From Individual Contributor to Leader

From IC to Leader 🎙

Leadership in cybersecurity isn’t just about a title — although sometimes the title forces the issue. Whether you’re an IC, a manager, or a director, there’s a real shift that has to happen when you move from doing security to leading security.

In this episode, Garrett and Shawn dig into the core differences, including the transition from:

SecOps worker → SecOps leaderAppSec worker → AppSec leaderGRC worker → GRC leaderManager → Executive leader (VP, CISO, SVP)

We talk about what really changes:

Doing it yourself → delegating effectivelyDelivering results → setting strategy and holding teams accountableCelebrating your own wins → celebrating your team’s winsBeing the technical expert → translating security into executive language (revenue, growth, customer trust)

If you’re thinking about what the next step looks like in your career — or you’re already in a role where leadership is expected — this conversation is for you.

Show timeline:

00:00 ...coming up00:20 introduction & agenda02:30 progressing in career03:55 core differences between an IC and a leader05:30 doing the work or delegating07:20 you don't have to be a people manager08:55 when people management isn't right for you11:40 transitioning to people manger14:50 is people management a calling?17:50 delegating and celebrating20:40 delivering key results and managing strategic objectives22:50 climbing the corporate ladder24:10 the real job of the c-level team, including the CISO33:50 final thoughts and wrap-up37:44 b-roll and bloopersCybersecuritygrowth.com and cybersecuritygrowth.com/webcastsLive on members.cybersecuritygrowth.com bi-weekly, Fridays at 2:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM PT, 6:30 PM GMT in your pod feeds a few days later.

🔐 Hire a cybersecurity consultant or vCISO: https://cybersecuritygrowth.com/services

🟢 Free Blogs, Videos and Podcasts: https://cybersecuritygrowth.com/webca...

👥 Become a Member of our Self-paced Cybersecurity Training & Community: https://members.cybersecuritygrowth.com/