Cyber Security
#BalanceforBetter - Waking up to the benefits of diversity
T By Jane Frankland CEO of Cyber Security Capital and Founder of the IN Security Movement
oday is International Women’s Day and all over the world women are marking the day with events and celebrations. From marches, rallies, conferences, networking events, and online discussions, women and their allies are reflecting on the advancements they’ve made this past year, as well as the actions they’ll need to take to promote a ‘society free of oppression, exploitation and sexual violence.’ The campaign theme for 2019 is ‘Better the balance, better the world,’ with a hashtag of #BalanceforBetter. Looking back at last year and what women in cybersecurity tell me they want for this year, it seems fitting. Having travelled the world as a keynote speaker, author and consultant, I’ve spoken to thousands of women and men, and witnessed some incredible diversity initiatives. I’ve also devised my own when there was a need. And with my insights, it’s these I want to share with you. So, let me start with the good news. The industry is finally waking up to the benefits of diversity, particularly that of gender. There’s a growing recognition for diversity of background and experience, and that the arts, social sciences and computer science need to come together. More and more hiring managers and leaders are talking about STEAM rather than STEM. Neurodiversity, a concept where neurological differences including Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum, Tourette Syndrome, and others, is now being valued, too, just as any other human variation.
16 | Australian Cyber Security Magazine
Diversity isn’t just being talked about either. Governments and forward-thinking businesses all over the world are beginning to implement diversity initiatives and track progress. To say this excites me is an understatement. Focusing on diversity isn’t just about doing what’s right for minorities. It’s good for society. Diversity offers a strategic and competitive advantage to business. For example, teams are more productive, innovative, and cost-effective compared to homogeneous teams. Reports show gender and cultural diversity offers a 35% performance improvement, which is significant. When we examine gender diversity, risk and cybersecurity, countless studies show us that women and men gauge risk differently. Women are far better at assessing odds than men, and this often manifests itself as an increased avoidance of risk. As women are typically more risk averse, their natural detailed exploration makes them more attuned to changing pattern behaviours – a skill that’s needed for correctly identifying threat actors and protecting environments. They also don’t fall for attacks that are being written purely for men. Research reveals that women score highly when it comes to social and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, that the collective intelligence of a group increases with more women. Women are super proficient at remaining calm during times of turbulence – a quality that’s required when breaches and major incidents occur. Women are able to use their intuitive thinking skills to make good decisions
