Resources Abound

Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Bob Hayes, Kathleen Kotwica and Marleah Blades

EDITOR'S NOTE: There are six different areas of knowledge that successful security programs of the future must incorporate, either in the knowledge base of their leaders or in the collective knowledge of the leading staff. They are government elements, security organization, emerging issue awareness, IT security, business elements and executive leadership. This is the last in a series of articles covering these knowledge areas. For security professionals, success in the future will be gained only through a blended skill-set — a culmination of all the streams. To read other articles in the series - and to view a self-assessment tool - visit securitysolutions.com/corporate/next-generation-leader.

Since January, this column has been dedicated to discussing the skills and talents required to become the security leader of tomorrow. The Security Executive Council has identified and conducted research on the skill sets today's successful leaders should have or have incorporated into their teams: government skills, organizational knowledge, IT security, executive leadership skills, business essentials and emerging issue awareness. (To read the history of emergence for each skill set and to view a self-assessment tool, visit securitysolutions.com) At the end of each column, we included a broad description of the training resources available to help the security professional hone his or her skills in the six knowledge areas. In this final column in the series, we delve into training specifics.

Our list of compiled resources includes training courses, certifications, books, online content repositories and degrees available from professional associations, trade associations, for-profit training organizations, and colleges and universities. The majority of these resources are recommendations from Council members, staff and faculty.

Each resource is categorized by the knowledge area the skill set originates from. If you do not have experience in any one of these areas, the following training resources should help you learn the key elements. Start your path now to becoming a next-generation security leader.

We recognize there are many resources to acquire security knowledge including academic degrees and long-term experience. However, the following table consists of resources that enable the reader to quickly gain insight into these knowledge areas:

• GOVERNMENT SKILLS (Gov)

  Expertise or working knowledge in investigations, intelligence, emergency preparedness and response, physical security systems, risk assessment and risk mitigation.

• ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE (Org)

  Expertise or working knowledge in a specific organization or industry, brand reputation risks, customers and issues, crisis management, corporate culture and policy and awareness.

• IT SECURITY (IT)

  Expertise or working knowledge in IT policy, data and privacy protection, system integration, network security, computer and platform security and data forensics.

• EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SKILLS (Exec)

  Expertise or working knowledge in negotiations, decision skills, cost control, strategic planning, influence and presenting effectively.

• BUSINESS ELEMENTS (Bus)

  Expertise or working knowledge in business alignment, finance, business/employee law, business conduct and ethics, measures and metrics and competitive dynamics.

• EMERGING ISSUE AWARENESS (Emerg)

  Expertise or working knowledge in laws and regulatory trends, globalization developments, trans-national crime, gray markets, intellectual property protection and cross-sector benchmarking.

The Council plans to post this list and more on its Web site. Visitors will be asked to submit their recommendations. In the meantime readers may send their recommendations to the Council at contact@secleader.com

Resources Abound PDF

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BOB HAYES is the managing director and KATHLEEN KOTWICA is vice president, research development of the Security Executive Council, a cross-industry professional organization of security executives devoted to advancing strategic security practices. MARLEAH BLADES is senior editor for the Council. Special thanks to LIZ LANCASTER CARVER, member services and projects manager for the Council, for her contributions to this article.

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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