Strategy Vs Culture in Information Security

A vibrant culture with an engaged workforce, moving in unison towards a shared vision. It’s the holy grail of success. But what exactly is the primary driver here? Strategy or culture?

Strategy, while great for keeping us moving forward, is dependent on a culture of motivation. However, if you had to choose, it seems culture is ultimately the winner. Surely you need both? Of course you need both, but interestingly, it seems that without the innate motivation of culture, strategy, which wraps objectives and rules around your employees is merely an instruction. A sense of ownership and drive for motivation comes from within the employee and this is driven largely by culture.

 Achieving a great company culture is not simple, but keep in mind, that creating understanding through education, awareness and clarity around process can increase an employee’s desire to achieve success and improve the status quo, allowing them to contribute in a meaningful way.

 Our Chief Information Security Officer, Alastair Miller maintains that effective information security is built on a strong culture of understanding. When staff understand the implications of weak information security, due to the way they personally act, they are more likely to act in a security conscious manner. This level of consciousness may even prompt contribution of how they believe a process can be improved.

So, don’t just force strategy across your organisation. Make sure to consider how your company culture can be used to raise adoption. NSP is committed to understanding your business, its values and culture. We can show you how you can strengthen your security posture by empowering your employees to take ownership through a security awareness program.

 To find out more, watch our latest security awareness video about the ever important human element in security.