What advice would you give other CISOs for disclosing their own feelings of burnout to their manager, given that many fear they could be perceived as ineffective or face other negative repercussions as a result?
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Global Chief Cybersecurity Strategist & CISO in Healthcare and Biotech4 months ago
Your health is number one. There is no job out there that's worth giving up your health, your family, your resiliency, your sanity. It's OK to walk away if you need to. Don't be beholden to any company. Know that it's OK to walk away and know that burnout happens to a lot of us. I've been burned out myself before and I've walked away. I have a great career now. Put yourself and your family first. It happens and it's OK. Take care of yourself first and everything else will be OK.CISO4 months ago
It's a bit of a catch 22. I wouldn't necessarily look for colleagues for therapy if I'm burned out. It's not appropriate to unload on them. The causes of potential burnout, like too much work, are valid for risk-based discussions. We need to address the issue of overwhelming workloads as a business discussion, not as a personal crisis. CISOs are very good at collaborating and communicating within our communities outside of our organizations. It's good to be able to talk to fellow CISOs about challenges and get reassurance that there's light at the end of the tunnel.CISO4 months ago
I agree with Matt. There's a risk that this kind of information could be weaponized and used against you. If you're showing signs of burnout, you need professional therapy. This is usually available through EAP programs. If you're concerned that your organization will judge you for needing more work-life balance, it might be time to consider a transition. For me, gardening helps to keep me balanced. If you can admit that you're struggling, then you're on the right path to getting it fixed.
Board Member, Advisor, Executive Coach in Software4 months ago
I love what Ian wrote. There's a difference between being burnt out and needing some work-life balance. If you're worried about discussing your stress or workload with your management, or if you're dealing with personal issues like a new child or aging parents, and you're afraid to share that, you're probably not working for the right people.
Director of IT in Software4 months ago
Psychological safety and openness is an important part of being a leader and having a successful relationship with your manager and peers. Provide measurable examples of what is impacting your time and managing day to day activities. Explain how this making you feel and ask for help. Everyone feels overwhelmed at times but asking for support does not mean being ineffective but is reflective of someone who cares and needs an action plan to regain focus, make some adjustments and feel confident. In order to start the conversation chat to a peer and rehearse what you want to convey this really helps at a senior level. Not taking action can have a detrimental effect on mental health and can lead to issues outside of the workplace, so be bold and remember everyone likes to be asked for advice! CISO in IT Services4 months ago
First, it's important to point out, the road to burnout began long before the promotion to CISO.You were burning it to even get here!
One of the key things to discuss is support, in the vein of humans. You can't be promoted to ciso and keep your old duties. Ciso role is very very different and requires a ton on reading, researching, engaging, physical visits (thus travel), as well as staying on top of all the situations you previously addressed before you were a ciso.
My advice, take your vacation days without a computer and be frank about work load with your c level peers, don't worry about what your boss thinks. You were promoted/hired to the role, be honest and perform with passion
CISO in Software4 months ago
One of the best practices is to have a regular and consistent rhythm for sharing not only the workload of your organization, but also the workload and priorities on your individual list. This makes it easy for your manager and superiors to understand and assist with the risk of burnout and overload.