Lessons from the Frontlines

CHAPTER 4Execution

Throughout my career, my biggest failures in security came when I waited for explicit permission to take action, even when I knew what needed to be done. After a series of missed opportunities and failures, I shifted my mindset from permission-based leadership (where decisions require approval from above) to intent-based leadership (where individuals are empowered to act based on a shared understanding of goals and responsibilities). This shift transformed how I approach execution and how I develop leaders on my teams.

The difference between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it often comes down to one simple question: Are you waiting for someone to tell you that you can act, or are you taking responsibility for the outcomes you’re accountable for?

The most painful lesson about execution came during a situation where I was serving as incident commander. We had an adversary in our network, and I was the person accountable for managing the incident response. But instead of taking control of the situation, I let stress and pressure override my judgment.

I was waiting for someone to tell me that I could assert my authority as incident commander, and I let others lead me and my team through their input and drive rather than establishing the structure and focus the situation required.

Because I didn’t instill calm and assert myself, we lost control of the incident. The adversary was able to walk away with data that they shouldn’t have had access to. ...