SECURE horizons
By Jess Abell , our Director of Strategic Content
In this column , we ’ ll be discussing key issues for CISOs and their teams – from AI to wellbeing and from Zero Trust to communication . If you ’ d like to get in touch , email jess @ lynchpinmedia . com
This led her on a journey to reassess her identity stripped from job and title . In 2021 , she published her first book , That Suburbia Lady a satirical memoir on identity that explored the authenticity of choices , voices and dreams . In 2022 the book was added to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library catalog . In 2023 , Mariana was featured at the Emirates Literature Festival , as a rising local author , and she delivered her first TEDx talk on the seasonality of life , the power of personal stories , and how they shape our identities .
In cybersecurity , and technology more widely , there may be an expectation to travel , attend client dinners , events and social functions – all of which are more difficult when attempting to maintain a worklife balance .
So , what can be done to make it easier for women to feel supported in their career and able to remain ambitious while also raising a family ?
It ’ s important , Mariana says , that the conversation does not start and end with maternity leave and flexible working . It ’ s about so much more .
“ The conversation I ’ m trying to have starts from the recruitment phase . Are we recruiting women ? Did you hire a mother today ? Did you promote a mother today ?,” she said .
“ CxOs love to talk about profitability , productivity and efficiency . And research shows that the more women you have in your workforce and up the ladder , the more profitable , productive and efficient your company is . Companies aren ’ t doing women a favour by recruiting them , they ’ re doing themselves a favour .
“ Without us – mothers – the leadership gender gap will never be closed .”
Through her research , Mariana aims to create a complete framework that begins at the stage of a job description being written , in order to foster a sense of inclusion early on .
“ Some mothers will see a job description which they qualify for from a qualification , education and experience perspective but if there is language such as ‘ long-hours ’ or ‘ travel is a must ’ then they are
unlikely to apply . So , mothers are automatically and by default being excluded from the talent pool .
“ The framework I hope to establish will start from the job description and end in more mothers being promoted to C-level and board positions .”
Conversations such as this are crucial for creating a network of women in cybersecurity that feel supported , valued and , critically , understood . It can be hard for those who have not experienced the pressure of attempting to maintain the status quo to understand how difficult it can be .
Becoming a mother proved to be her biggest challenge yet because she was suddenly asked to justify why she deserved the role she had been doing .
It can be described as an almost permanent feeling of guilt – never quite being ‘ good enough ’ as a colleague and never quite being ‘ good enough ’ as a mother . And in a world where women suffer from imposter syndrome much more profoundly than men , it ’ s easy to understand why some women may choose to step down from their career – something clearly visible in the statistics Mariana has uncovered .
But with the threat landscape rapidly evolving , a diverse cybersecurity workforce will be crucial in levelling the playing field , so it ’ s vital that women are given the opportunity to take up leadership positions .
For me , 12 months later , there will always be an on-going strive for ‘ balance ’ between my two worlds of work and motherhood and no two days will ever look the same – or run smoothly for that matter – but having champions such as Mariana who recognise the challenges and , more importantly , the benefits of women in leadership in technology can only be a force for good for our wider digital economy .
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