Businesses constantly juggle competing priorities—such as balancing innovation with reliability, investment with profit, and speed with security. Each leader in the organization plays a role in these decisions, and traditionally, CISOs have been positioned as the defenders of the business, focused on security and risk mitigation.
Over the past decade, however, the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has evolved in response to the increasing digitization and data-driven nature of business. No longer confined to back-office support, CISOs are stepping into more prominent roles, contributing to broader strategic discussions and decision-making.
Recent data from Netskope’s Bringing Balance report highlights this transformation. The modern CISO has emerged from the shadows of the executive team to become an active participant in driving business objectives, fostering innovation, and enabling growth.
According to the report, 59% of CISOs now view themselves as business enablers, and 67% express a desire to take on an even more active role. Yet, challenges remain: 65% of CISOs believe their C-suite peers don’t fully recognize their role in enabling innovation, and 92% cite conflicting risk appetites as a significant barrier within the executive team.
So, how can CISOs reshape perceptions and demonstrate their value as key enablers of business success?
Linking Cybersecurity to Business Goals
In today’s data-centric world, the CISO’s role is critical to ensuring operational continuity. While their contributions may not directly generate revenue, their impact becomes evident when considering how uncontrolled risks could hinder consistent revenue generation.
To bridge this gap, CISOs must build relationships across departments to understand their unique priorities and align security policies with organizational goals. This isn’t just about mitigating risks—it’s about enabling success. By fostering collaboration across silos, CISOs can transition from being purely defensive to becoming proactive, progressive, and solutions-focused.
Research shows that 66% of CISOs want to adopt a more positive approach, asking, “Yes – how do we achieve this?” instead of defaulting to restrictions. This mindset shift is key to driving alignment with broader business objectives.
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