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Keeping your CISO engaged will benefit your business. Here’s how.

  • min read
    • Between stress, overwork and constant new threats, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face countless challenges. And the security of nations, businesses and society relies on their doing everything they can to rise to the challenges. Growing complex threats and the rapid shift to remote work complicate an already expansive role. Today's CISO needs technical skill and the ability to respond fast to reputation-damaging breaches like ransomware attacks. High stress, low retention Many CISOs haven't been in their role long. Research by Cybersecurity Ventures in 2020 found nearly one in four (24 percent) of CISOs in US Fortune 500 companies had been in their job just a year. A further 16 percent had been in post for only two years. There's no single reason CISOs move around more than other C-suite executives, but higher stress probably plays a part. UK domain registry Nominet's 2020 CISO Stress Report found 88 percent – around nine in 10 – CISOs said they were "moderately" or "tremendously" stressed. The same report found average CISO time in post was just two years and two months. Seasoned CISO Matt White, once fashion brand Chanel's Global Head of Information Security Strategy and co-founder of software-as-a-service platform XaaS, thinks CISOs' biggest challenge is lack of understanding from companies and boards. CISOs have an uphill battle – under-resourced with budget and staff while battling red tape and bureaucracy. Relationships make a fulfilling role What can CISOs do to find a role where they feel fulfilled? White suggests considering what a potential employer wants from a CISO. Do they want change or someone to continue the status quo? Although it may be hard to assess before joining, a CISO should investigate how well the organization has established and resourced its cybersecurity. White adds, "It's paramount to understanding the type of company, its level of maturity and how supportive the board may be of changes." If the last CISO left because they didn't have the financial resources or headcount for a good cyber defense strategy, a new CISO should make sure there's since been change. Kaspersky research, in association with Longitude, a Financial Times company, found a closer relationship between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams leads to better security outcomes. Over a quarter (26 percent) of survey respondents said they believed "strong integration between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams will be very important in the next two years." This group also reported they were better prepared to deal with the impact of cyberattacks. It's important senior managers get involved in elements of cybersecurity. If CISOs foster strong relationships with C-suite colleagues, they can help those executives better understand challenges facing IT security. Continuous skill development With new threats and cyber challenges cropping up daily, CISOs must keep their skills and technical knowledge up-to-date. But their role also demands a range of 'soft skills.' "CISOs, like all C-suite roles, need continuous development, not just with technical skills," says Naveen Vasudeva, Founder and CEO of United Arab Emirates-based CyberTree Paradox, a cybersecurity firm focused on small-to-medium enterprises. "The CISO must be a diplomat, skilled in communicating technical things simply, so others can understand and take action." To thrive in their career and ensure a long tenure at companies they enjoy working for, CISOs should build their skill base. This will mean they're as prepared as possible for challenges that come their way. But if a CISO finds they're completely exhausted and can't perform their job because of lack of company support, the best option may be to seek greener pastures. Strong teams are everything C-suite executives have a vital role in improving CISO working conditions and retention. Not all C-suite members can gain a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity. Those who do develop that understanding can show inclusive leadership and better support the CISO. A CISO is only as effective as the team they lead. Highly skilled cyber professionals are in hot demand, hard to retain in a competitive market. A Cybersecurity Ventures 2020 study found unfilled cybersecurity jobs grew 350 percent in the eight years to 2021. A CISO may enter a business and find their staff don't have the right skills, making it hard to succeed in their role. Vasudeva thinks selecting the right team is the difference between success and failure. "You can't do it all, and you shouldn't. Pick skills in your team you can rely on and help them develop their next moves, so you can develop yours. It's about leadership, not management – there's a massive difference." Short tenure hurts CISOs and companies, so everyone involved should address the issue. Kaspersky's 2020 global business survey backs this up, with 38 percent of respondents saying lack of consistent management in IT security is a challenge. Being a CISO for just a year or two isn't enough time to make a real difference or embark on transformational projects, let alone change corporate culture. There is no one way a CISO can fully protect themselves from short tenure, but if they focus on enhancing their skills, build relationships with executives and create a strong team, they will likely find themselves in a strong position. C-suite colleagues have an important role to play in retaining CISOs too – raise your cybersecurity understanding so your CISO can rely on your support.
Designing professional development for Millennials and Gen Zers

For Millennials and Gen Z, today’s professional development needs work

  • min read
    • The generations we call Millennials (born 1981 to 1996) and Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) now make up most of the global workforce. But despite their numbers, today's workplace may not meet their needs, because they're quitting jobs and hopping between positions in growing numbers. Those businesses that examine how they're retaining, developing and supporting these employees will have a chance to get ahead of their competition. There are signs information overload and mental fatigue are making us all gravitate to short-form content, but Millennials and Gen Z express this preference more strongly – they seem to learn, think and communicate differently from their predecessors. If companies want to boost their performance, organizational resilience and enterprise capabilities, they should redesign their professional development programs to engage these audiences better. Where professional learning is going wrong As a futurist keynote speaker and workshop presenter, I train thousands of professionals on how to adapt to industry change and emerging technologies. I need to bring audiences up to speed and inspire enthusiasm within minutes. But I find IT learning and professional development methods are still tied up in rigorous training programs and demanding certifications that take weeks or months to unpack. In the age of Zoom fatigue, things are going in the wrong direction. I've seen a steady increase in the average length of training I'm asked to give, from under an hour to 90−180 minutes. "Today's IT and security pros need to get up to speed on a rising array of breaking trends, technologies and topics in less time than ever," David Thomas, executive director of online programming at University of Denver, told me. "At the same time, they're pulled in more directions and their concentration is becoming more divided." Microlearning as an addition to traditional learning Experts suggest offering a broader range of learning approaches and educational solutions can help fill the gaps around extensive teaching and training programs. Microlearning especially is gaining ground. This rapid-fire approach to learning means breaking content into shorter, more approachable chunks. It helps promote interest in new topics and gets learners up to speed faster. In a 2018 paper, researchers Ján Skalka and Martin Drlík reported that microlearning, in tandem with more comprehensive training methods like coursework and certification programs, helps offset the impact of decreasing attention. It gives a speedy onramp for tech-related topics, reducing the learning curve, driving interest and boosting learning. Tatyana Shumaylova, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Kaspersky says get-to-the-point, bite-sized learning is central to their cyber education program Automated Security Awareness Platform (ASAP). "We understand that maximum engagement is key to learning, so we put that at the heart of our educational approach. For Millennials and Gen Z in particular, the 'old ways' are ineffective, so we trimmed the fat, banished waffle and keep our modules sharp, interactive and impactful." Greater loyalty to businesses that value learning Researchers at Florida International University found leaders and employees admit there's an issue with maintaining attention spans. They also found young audiences can maintain intense focus but are easily distracted. The research found these younger professionals are "most engaged when working on projects that are rewarding and impactful" and when they're doing "meaningful work and being challenged." These generations also actively look for jobs with more development opportunities and are more loyal if they receive continuing education. Companies must adapt development and training programs to short attention spans to engage and retain them. A Millennial herself, Taylor Tresatti, head of industry research for BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, told me she'd found learning and experiential opportunities promised but not delivered many times in her career. So she changed job roles and positions to get them: "As an employee, you have to gain working knowledge of new tools, technologies and trends quickly, without active training or certification from your employer. It would be super helpful to have access to faster and easier ways to master new skills." Investing in tech-rich learning experiences In their 2020 paper Educational experiences with Generation Z, three researchers said younger generations motivate companies to "accelerate and improve the teaching and learning process." This means investing in more technology-powered resources for new ways of teaching and learning, and finding more effective ways to capture and hold audiences' attention. Chris Zimmerman, senior analyst with trend forecasters FutureProof Strategies, told me, "There's a time and place for traditional learning methods and deeper dives. But your first goal in an increasingly frenetic business world should be to pique audience interest. That means looking for ways to present learning material that breaks through daily clutter better. It also means finding better ways to package and present material that bestows working knowledge faster." How to make learning more engaging I recently developed a new training method called POP FUTURE – you can download the instruction manual and guide for free. It's a faster, friendlier way to present learning content, putting future trends, new technologies and emerging business topics in a more intuitive and welcoming context that audiences of more backgrounds and skill levels can understand. My methods include reducing training manuals, workplace guides and reports to quick-hit videos, animated explainers or brief charts, illustrations and infographics. Effective teaching can also include games, exercises and simulations based on real-world challenges, like role-playing strategies for addressing network hacks or data breaches. I also recommend using animated GIFs, eye-catching explainers and graphs, and other social media-friendly content to make simple, understandable visual representations of complex subjects. Developing tomorrow's leaders Millennials and Gen Zers are quick learners, hungry for insight. In a world of shrinking employment tenures, they weigh learning and development opportunities highly when considering jobs. When unforeseen challenges emerge, these audiences won't have the time for traditional learning programs or in-depth curriculums. Supplementing your learning and development regimen with more short-form and microlearning-based content will give your workforce access to more approachable, on-demand learning and speak to more knowledge-hungry employees.
threats outer space

How criminals could use space junk to attack any business

  • min read
    • A powerful way cybercriminals can cause catastrophic damage on Earth is to attack in space. It may sound like science fiction, but now we all rely on space infrastructure to do business, any organization could be affected. Space enthusiast and Distinguished Chair of the cybersecurity program at Middle East Institute Chris Kubecka explains a little-known space disaster scenario we should be more aware of in Tomorrow Unlocked's video Threats in Outer Space. Smash-ups in space Although space exploration has brought many world-changing advances, it's left orbit like many places on Earth – littered. From obsolete satellites to rocket parts and chips of paint, space junk circles the Earth at high speeds, threatening to collide with useful things, like working satellites and the International Space Station. Collisions could be deadly or cause irreparable damage to expensive equipment. Any smash-up creates more space junk, raising the risk to other orbiting objects. For a sense of just how much 'stuff' there is up there, see known space objects tracked in real-time on StuffIn.Space, some known only as 'debris' or 'unknown.' The 'black swan' of space crashes One of the most serious consequences of a space collision is Kessler Syndrome. Kubecka describes it: "A big enough collision would create a chain reaction, causing space junk to smash into each other all over orbit, forming a dust cloud." An accident or deliberate attack could trigger a Kessler Syndrome event. Kubecka explains, "It's now so cheap to build 'attack CubeSats' or even larger satellites. You could cause collisions." She also points to the growing use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in space tech. "If IoT goes rogue, that's a big problem." As wealthy business people become more visible in space exploration, the potential for huge media attention will attract cybercriminals to attack their space systems and use them to create chaos in space – and so, chaos on Earth. Preventing a 'Kessler' event As well as protecting space systems from cyberattack through the best available methods, like cyber immunity – building systems in a way that makes them almost impossible to compromise – we must take out the space trash. As part of the Securing Space initiative, Kaspersky supports fledgling innovators StartRocket as they develop a new way to remove space debris from orbit – with foam.
tale two metaverses

The Metaverse’s history shows we’re not quite ready for it

  • min read
    • In October 2021, Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg changed his company's brand name to Meta to reflect what he sees as the importance of the metaverse to their business strategy. Experienced using a virtual reality (VR) headset, the three-dimensional virtual environment lets characters (called avatars) engage in social and commercial activities much like real life. Many global business giants see the Metaverse as a huge commercial opportunity that will change how we live and work. Should your business get involved? I believe the Metaverse's history shows while it's an environment you should get familiar with, it may not be the time to invest big. Here's why. Origins of the Metaverse The video games industry has long driven demand for engaging immersive experiences and technologies to deliver them. Content expert Amica Graber says the word 'Metaverse' first appears in Neal Stephenson's 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash. Snow Crash's imaginary Metaverse is a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) – a game where all players are logged into the same game space, competing or collaborating on missions. MMOGs have been around since the 1990s. Their popularity has risen fast worldwide with improved internet connectivity, computer power and immersive graphics. One such game, space simulator EVE Online, has seen over 60,000 players simultaneously playing. And like in the Metaverse, trading virtual items for real-world money in MMOGs has become big business. What's the Metaverse's attraction? The Metaverse has business potential because of our willingness to invest so much time and money in playing games online. In a 2022 virtual conference on the Metaverse, Datin Lorela Chia, CEO of Haus of Stylo, Malaysia, gave examples of the fashion and games industry collaborating, like creating and selling virtual garments for avatars. But it's not just about buying and selling things – the Metaverse offers a way to meet, discuss or learn that's more immersive than other online communication tools. Bill Gates said in 2021, "Within two to three years, I predict most virtual meetings will move from 2D camera image grids… to the Metaverse – a 3D space with digital avatars." Metaverse follows in Second Life's footsteps In almost every way except the VR headsets, there was a Metaverse from 2003, when Linden Labs launched virtual world Second Life. Second Life is a virtual world that lets users create avatars and settings, and teleport from one place to another in seconds. Second Life has an estimated 800,000 users and many of the characteristics of a real-world civilization – rules, citizen rights, homes, shops, universities and events. It has many business applications like hybrid conferences, virtual project meetings and data visualization for education and collaboration. IBM has used Second Life for internal meetings. BP for graduate recruitment and Imperial College London for virtual hospital tours. But with all its functionality and experience, Second Life hasn't gained mainstream commercial success. So why does Mark Zuckerberg believe his Metaverse has massive disruptive potential? What's enabling today's Metaverse? The answer lies in how the internet evolved since its birth in 1983. The power of 5G and fibre, smartphones and social media have all played a role. Today's advanced internet technologies make the Metaverse possible, but the devices and applications we use daily will determine whether it has significant commercial potential. Second Life runs on a desktop computer and connects to a network of Linden Lab servers. It's a security risk for businesses with network firewalls. Second Life is also 'synchronous:' users only get value from being online at the same time as other users. So there are no users in most Second Life locations most of the time. To use a real-world retail analogy, there's a lack of footfall. This is also true for the Metaverse. Its commercial potential will depend on user numbers and where they spend time. It's critical there's on-demand universal access across computers, laptops and mobile devices. Perhaps 'Web 3.0' will be the technology that delivers on making Metaverse experiences securely accessible to a global marketplace across different devices, but especially mobile devices like smartphones. What is Web 3.0 and why does it matter? IT industry analyst Robin Bloor recently said, "Web 3.0 is the third generation of the internet — a global network that permits intelligent interactions between all its users and devices." Web 3.0 is a theoretical new blockchain-based iteration of the web. It could provide increased data security, scalability and privacy for users. It would let users publish rich media content to a global audience and make a Metaverse more commercially viable than Second Life. By making the web more powerful, intuitive and secure, Web 3.0 could mean the volume of online users accessing and creating content grows faster. One major difference, most relevant to the Metaverse, is better handling of the 3D graphics needed for virtual worlds. Blockchain important to Metaverse commerce Metaverse settings are computer-generated environments or 360-degree photos and videos captured by consumer or professional cameras. These digital images and videos are now traded on the internet. Blockchain can validate ownership of these digital assets, enabling the fashion industry to sell digital garments. In Second Life from 2005, you could create digital assets and trade them for the digital currency Linden dollars. Today, the same thing is happening in the Metaverse using blockchain and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. These latest developments, alongside artificial intelligence that connects buyers with sellers, will add to the growth of the Metaverse. How will the Metaverse affect business? The future shape and commercial potential of the Metaverse go beyond numbers of users. It also depends on how often they visit, for how long, where and why. With pandemics and climate change restricting face-to-face contact and travel, applications that enable remote communication and collaboration have grown fast. Online meeting app Zoom saw daily meeting participants grow from 10 million to 300 million between 2019 and 2020, mostly from small business and personal use. Will the Metaverse become the new virtual meeting space Bill Gates predicted? It seems unlikely for now, with the convenience and ease of use of Zoom and other online meeting platforms. More likely, the commercial potential of the Metaverse will be unlocked by applications that benefit more from immersive experiences. It could also be useful in mental and physical health therapies that use virtual reality and for complex 3D data visualization. Facebook (Meta) has invested hugely in strategy based on VR headsets as the gateway to their Metaverse platform. Unlike the browsers found on every smartphone and laptop, few own or have access to a VR headset. At the moment, Metaverse suffers from the same problem that restricted Second Life – a limited marketplace, until the technology evolves to the point where VR headsets or glasses are affordable and ubiquitous. Unlike recent disruptions like cryptocurrency, the Metaverse relies on mass adoption to be profitable for business. Several factors in the market today make mass Metaverse adoption unlikely, like low VR headset ownership and lack of systems to access the Metaverse with commonly owned devices. While businesses should closely follow the Metaverse's development, it may be premature to invest heavily at this time. In any case, watch this space.
data transparency center

How transparency centers and open data processing practices help your business

  • min read
    • Data processing centers are already a crucial part of digital business, and transparency centers – although less widespread – are becoming part of that picture too. But the two can be confused or poorly understood. Enterprises wanting to make sure they're protecting their security in the best way possible will want to get to the bottom of this. Here, we'll take an in-depth look at both, examining their different purposes and what your business should consider when using each as part of its security practice. What data processing centers do Data processing centers hold servers and computers that process your business's information. Increasingly, data processing centers are separate from the data-owning business's premises for safety, security and cost-effectiveness. According to Market Prospects Insights, "Data center operations include installing and maintaining network resources, ensuring data center security, and monitoring systems responsible for power and cooling." Speaking of power and cooling, more businesses are now thinking about the environmental impact of data processing. Thankfully, data processing needn't cost the earth. You can seek out data processing centers powered by renewable electricity, either in a country where grid power comes mostly from renewable energy, like Norway, Brazil or New Zealand. Or, process your data with a company that powers their data center by buying electricity only from renewable sources. Why data center location matters Regulation can also impact where businesses choose to process their data. You'll need to know how laws in the territory you and your customers are in could affect your data security. A third factor influencing where you process your data may be company values. At Kaspersky, we use two data centers in Zürich, Switzerland to store all threat-related data from our product users in Europe, North and Latin America, the Middle East and several Asia-Pacific countries. We chose Switzerland because of its long history of neutrality, as part of our Global Transparency Initiative (GTI.) What transparency centers do Wondering what next-level trust between businesses looks like? You may soon have the opportunity to examine your software supply chain in a new level of detail. Outside the open-source software movement, software source code is usually a closely guarded trade secret. But increasingly, front-runners realize that finding ways to safely and securely let partners and clients inspect their code helps build the trusting relationships businesses need to thrive. Communications giant Huawei established its first transparency center in Brussels in 2019. Huawei explains what they hope to achieve with their center: "Through the Cyber Security Transparency Centre, we plan to increase communication and collaboration with security professionals, governmental agencies, customers and other industry stakeholders, in order to develop a secure and trusted digital environment." Microsoft opened transparency centers in Brussels and Redmond, Washington in 2014 to 2015 as part of its Government Security Program (GSP.)  Matt Thomlinson, Vice President of Microsoft Security highlighted how transparency centers can contribute to better economic outcomes for all: "Only by increasing confidence in digital solutions […] can Europe ensure that every citizen, business and government feels the benefits of the digital revolution." Kaspersky started creating transparency centers in 2017 and now has seven, in Zürich (Switzerland,) Madrid (Spain,) São Paulo (Brazil,) Woburn (USA,) Tokyo (Japan,) Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia.) We welcome customers and partners, including authorities responsible for cybersecurity, from anywhere in the world to visit these centers. How Kaspersky customers can use our transparency centers We suggest clients visit a transparency center if they want to know more about our data security, privacy and management practices, encryption methods or supply chain risk management. When customers visit our centers, we have experts on hand to give any technical information about our source code and technologies. We have three levels of access, like the beginner, intermediate and advanced slopes on a ski field – designed to allow a broader range of client visitors to get something out of the experience. They could rebuild our source code to ensure it matches publicly available modules, and read what independent auditors – including a Big Four accounting firm – have said about us in recent security reports. While few businesses have transparency centers today, others are adopting similar ideas. Showcase centers, for example, let customers try out the firm's latest tech and in some cases, securely review code. UK-based telecommunications multinational BT established a showcase center for its financial services products, where their customers learn more about their products – especially security features. Today, businesses must understand where and how their data is processed and ensure processing conforms with regulation and their organization's values. Find out what opportunities you have to better understand what's happening with your data. If you have an opportunity to visit a transparency center or other facility that lets you get up close and personal with the code of organizations in your supply chain, take up the offer – regardless of which ski slope you're on.
trust global business

New research on how to build trusted business relationships worldwide

  • min read
    • Trust is the building block of all relationships, but the way we build trust in business isn't the same the world over. Tyree Mitchell is assistant professor at Louisiana State University School of Leadership and Human Resource Development. His latest book with Jeanne Brett, Searching for Trust in the Global Economy, shares findings from studying managers in 33 countries, revealing differences in how they nurture trust relationships. It also asks if the pandemic has changed how we make decisions about trust. I spoke with Tyree about his research and ideas to improve relationships in virtual and global tech teams. Susi O'Neill: Why did you focus on international differences in trust for your research? Tyree Mitchell: Global economic development needs new business relationships. Negotiating them is tricky – there's much uncertainty, vulnerability and unmet expectations. Trust is critical. When negotiators trust each other, businesses use fewer resources to prevent exploitation and have better economic outcomes. Most research and theories on trust are from a Western perspective. Data from the World Values Survey shows different responses. For example, the US is higher on trust than Brazil. To build relationships, you must understand how trust varies between cultures. We wanted to explore what that means when negotiating business relationships and understand from managers and executives how trust happens. How do we decide if we'll trust a business partner? We learned from the 82 managers we interviewed four key actions they use to make trust decisions. First, due diligence – searching for information about the new partner, including financial status, ratings and reviews and data gathering on social platforms like LinkedIn. Second, brokering – a special introduction where a third party puts their reputation on the line. We particularly see this in East Asia. Third, goodwill building – interacting socially to get to know the partner, like grabbing a coffee or going to a sports event together. Finally, testing – getting the partner to act or react, like asking a question when you already know the answer. We want to know if they will be upfront about company difficulties or cover up problems. In the West, we use testing to check if you're forthcoming and honest, as the assumption is you can be trusted. In East Asia, testing is about checking competency, as people tend to embellish things, so partners want to know if you can deliver what you promise. From these actions, we found four standards for determining if someone is trustworthy -- competence, openness, respect and rapport (CORR.) Competence means, are they capable with the knowledge and skills to deliver on their promise? Openness means are you honest and forthcoming? Respect means showing regard for one another, even if you don't have shared values. Rapport refers to building affinity around shared values. What were the main differences you saw between research participants? We analyzed the 82 manager interviews using a framework based on regional differences in trust and the tightness of social norms. There is a cultural difference in how people answer the question, can most people be trusted? For example, in India, the answer is more often 'no' and in Sweden, more often 'yes,' so we call India' low-trust' and Sweden' high-trust.' There are also differences in tightness and looseness of social norms and consequences for deviating. For example, China is high-trust and tight, the US is high-trust and loose, India is low-trust and tight, and Mexico is low-trust and loose. To understand cultural differences in trust decisions, you must understand these differences. There are also differences in how different cultures decide to trust. East Asians emphasize testing more than Middle Easterners or Latin Americans. Latin Americans and Middle Easterners emphasize goodwill building more than East Asians. Latin America, the Middle East and South Asia are lower trust. But in Latin America, rapport and establishing shared values are more important. Respect for cultural differences is vital in the Middle East and South Asia. This may be because the institutions that monitor and sanction deviance from norms in 'tight,' but more diverse cultures don't cross ethnic boundaries. What were the most surprising research findings? East Asia and the West focus primarily on the business relationship. If there's a business relationship, the personal connection follows. China and UK's behavior was similar, but social norms are different. On brokering a relationship through a third party, one US manager asked, "What's in it for the person making the introduction?" That's not considered in the 'tight' East Asian culture – if the third party puts their reputation on the line, they're good to deal with. In this culture, someone can be outcast if they bring embarrassment on themselves or their family – the stakes are higher. How can transparency be improved between partners? Share information openly and honestly. Anticipate being asked questions about past performance and how you see the future relationship. Your potential partner may interpret reluctance to share as hiding, so when you can't share information, explain why. Signal you're engaged and want to learn more by asking questions. Trust is a two-way street. Are there differences in how people build rapport and trust in person versus online? During the pandemic (in the fall of 2020), we went back to the same managers we spoke to before to ask how they developed new relationships and made trust decisions virtually. A manager from Brazil said they found ways of keeping the spirit of face-to-face using technology, as talking to someone online is the same way to make a connection. Could virtual reality (VR) and the virtual office help bridge the geographic divide? Engineers and scientists I've interviewed for other research reacted negatively to the idea that VR could replace or substitute for face time. Personally, I'm comfortable using video conferencing, but I've found using a video game character awkward. I like the possibilities, but our ability as humans to get up to speed and be open to it can be a challenge. The reluctance to use virtual technology could be partly generational. When we re-interviewed managers during the pandemic, one manager from Palestine mentioned that his father initially felt the business could survive without using technology. However, when it was time to make a serious business decision, his father would ask: "Can you send an email or do something?" What advice can you share for managers of international tech teams? Other research shows challenges in inter-cultural teams include violations of respect or hierarchy, prejudice and lack of common ground. Communication styles vary – in East Asia, it's more indirect, but in Latin America and the Middle East, it's more direct. Don't leave anything to chance. While putting together this charter, your conversations will help define how you'll deliver. If someone doesn't show up to a meeting, what happens next? A shared team mental model about what to expect reduces uncertainty. Nothing is perfect, but the charter negates some pitfalls by getting collective agreement.
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About Secure Futures

Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

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