The SEC’s Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules: A Deeper Dive 🎯🔐

Ever since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tightened the noose on cybersecurity disclosures, stakeholders have been in a bit of a whirlwind, trying to understand the full scope and implications. In this follow-up article, we’re plunging deeper into the intricate nuances that may not have been immediately obvious. Buckle up! 🚀

What “Materiality” Really Means 🤔

When we talk about “materiality,” the discourse extends beyond mere legal compliance. Companies must determine whether a cyber incident is material, meaning it’s information a reasonable investor would consider vital. The subjective nature of this requirement calls for stricter internal governance. For instance, while a DDoS attack might be ‘material’ for a small online retailer, it may not be for a tech giant like Google.

The Regulatory Gray Area: Unveiled 🌫️

Dave Lynn, the chair of law firm Morrison & Foerster, revealed that the new rules would push companies to hone their ‘materiality analysis,’ shifting it from a voluntary act to an affirmative obligation. Now, companies can no longer reside in a “regulatory gray area.” They must disclose material incidents promptly, ensuring that such information reaches investors sooner than later.

Business Impact: More Than Just Bytes and Pixels 💼🔒

SEC’s new guidelines push companies to view cybersecurity through the lens of business and financial impact. Chris Hetner, a former senior cybersecurity adviser to the SEC, suggests that companies should start focusing on “how you’re maintaining business resilience or protecting intellectual property.” It’s a game changer for corporate governance, bringing cyber issues to the boardroom table.

Boards & Executives: Time for a Cyber Wake-Up Call 🛎️

Corporate boards need to be proactive in assimilating cyber issues into their risk management paradigms. But there’s a stark disparity in preparedness levels among different boards. Best practices now include incorporating cyber considerations alongside other business risks like supply chain issues.

Insider Trading: The Hidden Angle 🕵️

The SEC aims to plug potential insider trading leaks by requiring prompt disclosure of material incidents. This rapid dissemination of information makes it harder for anyone to exploit undisclosed vulnerabilities for financial gain.

Dropped Proposals: What Didn’t Make the Cut 📜

Interestingly, some proposals like identifying board members with specific cybersecurity expertise were dropped. This reflects the SEC’s nuanced approach and also raises questions about what is considered ‘essential’ for public disclosure.

Are Boards Prepared? A Reality Check ✔️

According to a joint WSJ Pro/NACD poll, corporate boards vary wildly in their readiness to tackle cyber incidents. This disparity underscores the urgency for standardized cybersecurity governance across all corporate boards.

Conclusion 🌟

Understanding the SEC’s new cybersecurity rules is like peeling an onion; there are layers to consider. Companies, their boards, and stakeholders need to be aware of these details to navigate this evolving landscape effectively. In this era of digitization and cybersecurity threats, being in the know isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity.

September 24, 2023 0

Turning the Tables on Cyber Threats: Tabletop Exercises as Cornerstone of Cybersecurity Preparedness

As the reality of our interconnected world sinks in, cyber threats relentlessly and pervasively unsettle organizations across all sectors. The days of reactive strategies are long gone. In this era, proactive and comprehensive preparation is a necessity, not a luxury. Among the various approaches adopted to foster readiness, tabletop exercises are gaining prominence. These exercises, often overlooked but undeniably effective, allow teams to respond to simulated crises, providing valuable insights into system vulnerabilities and response capabilities.

Recent cyber attacks underscore the critical importance of readiness. Case in point, the major oil pipeline ransomware attack in May 2021, that disrupted supply and resulted in widespread panic. Also, the far-reaching SolarWinds attack exposed thousands of organizations to cyber espionage, revealing that no one is immune to digital threats. It’s time to face facts: we live in a high-stakes, high-risk cyber world.

Tabletop exercises are structured activities that simulate critical incidents such as cyber attacks. These scenarios allow participants to explore their roles during a crisis, test responses, and identify potential flaws in their organization’s Disaster Response Protocols (DRP) and Emergency Response Plans (ERP). They are the metaphorical canary in the coal mine of cyber resilience, revealing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Here are some best practices for effective tabletop exercises:

Clear Objectives: Define what you aim to achieve with the exercise. Be it testing a new policy or assessing the response time, a clear objective will guide the process.
Realistic Scenarios: The closer your exercise mirrors potential real-life threats, the more prepared your team will be. Take inspiration from recent attacks and consider threats specific to your industry.
Inclusive Participation: Involve a range of personnel, including those from non-technical backgrounds. Diverse perspectives often reveal overlooked vulnerabilities.
Encourage Open Dialogue: Foster an environment where participants can discuss potential weaknesses without fear of reprisal. Constructive criticism is key to strengthening defenses.
Third-Party Facilitation: Consider involving an unbiased external expert to guide the process. They bring fresh insights, helping to counteract internal bias and complacency.
Regular Reviews: Cyber threats evolve rapidly, and so should your strategies. Regular exercises keep your team sharp and up-to-date.
Post-Exercise Analysis: This is crucial. Document findings, analyze them and update your strategies accordingly. This cycle of continuous improvement is central to building robust defenses.

In the face of rising threats, such as ransomware attacks, hands-on preparation becomes invaluable. Organizations can greatly benefit from these exercises, emerging better prepared and more resilient.

The recent cyber attacks serve as grim reminders that robust cyber defenses are a necessity. Through effective tabletop exercises, we can pinpoint weaknesses, improve coordination, and elevate our cyber resilience. As the landscape of cyber threats evolves, our defense strategies must adapt in tandem. Tabletop exercises are not just an effective tool, but an essential rehearsal, preparing us for the worst while we continually strive for the best.

For further insights, please check out these resources:

May 26, 2023 0

Winning in the Digital Age: Top Attributes of Forward-Thinking Companies

As businesses strive to thrive in today’s competitive environment, advanced companies are setting themselves apart with a forward-thinking approach. They leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI, excel in sales and marketing, foster innovation, prioritize customer-centricity, and explore new business models through digital ecosystems. Leaders can embed these attributes across their organizations by customizing their approach, fostering a culture of innovation, exploring new revenue streams, and focusing on scalability and sustainability.

“Advanced” companies, that is those which are forward thinking, go beyond running pilots and actually scale AI solutions to gain a competitive advantage. These companies invest in advanced technologies and utilize AI across various areas of their operations, optimizing processes and driving efficiencies. In addition to technology, these companies excel in sales and marketing, providing personalized experiences, consumer-centric services, and seamless customer support across all touch points. Through prioritizing customer needs, using technology and “forward thinking” they build strong relationships and foster loyalty – the traditional cornerstones of successful companies.

Today, digital ecosystems play a crucial role for advanced companies as they create value beyond their core offerings. They form strategic partnerships and leverage platforms to diversify revenue streams and adapt to changing market dynamics. This forward-thinking approach allows them to future-proof their organizations and stay ahead of the competition. They also show a proclivity for earlier-stage innovation, launching new ventures and embracing calculated risks to capitalize on emerging trends; all this while not leaving behind the relationships and foundations of loyalty which have enabled them to get where they are.

As I’ve often posted about, in order to succeed, leaders need to embed these attributes by customizing their approach to their industry, company, and starting point. They should foster a culture of innovation, encouraging teams to think creatively, challenge the status quo, and embrace experimentation. Creating a safe space for innovation where failure is seen as a learning opportunity is crucial. Leaders should also invest in building capabilities in cutting-edge technologies like AI and empower employees to leverage them for business outcomes.

Customer centricity should be prioritized in strategies, with constant feedback from customers and designing products and services to cater to their needs. Providing exceptional customer experiences across all touchpoints, online and offline, should be a top priority. Leaders should also look beyond core offerings and explore new business models and revenue streams, leveraging digital platforms, forming strategic partnerships, and exploring new markets to diversify revenue.

Scalability and sustainability are also important. Scaling AI solutions, optimizing operations, and driving efficiencies should be ongoing efforts, involving investments in advanced technologies, automation, and process improvements. Prioritizing sustainability, considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, aligns with changing consumer expectations and regulatory requirements.

In conclusion, advanced companies differentiate themselves by taking a forward-thinking approach to thrive in the competitive business landscape. Leaders can embed these attributes across their organizations by customizing their approach, fostering innovation, prioritizing customer centricity, exploring new revenue streams, and focusing on scalability and sustainability. Embracing these attributes enables companies to stay agile, adapt to changing market dynamics, and position themselves as industry leaders in the rapidly evolving business landscape of the 21st century.

April 8, 2023 0

The Butterfly Effect of Incremental Improvement: How Small Changes Can Have a Big Impact on Cybersecurity in 2023-2024

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, cybersecurity has become an essential aspect of our daily lives. However, cyber threats are also becoming more complex and sophisticated, which means that cybersecurity strategies must evolve and adapt to keep up. One approach that has gained traction in recent years is the concept of incremental improvement. This theory suggests that small, continuous improvements can lead to significant long-term gains. In this blog post, I will explore how the butterfly effect of incremental improvement can have a big impact on cybersecurity in the coming year.

What is Incremental Improvement?

Let’s first build an understanding of incremental improvement to work from. Incremental improvement is a theory that suggests that small, continuous improvements can lead to significant long-term gains. It is often contrasted with the “big bang” approach, which involves making large, sweeping changes all at once. While the big bang approach can be effective in some cases, it can also be risky, costly, and time-consuming.

The incremental approach, on the other hand, involves making small, continuous improvements over time. These improvements may seem insignificant on their own, but over time, they can add up and have a significant impact. By making small changes, organizations can reduce risk, increase efficiency, and improve overall performance. And for those of you are are improvement students, you’ll also remember that incremental/continuous improvement is the core of the Kaizen approach to improvement which started with Toyota and is still as valid and impactful now as it was then

How Does Incremental Improvement Apply to Cybersecurity?

So now let’s dig into how in the world of cybersecurity, incremental improvement can be a powerful tool. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, which means that organizations must also evolve and adapt their cybersecurity strategies. By making small, continuous improvements to their cybersecurity posture, organizations can reduce risk and improve their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats – keys to a healthy cyber security program as I’ve learned studying for my own CISM certification.

One example of how this works is: an organization might implement a new security awareness training program for employees. This program could include regular phishing simulations, which help employees recognize and avoid phishing emails. While each simulation might only have a small impact, over time, they can add up to significant improvements in the organization’s ability to prevent successful phishing attacks.

Another example of incremental improvement in cybersecurity is the implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires users to provide multiple forms of identification before accessing sensitive data or systems. While implementing MFA can be challenging, the benefits of doing so can be significant. By requiring multiple forms of identification, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data or systems.

Gartner’s Top 8 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2023-2024

Now, let’s bring this understanding of how to improve to meet what the cyber security landscape will look like in the coming year. According to Gartner’s top 8 cybersecurity predictions for 2023-2024, incremental improvement will play a critical role in improving cybersecurity posture. The predictions include:

80% of successful attacks will be prevented by a combination of traditional and advanced technologies.
Security by design will become a mandatory requirement for all new IT projects.
Security and risk management will converge into a single discipline.
Cybersecurity will become an integral part of digital business initiatives.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence will become critical components of cybersecurity.
The use of deception technology will increase to improve threat detection.
The cybersecurity skills shortage will continue, forcing organizations to rely on automation and outsourcing.
The shift to cloud computing will require a rethinking of cybersecurity strategies.

Each of these predictions highlights the need for organizations to adopt their existing approach to cybersecurity – and I’d suggest that doing so in an considered, and incremental fashion – makes the most sense. By combining traditional and advanced technologies, organizations can improve their ability to prevent successful cyber attacks. By integrating security into all new IT projects, organizations can ensure that security is not an afterthought. By using machine learning and artificial intelligence, organizations can improve threat detection and response. By using deception technology, organizations can improve their ability to detect and respond to advanced threats. And by relying on automation and outsourcing, organizations can address the cybersecurity skills shortage.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the butterfly effect of incremental improvement is a powerful concept that can be applied to cybersecurity in 2023-2024. With the ever-evolving threat landscape and increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, it is important for organizations to adopt a continuous improvement mindset and implement small changes over time to enhance their cybersecurity posture. By embracing incrementalism, organizations can avoid the pitfalls of complacency and become more resilient in the face of emerging threats. As Gartner’s cybersecurity predictions for 2023-2024 highlight, the need for proactive cybersecurity measures has never been greater. Incremental improvement can help organizations stay ahead of the curve and prevent costly cyber incidents. So let us embrace the power of small steps and work towards a safer digital future.

March 31, 2023 0

The Importance of Planning for Business Transformation in Uncertain Times

In combination with BCG’s weekly brief, and other related materials, today’s post will discuss our current environment of uncertainty, and why planning is more important than ever for businesses.

It’s easy to take for granted the strong core businesses in our organizations which drive profitability and are relied on by investors to deliver results. However, even these walled fortresses can quickly lose their luster and relative strength due to technology disruption, management distraction, underinvestment, or changes in customer behavior. This is why it’s crucial to ask the hard questions about where your strongest businesses really stand and how to strengthen them for the years ahead.

In addition to questioning the three-to-five-year value creation trajectory and considering the potential for technology disruption, there are other factors that businesses should consider when planning for the future. One important factor is business transformation. As discussed in a recent article from BCG, cited below, businesses must be willing to transform themselves in order to stay ahead in today’s rapidly changing environment. The article emphasizes that businesses that prioritize transformation and have a clear vision of the future are more likely to succeed.

The article notes that one of the biggest challenges of business transformation is getting everyone on board with the changes. It can be difficult to get employees and other stakeholders to embrace the changes, especially if they are comfortable with the status quo. However, it’s crucial for businesses to communicate the need for transformation and to involve employees in the process. This simple and critical change management step can help to build support and create a culture of continuous improvement.

Another challenge of business transformation is managing risk. As businesses change and adapt, they may encounter new risks that they haven’t dealt with before. This is why it’s important to have a risk management plan in place that considers all potential risks and has a strategy for mitigating them. Ensuring a solid risk management team is in-place, and the responsibility of risk identification and planning is shared by the entire organization is big step towards overcoming this challenge. By thinking about resilience and risk management from multiple angles, businesses can better prepare for potential challenges and ensure that they are able to navigate through them.

In conclusion, planning for the future is essential for businesses in today’s uncertain times. While it’s important to focus on macro challenges, such as economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it’s also important to question the strength of your strongest businesses and plan for potential disruptions. Furthermore, businesses must be willing to transform themselves and have a clear vision of the future in order to stay ahead. By involving employees in the process and having a well thought out risk management strategy and culture in place, businesses can better prepare for potential challenges and ensure that they are able to navigate through them.

Citation: BCG. (2023, March 20). Transformation challenges in uncertain times.

March 24, 2023 0

The Power of Prioritization: Navigating Business and Life with Clarity and Focus

As business leaders, we are constantly faced with prioritization challenges – from identifying and acting on key strategic initiatives to manage competing demands on our time and resources. Effective prioritization of the work to be done is critical for success in any business environment, and it requires careful consideration of a range of factors. Some examples include the company’s strategic goals, available resources, and the needs and interests of various stakeholders, to name a few.

However, prioritization isn’t just a concern for business professionals on the job – it’s also an important part of life. As we navigate the difficulties of our personal and professional lives, we are constantly faced with choices about where to focus our time, energy, and resources. And as recent events in the tech sector have showed, these choices can have a significant impact on our careers and our ability to achieve our goals.

In the wake of mass layoffs in the tech sector, many professionals are re-evaluating their priorities and considering ways to strengthen their resumes and improve their job prospects. While education and certifications can certainly be helpful, they are not the only solution. To truly thrive in the current job market, professionals must prioritize a range of skills and attributes, including adaptability, creativity, and resilience.

To start, it’s important to take a step back and assess your current situation. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you need to improve? What opportunities are available to you, and what challenges do you face? By taking a clear-eyed look at your situation, you can identify the most important areas for improvement and prioritize your efforts accordingly. To get started here, I’d suggest using the OODA loop, which is the cycle observe–orient–decide–act concept, developed by military strategist and United States Air Force Colonel John Boyd. Observe where you are in your career, where the industry is, and where you want to be, then orient yourself toward getting to your next career goal. From there you can decide on how best to achieve that goal, and you can put your plan into action. A key part of that plan should carve out your key priorities to hit your goals.

Reaching your goal may involve seeking additional education or training, updating your resume and cover letter, practicing your interview skills, or networking with other professionals in your field. Whatever your goals may be, it’s essential to be proactive and persistent in pursuing them.

Of course, prioritization isn’t just about career advancement – it’s also about achieving balance and fulfillment in our personal lives. As business leaders, we recognize that our personal lives and our professional lives are deeply interconnected, and that neglecting one can have a negative impact on the other. By prioritizing self-care, relationships, and personal growth, we can create a more fulfilling and sustainable life for ourselves and those around us.

To tie things up here; effective prioritization is critical for success in both our personal and professional lives. By taking a strategic, thoughtful approach to identifying and pursuing our most important goals, we can achieve the results we desire and build a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling. So take a step back, assess your priorities, and start taking action today. The journey may be long, but the rewards will be worth it.

March 12, 2023 0

Overcoming Organizational Challenges: Implementing Cross-Organizational Partnership Planning Framework

Implementing cross-organizational partnerships is a challenging task in any organization. Leading such efforts requires strong communication, collaboration and leadership abilities to achieve a common goal. But more than just that, sometimes you need a bit of luck, understanding from key executive stakeholders, and engagement from all teams if any such efforts are to succeed.

When I last lead an effort to create, implement and run a large cross-organizational planning framework, the primary challenges I encountered were coordinating with multiple stakeholders across different time zones, managing expectations, and guiding conversations and decision-making processes through a complex engineering planning process spanning multiple engineering units. But the most difficult problem I tackled was that of adjusting the understanding and expectations of executive leadership regarding the difficulty of this work, and the willingness of partner organizations to even participate.

Too often executives come up with a the “obvious” solution to a problem, without doing the legwork to understand not only the complexity of their solution, but further to gauge the willingness of other teams or organizations to engage.

As we are tasked to direct teams, deliver on OKRs and “go, go, go”, the reality is we are often left out of the design -phase for organizational planning – and then left to deliver whatever was designed without our input.

In my situation, to overcome these multi-faceted and multi-layered challenges, I took a proactive approach in two categories of work: 1 – Executive expectation setting 2 – Stakeholder engagement confirmation and expectations setting & buy-in.

For category 1 work I took the following steps to adjust executive expectations:

Education: I met with my executive sponsor to educate on the complexities involved in implementing desired planning framework. I summarized in two slides, an outline of the planning process, the different stakeholder groups involved, and the challenges that were likely to arise. My aim was to provide a clear picture of the complexity involved – not in order to defer the work, but only to lay the groundwork for expectation realignment.
Set realistic expectations: Reset expectations about the timeline and likely outcome of the project noting key obstacles, mitigation plans and likely outcomes.

These executive stakeholder meetings took time, effort, and were often met with resistance – but in the end enabled me to deliver a product that everyone understood and was able to support.

For category 2 work I held regular meetings with all direct and extended stakeholders to explain the planning framework, answered questions, and ensured everyone was on the same page. Monthly follow-up meetings were also held to provide guidance and ensure the planning was on track. But in order for all this work to be effective, I first held engagement confirmation meetings with key stakeholder leadership to confirm support for the “why” of the work.

These engagement confirmation meetings were the most contentious meetings I held in this project – often Engineering leadership had difficulty buying-in, and it took multiple follow-up meetings, including parallel management chain executives to secure buy in. The breakdown in parallel management chains communication mechanisms quickly became clear – and offered me a great point of reflection for future work. Eventually each of these obstacles was overcome, but I developed a confirmation checklist I still use today when dealing with parallel executive stakeholders:

Identify key stakeholders early: Identify the key stakeholders who will be involved in the project, both within and outside of your organization. This may include executives, team leads, and other key decision-makers.
Schedule engagement confirmation meetings early: Schedule engagement confirmation meetings with each key stakeholder to discuss the project and confirm their support for the “why” of the work. During these meetings, make sure to address any concerns or objections they may have, and explain how the project will benefit their team or organization.
Address objections: During the engagement confirmation meetings, be prepared to address any objections or concerns that stakeholders may have with data. Listen carefully to their feedback and provide clear and concise responses that address their concerns.
Follow up: After the engagement confirmation meetings, follow up with each stakeholder to confirm their support and ensure that they understand their role in the project. Schedule regular follow-up meetings to provide guidance and ensure that the project is on track.
Monitor parallel management chain communication mechanisms: Monitor the communication mechanisms between parallel management chains to ensure that they are effective and that there are no breakdowns in communication that could impact the project.

Frankly speaking – in my project there was a breakdown between multiple key executives not aligning on why the work was being done, what the output would look like, and cascading information down to leaderships in their organization. I was able to overcome these obstacles, and take a valuable lesson away from the experience – and hope this can also serve others as well in their own work.

My story resulted int a happy ending. In the end, working closely with all stakeholders, a final presentation was created that aggregated all planning elements into a cohesive whole. I achieved this through personalized engagement with all stakeholders, and the “appropriately” set expectations of my executive sponsor.

The key conclusion here for everyone to take away is, while directors and leaders are often given large and complex tasks which can be solved through application of well documented planning and communication approaches – many times, there is more to success than just application of an industry standard approach – there is a large component of executive understanding, expectation setting and cross functional partner engagement confirmation which is required to truly succeed; and we can’t always rely on our executives to have done the setup work we need in order to “hit it out of the ball park”. So keep this in mind in your next large cross-organizational project, and be prepared and ready to respond to such a circumstances so your project can succeed.

February 23, 2023 0

Leading teams in the remote environment

Remote work has become popular within many industries as observed through my days searching LinkedIn, and it appears more businesses are adopting this work model to improve their operations and attract diverse talent. And though it is still unclear if this model is here to stay – I’ve been putting thought into how to effectively lead and be part of teams in the current remote/hybrid environment.

Leading or being part of a team in today’s “virtual team” reality present challenges that require unique and often bespoke and novel solutions; we can’t rely on an old Harvard Business Review articles to light the way to overcome these problems. In my experience, I’ve come to understand creating the right team culture is critical to leading teams successfully; and to do so my experience has lead me to embrace the, what now may be trite, advice of doing things such as: prioritizing team mental health, creating a culture of trust, and doing one’s best to foster informal interactions, encourage autonomy, and embrace diversity and inclusion to reduce the challenges of remote/hybrid work. These steps can and should be taken both as a team lead and a team member in order to create a unified team culture.

Below I’ll break down these steps a bit further to give an idea of what this looks like in practice:

Prioritizing mental health: Team leads and team members can help themselves and others “prioritize mental health” through speaking openly about the challenges they are facing in working remotely and offering support to team members who may be struggling. This can be something as simple as offering an ear to listen, or by encouraging taking more or longer breaks, and don’t forget about promoting the use of mental health resources if your company makes them available. These may seem like small steps – but they can have a huge impact.

Building trust: Team leaders can begin to build trust through extreme transparency and honesty – about goals, expectations, and what they do and don’t know – being the model of transparency in all situations will help everyone to model the same behavior and begin building team trust. Leaders, and team mates can also provide regular feedback, and recognize and reward team members for their contributions. These small positive affirmations go a long way toward building trust.

Encourage informal interactions: Team mates and leaders can foster informal interactions like organizing virtual coffee chats, happy hours, or team building activities that allow team members to connect on a more personal level. There are also opportunities for everyone to be proactive in reaching out to colleagues to engage in conversations that are not centered around work. Engaging people in this manner creates a stronger sense of team – and provide a window into people’s lives not normally available during work hours. I highly suggest participating in such activities to solidify one’s position in a remote/hybrid team.

Encourage autonomy: Being a fan of the “Extreme Ownership” approach – I’d encourage team leads help build autonomy through providing clear goals, responsibilities, ownership assignments and deadlines, and having team members to work in a way that best suits their work style. Team members can aid in the creation of team/ their own autonomy by communicating their needs and preferences to their leadership and taking direct ownership of their work. This is a fairly critical area to focus on if a team wants remote work to succeed – feeling like you are being micromanaged from afar is a sure fire way to crush team autonomy and spirit and reduce the effectiveness of a remote work setup.

Embrace diversity and inclusion: Finally leaders and team members can embrace diversity and inclusion by being open to different perspectives and ideas, and creating a team culture that values and respects differences. Often this requires a team that feels comfortable sharing within their team, and can be one of the last pieces of team culture to develop – but with proper focus on the steps/focuses before this one, and aided by providing resources for team members to learn and grow in this area, such as training sessions or workshops – an open and diverse team culture can be developed.

By taking these steps, team leads and team members can prioritize team mental health, build a culture of trust, foster informal interactions, encourage autonomy, and embrace diversity and inclusion in a remote/hybrid work environment. These steps are by all means not the only way to achieve this end goal, but it’s the outline of steps I’ve used to lead and create effective teams.

In conclusion, leading teams successfully in a remote/hybrid work environment starts with creating the “right” team culture to enable success, and I’ve find it is through the prioritization of team mental health, building a culture of trust, fostering informal interactions, encouraging autonomy, and embracing diversity and inclusion which will enable team members to work more effectively and collaboratively, regardless of their physical location and ultimately allow for successful team leadership.

February 22, 2023 0

How to Build a New Team Quickly: Lessons from Expanding Global Operations

As a business leader, you may encounter situations where you need to build a new team quickly to achieve an important business goal. This was the case for my global maps team in 2016. The situation saw us needing to expand our indoor maps operations in key strategic countries. In this blog post, I’ll explore how I lead the team to overcome the challenge of building quickly and successfully completing our strategic expansion goals.

Step 1: Assess the Scope of Work and Identify Key Challenges

To begin building a new team quickly, it’s important to understand the scope of the work that needs to be done and identify the key challenges. For the global maps team, the scope of work was to expand our indoor maps field survey operations in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Mexico. The key challenges we faced included not having established map operations in these countries and needing to complete a large amount of field work, which involved navigating complex visa and transportation requirements; and of course hiring and on-boarding the right staff to make all of this possible ASAP.

Step 2: Assemble the Right Team

Once key challenges are identified, the next step is to assemble the right team. For the global maps team, I was lucky to have a strong mix of experienced field leaders already in-place, many of whom were military veterans experienced in directing field operations. The need to expand quickly enabled me to work closely with my existing team, and view them through a lens aimed at promotion and leadership – and I was able to place 3 solid in places of leadership, whom eventually were able to grow into promotions and other positions – I chose well, and their knowledge and leadership helped us to succeed as we scaled.

So what is the magic “lens” I looked through which enabled me to pick solid leaders? It was a simple framework, supported through knowledge and understanding of my teams – a data point which can’t be understated. The framework looks like this:

Assessing for leadership

Define Leadership Criteria: Start by identifying the key leadership skills and attributes that are essential for success within your team. This helps ensure you are identifying potential leaders who possess the right qualities and values to help you succeed and also who can succeed in your team long after their promotion
Assess Employee Potential: Use performance evaluations, employee feedback, and anything else you have available to assess folks in order to evaluate employee potential. Look for people who consistently demonstrate high levels of performance, are proactive in taking on new challenges, and exhibit a desire to grow and develop within the organization. Also, don’t hesitate to take into account peer feedback, and do your best to get a full, broad picture of all potential candidates.
Look for Learning Agility: Identify employees who have the ability to adapt and learn quickly in new situations. Folks who thrive in ambiguity, and making hard decisions with whatever data they have available. These employees are likely to be effective leaders in the face of rapidly changing business and operational environments.
Promote and encourage diversity: Finally, look for candidates who bring diverse backgrounds, and experiences – do your best to challenge your own unconscious biases about which types of people are best for leadership roles, and let the data and evaluations of your team guide you to bring in people who might not fit your personal mold of leaders.

Step 3: Develop a “Good” Work and Travel Plan

To build a new team quickly, it’s essential to have a clear plan in place. The global maps team developed a work and travel plan that accounted for the complex visa and transportation requirements in each country. This involved working closely with other senior leaders in the transportation and security teams to identify issues/risks and mitigation plans to attend to each. When ramping in a hurry, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good – Work with your senior leaders, develop a good plan based on data, research and lessons learned – and then execute.

Step 4: Utilize Established Relationships with Key Stakeholders

When building a new team quickly, it’s important to leverage existing relationships with key stakeholders. The global maps team was able to utilize established relationships with senior leaders in the transportation and security teams to brainstorm solutions and address challenges. We also leveraged relationships within our mail and customs teams to work around the logistics of moving required equipment from country to country and finally we created new relationships with offices in or around our destinations to provide us with in-country contacts should we need them.

Step 5: Implement the Plan and Scale the Team

With a plan in place and the right team assembled, it’s time to scale the team and implement the plan. The global maps team was able to ramp from roughly to 120 team members to over 300 in a few weeks – which included hiring, on-boarding and training new folks in multiple US and Asia based locations. After on-boarding, and not without hiccups – the teams were able to successfully complete the required field work in our key strategic countries and added hundreds of locations with multi-level indoor floor plans., backed by hundreds of thousands of surveys to maps.

Conclusion

Building a new team quickly can be a daunting task, but by following these five steps, you can achieve your business goals successfully. Remember to assess the scope of work and identify key challenges, assemble the right team, develop a clear plan, leverage established relationships with key stakeholders, and scale the team and implement your plans. Finally – also don’t forget, you’ll encounter hiccups along they way – be flexible, let your leaders lead, and don’t loose site of the end goal – you’ll get there in the end!

February 21, 2023 0