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Secrets to Success: Building Cyber Resilience in a NIS2 Essential Company

Your company is racing to meet NIS2 compliance. The CISO’s juggling threats, the compliance officer’s swimming in policies, and someone just handed you their task because “they thought you’d handle it better.” Congratulations—you’ve got yourself a monkey! 🐵

Building cyber resilience isn’t about passing the monkey or overcomplicating things. It’s about rolling up your sleeves, setting realistic goals, embracing challenges, and, most importantly, keeping the monkeys where they belong.

Creating cyber resilience in a NIS2 essential company requires more than just technical expertise—it demands discipline, emotional intelligence (EQ), and a pragmatic approach to leadership. Here’s how to achieve success while aligning with best practices:

Secrets for Success in Cyber Resilience

1. Do the work, don’t be lazy: Achieving NIS2 compliance requires consistent effort. Cybersecurity resilience is not built overnight, nor can it rely on shortcuts. Dedicate time to fully understand the organization’s vulnerabilities and address them systematically.

2. Stop waiting for opportunities. Create them: Don’t wait for a breach to force action. Proactively develop processes, such as incident response plans and regular risk assessments, to prepare for potential threats before they happen.

3. Be practical and set realistic goals: Break down complex cybersecurity requirements into manageable, achievable tasks. Avoid overwhelming stakeholders with lofty expectations.

4. Be productive early: Start projects early in the day and within the compliance cycle. Early action leaves room to address unexpected challenges and minimizes last-minute stress.

5. Embrace challenges: Compliance with NIS2 and ISO 27001 involves hurdles such as limited budgets, staffing issues, and technical complexities. View these as opportunities to innovate and grow stronger.

6. Don’t waste energy on things you cannot control: Focus on areas where your company can make an impact, such as internal processes and employee training, instead of worrying excessively about external threats like advanced persistent threats (APTs).

7. Don’t hang out with idiots: Surround yourself with competent, like-minded professionals. A team with low accountability or expertise can sabotage progress.

8. Stop trying to please everyone: Prioritize security objectives that align with the business’s core values, even if not everyone agrees. Not every department will fully understand the necessity of some controls.

9. Take good care of your body: Leaders and employees alike need energy and focus to navigate the demanding path to compliance. Encourage work-life balance to maintain peak productivity.

10. Stop doing the same things over again hoping for change: If certain cybersecurity initiatives haven’t worked, reassess and try new approaches. Continuous improvement is essential in cyber resilience.

The Dangers of Monkey Management in Cybersecurity

“Monkey management” refers to shifting responsibility for tasks onto others without proper ownership or accountability. In the context of NIS2 or ISO 27001, this can lead to significant delays and failures:

Time Wasted: When team members delegate critical tasks without clear instructions, the “monkey” (task) ends up on someone else’s shoulders. This creates bottlenecks, confusion, and neglected deadlines.

Lack of Accountability: Without proper ownership, key areas like risk management or compliance documentation are left incomplete, jeopardizing certifications.

Low Morale: Constant task-passing demotivates capable employees, creating frustration and eroding trust.

The Role of the Compliance Officer or CISO in Success

The Compliance Officer or CISO can enforce this project by focusing on empowerment and clear delegation:

1. Delegate with purpose: Assign tasks based on skills and capabilities. Make sure each team member understands their role and has the resources to succeed.

2. Give well-earned compliments: Celebrate small wins, whether it’s completing an internal audit, achieving a training milestone, or developing a new policy. Positive reinforcement builds momentum.

3. Hold stakeholders accountable: Set clear expectations, deadlines, and follow-ups. This ensures tasks don’t linger unresolved.

EQ Over IQ: The True Success Factor

The success of a NIS2 or ISO 27001 project relies less on raw intelligence and more on emotional intelligence:

Effective Communication: Simplify technical requirements into actionable steps tailored for non-technical stakeholders.

Empathy: Understand the challenges employees face, such as balancing workloads or adapting to new processes.

Collaboration: Foster a culture of teamwork and shared responsibility for security.

Simplifying Technology Through Business Analysis

Technology is a tool, not a solution. To implement cybersecurity measures effectively:

• Conduct a business impact analysis to understand what assets are most critical.

• Use simplified tools and workflows tailored to the company’s needs.

• Ensure that cybersecurity practices align with business operations, making them easier to adopt and maintain.

Conclusion: Resilience Through Leadership and Simplicity

The foundation of success lies in discipline, emotional intelligence, and a practical approach to compliance. Avoiding time-wasting pitfalls like monkey management, empowering stakeholders through recognition, and simplifying implementations will create a resilient company prepared for NIS2 and beyond. This success stems not from technical complexity, but from the ability to lead, inspire, and adapt.

The concept of “monkey management” in project management is extensively discussed in the Harvard Business Review article titled “Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?” This seminal piece explores how managers often unwittingly take on subordinates’ responsibilities (“monkeys”), leading to time management challenges and decreased productivity. You can access the article here:

For a more in-depth understanding, Harvard Business School Publishing offers a detailed analysis of the article, which can be purchased here:

These resources provide valuable insights into effective delegation and time management within project management frameworks.https://hbr.org/1999/11/management-time-whos-got-the-monkey

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