CIO OPINION they support and allow your business to do what it does . Use real-life examples to illustrate the reality of today ’ s cyber-risk ; you can make them more impactful by including data and stories from your industry to show the real-life harm that attacks have inflicted on companies like yours . You will find that if you spend a little time sharing ‘ why ’ your team creates the security policies you have , employees will more willingly follow them .
3 . Be honest and transparent using plain ‘ blue jeans ’ language . Security centers around trust and the best way to establish trust with anyone is honesty and transparency . Using plain language , rather than technobabble and acronyms , to genuinely convey messages that employees in any role can follow is the best way to build rapport within your organization . You won ’ t impress your co-workers by using obscure industry lingo or terminology and doing so only confuses and disengages them .
4 . Explain why cybersecurity awareness matters all day long . While your mission is to secure your organization , the same cybersecurity culture you instill in employees will also help them at home . Cyberthreats are ubiquitous and have affected home users as much as corporations . Make sure your company knows the practices they follow at work will serve them well in their personal lives too .
5 . Make training , fun , engaging and rewarding . While cybersecurity is a serious topic , that doesn ’ t mean it has to be boring and dry . The best education programs use fun and play to encourage an engaging learning atmosphere . Use education programs that focus on audience interaction . Most importantly , reward the individuals who do the right things or engage the most . Cybersecurity culture will develop much faster with a carrot , not a stick . Everyone – and I do mean everyone – makes a difference as an organization ’ s security is only as strong as its weakest link . With many attacks preying on individual human factors , even the most basic roles can make a big difference . If employees know they can contribute , they will – especially if you occasionally reward them as mentioned above .
6 . Create a positive atmosphere . Everyone messes up sometimes . Punitive actions for mistakes will not drive behavioral change ( at least not for long ). Focus on constructive criticism and more positive communication methods . Makes
People are much more likely to adopt your mission if they feel they have contributed to making it .
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