Business & Leadership Thesis

ABSTRACT

Effective leadership is essential for organizations to navigate the complexities of information security. While technical controls and formal policies provide structure, they are not sufficient on their own to address the risks presented by evolving threats and human factors that impact organizational resilience. This paper examines four leadership traits that are particularly crucial in the context of information security: strategic foresight, adaptability, strong communication skills, and a human-centric approach. Strategic foresight enables leaders to anticipate future challenges and align security strategy with long-term organizational goals. Adaptability equips leaders to respond effectively to rapid changes and unforeseen disruptions. Strong communication fosters clarity, trust, and alignment across all levels of technical knowledge and expertise, ensuring understanding and effective decision-making. A human-centric mindset emphasizes empathy, behavioral insight, and aligning security practices with how people think, work, and interact within an organization. Drawing on academic research and graduate-level coursework, this thesis argues that leaders who possess these traits are best equipped to influence behavior, mitigate risk, and enhance long-term organizational resilience.