“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

― John Muir

In this great conversation we attempt to get in the mind of a security executive to see what he learned during a long sabbatical about himself and the future role he really wanted and needed. We talk about core values, mission, purpose, and, finally, integrating the business model of risk, resilience, security, and safety into the business model of an organization. Sometimes on your path to value the opportunity finds you.

The risk, resilience, and security function has typically been siloed and disconnected from the organization’s goals. They have been the ‘tail’. But what if that is changing? What if the demand for risk data is occurring at the same time as the technology is maturing to meet the need? And what if the platform to collect, manage, analyze, and communicate the data and have it contextualized to meet the unique needs of the C-Level team is in the hands of the function that too often has been marginalized? Will the tail now wag the dog (the business)? We explore this with the founders of one of the leading protective intelligence platforms in a great conversation.

Analog phones. White out. Sticky notes. The first clunky databases. Your relationships. These were the tools of the trade for the first men and women who worked in intelligence. They would evolve as the tools evolved. Documenting the roles, the processes, and the expanded reach of their discipline. We were able to meet up with one of these pioneers and have a great conversation, not only about the past, but also about the promising future ahead.

As the ultimate human sensor, those who are paid to protect the executives, the politicians, and the wealthy, are constantly taking in information they have previously mined as well as what crosses their radar. They are paid to help others “fear less”. With the new information highway, now they must deal with their own fear of disruption and look for opportunities in the midst of change.

An old woman struggles to make it across the border. A child lies huddled in freezing temperatures in the woods. Life is in slow motion. One foot in front of another. And one heart: to return to “home” after the bombs stop dropping and men’s hearts change.

This is the human story that is now manifesting itself in Ukraine.

And this is a Great Conversation with one man who answered the call. “Send me”.

“The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children - the future of humanity.” Sitting Bull.

This quote came to me as we spoke with Michael Mason and his use of the term “gladiator” in the title of his new book. Some gladiators did not have a choice. Just as some employees do not have a choice. But many had a “warrior spirit”, and that spirit gave them discipline, courage, and skill.

Mike pays his lessons forward in this book for anyone who ventures into the arena called work.

We are on a journey. Along the way we get to decide where to stop, where to continue, and what we learn. Some of us have the opportunity and the skills to see the landscape in a different way than most of us. It is a testament to their mindset, heart, and skill when they are able to share what they see with others. We call these people thought leaders. In this conversation we take a hike to see what Adam Cambridge sees as the future of leadership and security.

Are you ready to embrace a mindset of possibility in the face of uncertainty? This guest shows the power of “story” when it comes to affirming the future while vetting the present. No hitchhiker here.

Life can be very binary. Perhaps we do live in a black and white world. Live or die. Win or lose.

But as we find from the character in this New York Times Best Selling author’s books, you never should count the odds when you are preparing for the most important and dangerous battles that may confront you.

This is more than fiction. More than a good thriller. This is life.

Enjoy the conversation.

We need to see the whole pie, not just a slice. Especially difficult in the age we live in now. We have a glut of information, and it has to be diced and sliced and finally given context before passing it on to our peers. It is also being increasingly vetted to ensure we are passing on information that is true and relevant. Our guest on this podcast knows this intimately. She works for an information company that provides intelligence to organizations around the world that fuel their business. And she now must do the same for their security. Enjoy the conversation.

One of the greatest public works projects in history was the Federal Interstate Highway system. It was originally promoted as a military contingency program in case of nuclear war. What few could conceive is how it would transform the value of business, recreation, as well as military preparedness. This conversation provides a powerful analog to what is going on with the evolving intelligence highway that will connect data warehouses within companies and markets forever changing current professions and business models.

Navigating risk and opportunity in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. A world of change. We spoke with the former head of crisis communications for one of the world’s largest insurance companies. and found the epitome of the listening leader.

When I meet great leaders, they invariably are generous with their time. They know their legacy is built on relationships. Angela Scalpello is such a leader. We have a great conversation about her professional coaching business.

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The three viruses that infect and kill. Corporate cultures, investors, partnerships, and strategic plans, all become constrained, twisted, and diluted. We found a woman that has an approach that could act as a vaccine to this systemic plague. I think you will enjoy this great conversation.

At the edge. It implies power. Versatility. Speed. It is where knowledge is accessed in seconds. The security industry is looking for the knowledge and practice of integrating not only their tools together, but, as well, connecting their tools to organizational tools that will make the business smarter, more efficient, and more valuable. This conversation is an example of some of the models needed to accelerate this.

Enjoy the conversation.

The Executive Summit Series is a forum that provides an insider view to private, public, and government security. We preview the upcoming agenda with Lynn Mattice whose pedigree and connections are in all three spheres.

It is just a word that means different things to different people. For Brian Tuskan, a global leader in the risk, resilience, and security industry, it implies maturity of person, process, program, and technology. We have a great conversation about the evolution of the industry and his leadership within it.

To truly see someone, you must get through the mask they are wearing. To get through the mask you must be able to create trust. We tracked down a former counter-intelligence officer to learn how he developed his ability to see and know people so that they would trust them. And then we heard how he pivoted to the corporate leadership world. Enjoy this great conversation.

No one wants to see this picture. It offends us. It depresses us. But it is a graphic example of Gallup’s recent poll on the disengagement of the workforce. In this conversation, we find two amazing leaders who decided to change that narrative in their own unique way. It is a conversation of hope in the midst of the Great Resignation.

Dale Buckner is the CEO of Global Guardian, a provider of world-class security solutions, custom-tailored to the individual needs of its global client base. His leadership pedigree includes an extensive intelligence and special operations background with command positions in counter-terrorism, special forces, and classified deployments around the world. The news media often turns to him to comment on events happening around the world. We have a great conversation around the inflection point he sees in his industry and our world.