In our CISOSpeaks series where we at Invora Technologies interview CISOs on a variety of topics in information security, we recently had the privilege of speaking to the distinguished CISO and wellness guru Jothi Dugar. Jothi juggles multiple roles; she is Deputy Director (Acting) & Wellness Ambassador at NIH (National Institutes of Health) CIT (Center for Information Technology), entrepreneur, dance director, holistic health and wellness practitioner, author and international public speaker.
Having worked in the wellness space for years, she has more than a few golden nuggets of advice to share with her fellow professionals.
"Chaos Loves You, So Let's Love It Back"
Being a corporate leader is by no doubt chaotic. Jothi’s advice for those chaotic, stressful situations is that you need to understand what your triggers are.
Everyone has their own unique triggers. The world could be ending for you but for somebody else, it might just be a little inconvenience. Identifying your own triggers will prevent you from pulling yourself into the chaos and forgetting how to think straight. It can help you navigate yourself and your team through crises.
"If you can't lead yourself from within, you can't really lead others"
In a technologically advanced world, especially in an industry like cyber security, the human is often seen as the weakest link. But Jothi calls for the need for a paradigm shift in this approach towards people. It’s high time we start acknowledging that people are our biggest assets.
The creativity humans bring to the table, the resilience, the ability to handle conflict in constructive ways, and the power to create meaningful connections – people are empowered with these strengths which are the soul of problem solving, at an individual, organizational and global level. These gifts bring meaning to technology. Organizations should incorporate into their culture meaningful investments into empowering human resources.
Not all companies, leaders and stakeholders acknowledge how crucial cyber security is. But, as Jothi points out, the mindset around the cyber industry is slowly changing for the better. The Cybersecurity Market size is estimated at USD 203.78 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 350.23 billion by 2029. PwC’s 27th Annual Global CEO Survey found that cybersecurity especially in the wake of Generative AI is a top concern of CEOs in the US.
A considerable number of people are starting to see the potential that a strong security posture has in preserving brand image and keeping their revenue flow intact. They’re starting to integrate security into every step of the way in building and selling their products and services.
Cybersecurity is certainly a male-dominated field. In the US, only 35% of the STEM workforce comprises women. And women make up only a mere 24% of the cybersecurity workforce, according to the International Cybersecurity Membership Organization.
Several women in STEM fields constantly feel the pressure to go above and beyond to prove their worth to feel like they belong here. But this imposter syndrome has roots in decades and centuries of patriarchal gatekeeping in these select fields.
To women leaders and professionals, Jothi’s advice is simple. “As women, we CAN have it all, but we don’t need to DO it all.” We don’t have to hold ourselves to unrealistic standards and lose our sanity over it.
Find Jothi Dugar’s insights interesting? Read her extremely witty and down-to-earth blog articles here.
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