Thoughts on Leadership: Gender Diversity in Cybersecurity
A self reflection and recap of my office’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity monthly highlight.
Something amazing that people might not know about MIT is they have almost a 50/50 gender split in their undergraduate population. Don’t believe me? Here, take a look at the demographics documented by MIT enrollment:
Source: https://web.mit.edu/facts/enrollment.html
This is such an anomaly in the world of science, engineering and technology, and one that more people should really strive for. Speaking from my personal MIT experience, a diverse environment like the MIT undergraduate student body creates a rich knowledge base of unique perspectives and approaches to solving problems. It’s an environment where everyone feeds off of eachother, and through mutual respect and shared interests, can learn and grow at a truly electric pace. As with any individual, entity, corporation, or system, there is always room for improvement, but it’s my opinion that MIT has been very reflective and is determined to lead by example on what it means to be a progressive institution.
As much as I love and can talk about my alma mater, I’m writing about this topic because I just attended my company’s IDE (Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) speaker series, and this one happened to be about gender diversity and equality within Cybersecurity. They had a panel of 4 Female Leaders within our organization, and created a space for them to openly share their experiences and perspectives on the past, present, and future of the Cybersecurity industry. As a cis white heterosexual male in Cybersecurity, this was a tremendous opportunity for me to stop and put myself in someone else’s shoes; to learn and grow from shared experiences that I might not have been exposed to otherwise.
From role based assumptions to behavior assertions to many tasteless comments, I have recognized that even in an environment that I feel is welcoming, supportive, and inclusive to others, it may in reality be far from the case. Day in and day out women in Cybersecurity face many challenges that I myself may never be able to understand. Experiences like being unsure how to speak up and share an opinion without being perceived as aggressive and forceful, not being given credit for work they have done, dealing with assumptions being held about their roles and responsibilities both in the office and at home, and dealing with sexist comments from clients and coworkers. These are just a few of the examples shared from the panelists, and an even smaller subset of what women in currently male dominated industries have been experiencing.
So what did I take away from this experience about what needs to happen, and what I and others can do to bring about positive change? Here is a short, non-exhaustive (actually very far from it) list of things i’ve been thinking about lately:
Continue to increase and promote gender diversity.
Like my MIT experience, there is so much we can gain from having a diverse workforce and the benefits are shared among everyone. In Cybersecurity specifically, the technologies that people and business use have been designed and built by the same types of people for decades. We need new and diverse forms of thought to critically analyze these technologies if we really want to get and stay ahead of our adversaries.
Have open and honest dialogue, just like this panel, but more frequently and with more people
Awareness and recognizing there is a problem are always some of the first steps towards change. This isn’t always straight forward or easy however, and in my experience it takes persistence, a foundation of mutual respect, and leading by example.
Be motivated to learn and grow by working together and keeping each other accountable
This type of change is without a doubt a team effort, and it requires people to be vulnerable. Be vulnerable when speaking up or out against behavior and actions that aren’t welcoming, inclusive, or supportive. Be vulnerable when accepting mistakes and feedback, and making an honest effort to be a better teammate and person. It is stated so simply here, but to be the one to stand out in either of these situations is one of the most challenging social obstacles we can face. With a team rooted in respect and growth, however, being vulnerable is something I think we as people can get more comfortable with.
Take personal ownership and reflect
Yes this is a team effort, but it only works if each individual is putting in the thought, time and energy that’s needed. No one is exempt, and there isn’t a list of things to do or things to say that you can check off to create the most inclusive work environment. It is something that requires continuous reflection and a genuine care for others.
How we can actually implement and facilitate these things is another question, and one that would probably make for a good journal entry too, but I hope at the very least this has got you thinking.
Being a better friend, neighbor, teammate, coworker, and leader is something I always challenge myself to do. It is an area I reflect on most often, and one where I think i’ve seen the most personal growth in myself. This is probably just the beginning of me sharing my “Thoughts on Leadership”, and I would love to hear any tips, comments, advice, interesting questions/concepts, and most importantly feedback you may have. I am always eager to listen and to be better.
LTLA,
RWR