A security vision lives on into the future

Aug. 22, 2023
Due to high rates of business changes, the exponential advancement of technology and the infusion of AI into security system hardware and software, a forward-looking view for security leadership and technology is essential.

In 2006, a spontaneous meeting of the minds occurred between veteran physical security consultant Ray Bernard, who comes from an IT background, and James Connor, then Senior Manager of Global Security Systems for Symantec Corporation, and now Head of Corporate Engagements for Ambient AI.

The year prior, the U.S. federal government had categorized electronic physical security systems as “IT systems.” Bernard and Connor shared concerns about the fact that the physical security industry’s thinking then was lagging IT by about 5 years in its information technology adoption, but about 15 years in its adoption of IT systems design and deployment practices.

At that time, security trade shows, workshops and conferences weren’t addressing this gap and thus weren’t serving the true needs of corporate security practitioners, many of whom came from law enforcement backgrounds.

Thus, two most important unaddressed needs then were: 1) transitioning corporate security management from the “guards, gates and guns” mindset to a corporate leadership mindset and; 2) advancing physical security system planning and design to be on par with current information technology and related IT practices.

The conversations between Bernard and Connor about these security industry gaps, as well as their discussions with security practitioners and leading manufacturers, blossomed into the Global Security Operations Event GSO), which became a forum for “cutting edge” thinking for business security leadership and technology adoption.

Due to the high rate of business change today, and the exponential advancement of technology and the infusion of AI into security system hardware and software, a forward-looking view for security leadership and technology is essential for success.

The proliferation of new technology companies and products, along with the ubiquitous touting of AI-enabled technology, has highly blurred the security system technology landscape, making it nearly impossible to navigate through conventional industry events and activities.

Tuning the Security Vision

Day 1 at GSO was focused on what it means to be a “business leader focused on security” as opposed to being a “security leader focused on the business.” The business leader perspective is what breaks down business security silos and enables the security function to provide greater value to the business.

Day 2 is focused on advancing technology and strategies for upgrading and/or adding value to existing physical security systems infrastructure, as well as how digital transformation objectives apply to security and are critical to moving from reactive to proactive and preemptive security operations.

Technology sponsors, as well as end-user security practitioners who are using advanced technologies, provide technology planning, deployment and operations insights.

GSO Event Takeaways

Attendees commonly made statements like the following during and after the GSO event at LinkedIn Global Headquarters last week.

Personal Leadership

  • If you understand about personal leadership in the organizational context, it previously unseen opportunities for security practitioners to lead on a daily basis become obvious.
  • Leadership is a personal thing and is all about caring – both caring about and caring for – and finding/enabling others to help do that.
  • Understanding that leadership is influence gives meaning to the concepts of leading up, down and across the organization. Security practitioners have greater overall insight into the business than other business leaders do, with gives them a better perspective for understanding situations within the company and positively influencing them.

Physical Security Technology ROI

  • It's important to the ROI from security technology investments to understand how the technologies work together within the security operations framework. That's not obvious from trade shows and lunch-and-learn types of events, but it is if the opportunity is there to engage more deeply and directly with manufacturers and service providers in a conversational setting.

Increased Awareness

  • Discussing current challenges with other security practitioners expands one’s perspective, as well as inspires new ideas for security programs and security operations.
  • Human trafficking activity occurs around us without our being aware of it. Most individuals have come in contact with a trafficking situation or a trafficked person, without being aware of it. Gaining and sharing awareness about current-day trafficking, which is at a peak globally and within the U.S., is an important element of combatting trafficking activities. There are many elements of human trafficking which are part and parcel of what seems to be ordinary commerce, which we can recognize and report effectively, helping to limit and disrupt trafficking activity.

Security practitioners are invited to expand their security vision at an upcoming GSO event.

Pamela Peak has been the co-producer of the GSO Events series since it’s inception in 2006. Pamela is more widely known as the screenwriter, director and producer of two award-winning films seen internationally on PBS, and as the producer/director of nearly 100 theater stage productions throughout the U.S. She also produces corporate events as well, all through her company Pamela Peak Productions