Top 10 Skills the CISOs need to Succeed

According to a study conducted by University of Kansas researchers and the IBM Center for Business in Government, the top 10 skills state Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) need to succeed are:

1. Communication and presentation skills: The ability to articulate technical issues clearly to non-technical leadership.
2. Policy development and administration: Crafting and implementing effective security policies.
3. Political skills: Understanding political relationships between agencies/departments without directly engaging in politics.
4. Knowledge about the state government: Familiarity with the specific context and structure of state governance.
5. Collaboration and conflict management skills: Working effectively with various stakeholders and resolving disputes.
6. Planning and strategic management skills: Developing and executing long-term security strategies.
7. Supervisory skills: Leading and managing security teams effectively.
8. Incident management: Preparing for and responding to security incidents.
9. Knowledge of regulation and standards compliance: Staying up-to-date with relevant laws and industry standards.
10. Risk assessment and management: Identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential security risks.

Interestingly, none of these top 10 skills directly involve technological expertise. Instead, they focus on leadership, communication, and strategic thinking abilities. This highlights the evolving role of state CISOs, emphasizing the importance of managerial and interpersonal skills in addition to technical knowledge.

The study also noted that the next set of skills, rated as moderate to high in importance, included more technical aspects such as security architecture, systems security, network security, and application security. However, these did not make it into the top 10 list.

This skill set underscores the need for state CISOs to be well-rounded professionals who can bridge the gap between technical security requirements and broader organizational objectives while navigating the unique landscape of state government.