MENTORING IN 2023: CREATING THE ‘PERFECT PAIR’

by Liz Pisney , Senior Director

The spotlight on today’s cybersecurity professionals is blinding: the volume and variety of cyber attacks are increasing, placing them under extreme pressure to protect the reputation and wellbeing of the organisations that employ them.

These challenges are exacerbated by the widespread shortage of security professionals and a drive to increase gender diversity in the profession. No wonder it is critical to develop connectedness and mutual support among cybersecurity professionals.

Reinventing Mentoring

At ISACA mentoring is making a comeback, and a newly designed program is geared towards finding the perfect pairing, or ‘mentor match’ as we like to call it. This program does much of the hard work by recommending pairings between participants who have complementary qualities and enabling mentees to filter potential mentors according to the criteria most meaningful for them. Mentees initiate matches by sending a connection request to a carefully selected mentor who will then accept the request if they have the experience and insight to support the mentee’s journey. Since the program’s launch in mid-2022 more than 1,800 participants representing 114 countries have joined.

of Member Experience at ISACA

For this article I have interviewed both a mentor and mentee to gain insights into their experiences and advice.

MEET AN ISACA MENTOR — SALESHNI SHARMA, DIRECTOR, REGIONAL INFORMATION

SECURITY OFFICER – ASIA PACIFIC, WR BERKLEY CORPORATION.

Sharma is guiding five mentees so is well-qualified to reflect on the importance and benefits of a mentoring program.

A driving factor for Sharma becoming a mentor was her own experience as a migrant starting out in the information security sector. She says this would have been easier with a mentor. “But at that time there was no such program I was aware of, and staying in the information security industry was not easy. It requires continuous support, learning and development, combined with lots of commitment.”

While Sharma was not formally mentored, she did have the opportunity to work with outstanding leaders from whom she learnt, which aided her career development. These experiences are reflected in her own mentoring style, which she describes as attentive, role-modelling and motivating.

She says the most satisfying aspect of being a mentor is learning how the new generation thinks, reacts and responds. “It is a great environment to share learnings and experiences and is a way to give back to the industry and avoid someone making the same mistakes I made. I love meeting new people, building my network and working with someone to solve problems and achieve goals.

“On occasion, there are moments that challenge me, and it is always difficult to explain to a disheartened mentee when things do not seem fair that there may be something bigger and better.”

Sharma also has some advice for anyone considering becoming a mentor. “Start with someone you don’t know to avoid any bias. And, most importantly, listen to what your mentee is seeking and assist them as if you are mentoring your own team member. This will not only develop your skills but will have a profound impact on shaping someone’s career.”

She says mentoring is particularly valuable for developing the careers of female-identifying security professionals. “While the gender gap is closing there are still certain levels in the org chart where females are bypassed for promotions when they are more qualified, deliver better results and are far more experienced than their male counterparts.

“In my experience, mentoring programs provide the support they need to achieve their goals faster. My hope is that just knowing such programs exist will encourage more women to join and stay in the security industry.”

MEET AN ISACA MENTEE — EVA CHEN, GRC CONSULTANT, IONIZE PTY LTD.

Chen credits mentoring with giving her the courage to transition into cybersecurity from another industry and is a strong advocate for the wide-ranging benefits mentorship can provide.

“Not only was I transferring from another sector, but I was also entering the private sector for the first time, so I was feeling unsettled and started losing my confidence. I sought a mentor who had also transitioned from another industry so I could relate to their challenges and success stories. It was empowering for me to know I had someone in my corner encouraging me to stay in cybersecurity and helping me see things from a different perspective, outside my organisation.”

Mentoring provided the support Chen needed to reach her goals. “My mentor provided invaluable advice: focus on two or three streams to grow my cybersecurity skillsets, reflect regularly on what was going well and what could be improved, and keep a gratitude journal to help combat negative thoughts. These three pieces of advice guided me through the transition period and helped me to discover the paths I want to pursue.”

Chen completed her ISACA mentorship program profile which allowed the system to offer a list of prematched mentors. After narrowing the field to five potential mentors Chen initiated connection requests and was successful with her first connection.

To those considering seeking a mentor, Chen says it is okay not knowing initially what you want to achieve. “Do take time to think through what outcomes or long-term goals you hope to accomplish so the mentor can add value, and set a realistic timeframe with your mentor in which to achieve them.

“It’s also important to keep an open mind during communication and don’t be afraid to pivot and re-set your goals. You may discover a mentor’s fresh perspective opens up new areas to explore and develops your growth mindset and strategic thinking. While mentors may not have all the answers, they are there to enrich your knowledge and help you to get where you want to go. For me, a mentor provides a generous gift of their knowledge, time and perspectives.”

Chen believes there is still a long way to go to close the gender gap in cybersecurity, although there are many initiatives and support networks trying to do so. “It is not just about having more women entering the industry, it is also about fostering a culture of accepting women being in the security sector and giving them opportunities to grow so they will stay in the industry for longer.”

To find out more about ISACA’s new mentoring program, visit https://mentorship.isaca.org/ www.linkedin.com/in/lizpisney