THE SOURCE OF DIVERSITY
Holly Wright Security Architect at IBM Development Labs
She says diversity of thought comes from exposure to completely different domains. “It’s vital you give yourself that exposure. Most universities have racing clubs, rocket clubs, robotics clubs – all of which are fantastic places to test and grow the skills you are building at university.
W
“These types of societies make you step outside your domain and think about the full ‘product’ you are hen Holly Wright, a security
building, working together and compromising with
architect with IBM Development
other parts of the system. That mindset is immensely
Labs on the Gold Coast, talks
valuable and is best when it comes from experience.”
about her cybersecurity journey, diversity looms large in almost
every aspect.
Asked what factors would be important if she were
And Wright says she brings a diverse set of personal skills to her role, to such an extent that she was once challenged whether she was suited to her engineering role.
offered a new role—other than core features such as remuneration and the nature of the role itself—Wright
Staff in her workplace were given the Herrmann Brain
cites its potential impact on the diversity of her life as
Dominance Instrument test, designed to measure and
a whole. “At the end of the day, success in my career
describe thinking preferences in people. It identifies
can only happen if I am happy and thriving, and for
four different modes of thinking: analytical, sequential,
me a big part of my happiness comes from friends,
interpersonal and imaginative.
family and hobbies,” she says. “If a role meant that I had to permanently sacrifice a large chunk of that
“The majority of people were showing strong
I would have to consider whether I would be able to
analytical and practical driven styles, which makes
succeed in that role in the long term.
sense in an office full of engineers,” Wright says. “But me, I was the opposite, scoring much higher in the
“Some questions I might consider: are there new
relational and experimental scales. The facilitator
hobbies I could try that would work with the role?
even came over to me and asked me if I really enjoyed
Are there other ways I can adjust my life so that I can
my job as an engineer.
still see friends and family? If I can still ‘keep my cup full’ and take on the new role, then bring it on!”
A BIG PICTURE THINKER “That did make me question whether I was doing the
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Similarly, her advice to anyone planning to pursue
right thing at the time, but what I realised was that
university education as a route into cybersecurity is to
this difference is really what makes me a valuable
“get involved in university projects and clubs outside of
part of my teams. I am energised when I’m thinking
their coursework, and ideally outside of their domain.”
about the bigger picture and building relationships,
W O M E N I N S E C U R I T Y M A G A Z I N E
J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 2023
