)