Certifications Open Doors, But They Don’t Make You Boardroom-Ready.
I’ve met countless professionals who believe that earning certifications like CISSP, CISM, Security+, etc. is the key to advancing their careers. And while certifications are valuable—they demonstrate expertise, commitment, and a solid understanding of best practices—there’s one critical skill they don’t teach: how to communicate security and technology risks in a way that leadership understands.
I have several myself: CISSP, PMP, ITIL, MCSE and more — each one has helped me gain deeper technical knowledge and industry credibility. But none of them, on their own, prepared me for the real challenge of leadership: translating complex security concepts into business priorities.
A few weeks ago, I spoke with a colleague who had just completed a major certification. He was feeling confident about his technical knowledge, but then he walked into a leadership meeting and was asked to explain why his team’s proposed security initiative mattered to the business. He knew the technical details inside and out, but when it came to making the case to executives—framing security as a business priority rather than a technical challenge—he struggled.
That moment made it clear: Certifications don’t prepare you for the real challenges of leadership.
The Gap Between Certifications and Real-World Leadership
Certifications focus on frameworks, methodologies, and compliance—which are important. But in the real world, professionals must be able to:
- Translate security risks into business impact.
- Justify IT investments in terms of ROI.
- Persuade leadership to prioritize security initiatives.
I’ve seen too many skilled IT professionals hit a ceiling in their careers—not because they lack knowledge, but because they struggle to communicate complex ideas in a way that decision-makers care about.
For example, if you’re discussing Zero Trust security with your executive team, you need to go beyond saying,
“Zero Trust limits network access to reduce attack surfaces.”
Instead, translate that into business terms:
“Zero Trust ensures that only the right people have access to critical systems, reducing the likelihood of a data breach that could cost us millions in fines and lost customer trust.“
This shift in communication changes the conversation—and ultimately determines whether your initiatives get the support they need.
Three Skills Every Cybersecurity and IT Leader Needs
If you want to stand out and drive real change, focus on developing these three essential leadership skills:
1. Storytelling & Business Impact
Leaders don’t respond to jargon and technical specs—they respond to narratives that connect security to real business challenges.
- Instead of saying: “We need to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to strengthen security.”
- Say: “Over 80% of breaches come from weak passwords. MFA would immediately reduce our risk of unauthorized access, protecting both our data and our reputation.”
The difference? One statement sounds like an IT upgrade. The other sounds like a business necessity.
2. Risk-Based Decision Making
Security isn’t about eliminating all risks—it’s about prioritizing the most critical ones without disrupting operations.
- Understand risk appetite — how much risk your company is willing to tolerate.
- Learn how to quantify risk in dollars — leaders want to know what a security failure could cost the business.
- Frame recommendations in terms of business value, not just security best practices.
Example: Instead of saying, “This patch reduces vulnerabilities,” explain, “This patch could prevent an outage that would cost us $50K in lost revenue per hour.”
3. Stakeholder Influence & Negotiation
Your ability to secure buy-in for security initiatives determines whether they actually get implemented.
- Speak the language of finance, operations, and executive leadership—not just IT.
- Identify the real drivers behind security decisions (often compliance, customer trust, or financial impact).
- Build relationships before you need them—so when a crisis arises, decision-makers already trust your expertise.
If you can’t convince the CFO or CEO why security investments matter, even the best technology solutions will go underfunded or deprioritized.
How to Develop These Skills (Beyond Certifications)
So, how do you bridge the gap between technical expertise and executive influence?
- Start practicing now. Present security insights to non-technical colleagues and get feedback on clarity.
- Study leadership communication. Take courses on storytelling, negotiation, and business strategy.
- Follow cybersecurity leaders who articulate security in business terms—watch how they frame discussions.
- Get involved in executive-level conversations. Don’t just sit in IT meetings—engage with finance, operations, and leadership.
The professionals who stand out are the ones who combine technical depth with the ability to communicate its value to the business.
Certifications prove what you know—but your ability to connect security to business priorities is what sets you apart.
If you’re serious about advancing in cybersecurity or IT leadership, ask yourself:
Are you just learning technical frameworks, or are you preparing to lead?
Tech skills get you in the door. Communication skills put you at the table.
Are you ready for that next-level conversation?
This content was originally posted on Medium.