The Security Culture Playbook

Chapter 4Just What Is Security Culture, Anyway?

Culture can become a “secret weapon” that makes extraordinary things happen.

Jon Katzenbach

Security culture is the backbone of any security program. Every security function, policy, and technology can be traced back to some originating human decision—a human decision that either created the security function or a human decision that made it obvious that a security control was necessary.

The ways in which the human condition plays out within an environment are rarely the product of any single individual; rather, they are the result of how society and technology evolve, which in turn is the result of cultures overlapping and colliding. The function of security lives in this complex exchange of ideas. In this chapter, we seek to untangle some of this complexity and interconnectedness so that you'll have a better idea of how and where security fits within the tapestry of culture.

Lessons from Safety Culture

In the 1800s, the discovery of energy sources like oil revolutionized the speed and cost to produce goods. New production plants were built almost everywhere, which created an increase in demand for raw materials, which resulted in new products and, yes, the need for yet more energy. This constant drive for innovation came with another cost: a human cost that led to deaths and serious injuries for many.

When oil and gas was discovered in the North Sea (a wild and stormy sea between Britain and Norway), a race started. The ...