In this episode of The New CISO, host Steve is joined by returning guest Sándor Incze, CISO at CM.com.

In part two of his interview, Sándor shares his strategies for boosting team productivity. As a long-time security leader, Sándor understands how to get the best out of his team. Listen to the episode to learn more about the difference between nervousness and excitement, the benefits of his CM model, and how running a cyber security staff is like soccer.

Listen to Steve and Sándor discuss how software development is like an F1 race and how to make a candidate confident during an interview:

In the Interview (1:33)

Sándor and Steve discuss high-stakes, stressful job interviews and how they can make candidates nervous. Although some security professionals are proud to make someone fumble during the interview process, Sándor and Steve share how to bring out the best version of someone to see if they are the right fit.

CM Squared (8:56)

Sándor shares the CM (or CM Squared) Model, a document he uses when auditing different companies' security systems to find their faults. With this model, Sándor can simplify technologies for business leaders and enhance their protections.

Like an F1 Race (15:30)

Like F1 racing, Sándor believes software development is a team effort. To help emphasize this metaphor, Sándor explains how different members of security teams mirror the roles of a racing crew.

Team Strategies (19:49)

When Sándor evaluates his role as a leader, he thinks of his staff as a soccer team. His team needs to score “goals,” and as their “coach,” it is his job to guide them.

He also shares his motto, “Do something you like, do something you’re good at, and contribute.”

The New CISO (27:12)

To Sándor, being a new CISO means “keep it simple.”

Making things too complicated does not stop cyber crimes. However, learning to talk to each other does.

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In this episode of The New CISO, host Steve is joined by guest Sándor Incze, CISO at CM.com.

Today, Sándor shares his untraditional path to a dual career in the Infosec and law enforcement industries. Through diligence, initiative, and automation, Sándor has been able to balance both of his life’s passions. Listen to the episode to learn more about Sándor’s extensive professional journey, the benefits of automation, and how personal interactions can shape your perspective on a crisis.

Listen to Steve and Sándor discuss what a police officer and a CISO have in common and when it’s appropriate to be “lazy”:

Meet Sándor (1:33)

Sándor has been passionate about tech since he was eleven years old. After tinkering around with an old computer at school, he became his school’s first administrator.

He credits this experience as his professional origin story.

An Opportunity With Law Enforcement (6:21)

Sándor shares that he has been interested in law enforcement professionally since his youth. Although this path didn’t initially work out, he was able to eventually combine his two passions into the dual career he has today.

Young and Successful (12:40)

By eighteen years old, Sándor was already establishing a successful career and saw the financial benefits alongside that. Amusingly, he would buy a new motorcycle every six months, an impressive luxury for his youthful age.

A Man In a Suit (14:03)

After finishing his computer science degree, Sándor tried to move into a law enforcement career. This attempt didn’t work out as intended, so Sándor had to go to a job wearing a suit rather than a preferred police officer’s uniform.

The Benefits of Laziness (16:18)

Sándor jokingly admits he is lazy because of his love for automating repetitive tasks. However, this method has proven effective, revealing much about Sándor’s perspective on work.

Lessons For the Listener (19:13)

After his third opportunity, Sándor successfully transitioned into a law enforcement role. He initially started as a volunteer, but he was able to use his automation skills to gain respect, leading him to become a police officer finally.

Life In the Academy (24:50)

Sándor reveals the age at which he joined the police academy and what being a security leader and officer have in common. A deep understanding of people and an accurate perspective on life are crucial mindsets to carry into both fields.

In this episode of The New CISO, host Steve is joined again by guest Ash Hunt, Global CISO at Apex Group Ltd.

Today, Ash shares how he transitioned from his career as a jazz musician into the vastly different world of cyber security. He also reveals his tips as a leader and a decision-maker. Listen to the episode to learn more about Ash’s unique professional journey, how security leaders inhibit their candidate search, and the secrets behind an empowered staff.

Listen to Steve and Ash discuss the power of delegation and how to determine the best time to find a new role:

Ash’s Return (1:39)

Ash returns to the podcast to share how he achieved his cyber security start. Initially touring as a jazz musician in London, Ash acknowledges how his past has helped him with his current career.

Fresh Challenges (10:13)

Ash explains when to seek new challenges to avoid professional stagnation.

He believes that when a company gets more out of him than he is out of that company, it is time to move on. This mentality has helped him decide when to leave an opportunity for a fresh one.

Being Creative (17:21)

Steve and Ash discuss the impact that they can have on others early in their careers. Ash tries to expose his interns to the industry as much as possible because there are so many exciting things to do in tech.

He believes leaders should be more creative when judging and developing talent. For Ash, creative compromise, persuasion, stakeholder management, and communication are skills that he considers when evaluating potential candidates.

Ownership and Delegation (22:01)

While discussing the importance of enabling your staff, Ash asserts what makes an effective leader. Allowing your team to own their work and delegating tasks creates an empowered and productive company culture.

Evaluating Loss (26:37)

Steve presses Ash on how he handles approaching inefficiencies at work, such as issues with AI, to the executive team. Ash’s answer is to follow the money and expose what people think is true, but it turns out to be the opposite.

Loss is rarely tracked, but pinpointing those causes can benefit your organization.

The Cost of a Breach (33:19)

Staying on the topic of loss, Steve and Ash reflect on the vast cost of a data breach and inefficient client management. Although Ash acknowledges that technology will be able to solve these issues over time, there is no harm in prioritizing clear data reports now.

New CISO (38:01)

To Ash, being a new CISO means converging cyber with technology. Ultimately, it is about working smarter, not harder, as a team.

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