Week 1: The Engineer’s Shift — From Execution to Strategy

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Theme: Developing the mindset of a business leader.

• Session 1: Mindset Transformation

  • Shifting perspective: from “How do I implement this?” to “Why does this matter for the business?”

  • Common blind spots when engineers move into leadership roles.

• Session 2: The Leadership Gap in Cloud & Cybersecurity

  • Why technical excellence alone doesn’t create leaders.

  • Case review of failed and successful security strategies linked to leadership styles.

• Case Study: From Firewall Admin to CISO

  • Real-world story of career progression.

  • Lessons in adaptability, executive presence, and vision.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Recognize the difference between execution and strategy.

  • Identify leadership gaps in technical domains.

  • Build an action plan for personal mindset shift.

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Week 2: The Business of Security & Cloud

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Theme: Viewing security as a business enabler.

• Session 1: Understanding Revenue, Cost & Risk

  • Financial literacy for security leaders.

  • Translating security investments into ROI and avoided loss.

• Session 2: Cloud & Cyber as Business Accelerators

  • Linking security to digital business models.

  • Security as a differentiator in customer trust and compliance.

• Workshop Activity: Map your Role to Business Outcomes

  • Translate your current projects into measurable business contributions.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Speak the language of business leaders (risk, cost, growth).

  • Align cloud/cyber strategies with revenue models.

  • Position security as a growth driver, not a cost center.

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Week 3: Executive Communication & Influence

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Theme: Mastering the art of storytelling and presence.

• Session 1: Executive Storytelling

  • Crafting clear, compelling narratives.

  • Shaping technical complexity into board-level clarity.

• Session 2: Building Credibility in the Boardroom

  • Trust-building strategies with CEOs, CFOs, and directors.

  • Avoiding jargon traps and focusing on outcomes.

• Roleplay Exercise: Incident Escalation to a CEO

  • Simulated crisis update under time pressure.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Deliver clear, persuasive messages to executives.

  • Adapt communication style to different audiences.

  • Build influence beyond technical authority.

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Week 4: Decision Making Under Uncertainty

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Theme: Leadership in crisis and ambiguity.

• Session 1: Navigating Ambiguity

  • Frameworks for incomplete data and conflicting priorities.

  • Understanding risk appetite and trade-offs.

• Session 2: Leadership Under Pressure

  • Differences between crisis leadership and transformational leadership.

  • Balancing quick fixes with long-term vision.

• Simulation: Ransomware at Scale

  • High-stakes, multi-dimensional decision-making scenario.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Build confidence in decision-making with limited information.

  • Apply structured methods to balance urgency vs. strategy.

  • Lead teams calmly in high-pressure environments.

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Week 5: Cross-Functional Leadership

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Theme: Influence without authority.

• Session 1: Leading Beyond Hierarchy

  • Building coalitions across departments.

  • Influence as a skill: empathy, data, and vision.

• Session 2: Collaboration Across Teams

  • Navigating conflicts with risk, product, legal, and compliance.

  • Driving collective accountability.

• Exercise: Interdepartmental Negotiation

  • Peer group simulation on conflicting business priorities.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Lead diverse teams without formal power.

  • Balance security goals with product, legal, and risk needs.

  • Use negotiation and empathy to achieve alignment.

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Week 6: Leading People & Culture

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Theme: Shaping resilient, high-performing teams.

• Session 1: Feedback, Delegation, and Coaching

  • Moving from “doer” to “leader of doers.”

  • Strength-based leadership and mentorship.

• Session 2: Building Psychological Safety

  • How to foster innovation and learning in security teams.

  • Encouraging calculated risk-taking.

• Fireside Chat: Global Team Leadership

  • Security leader shares lessons from managing diverse, distributed teams.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Build a leadership style that inspires growth.

  • Create safe spaces for innovation and accountability.

  • Adapt leadership to multicultural, global environments.

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Week 7: Boardroom Readiness & CXO Strategy

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Theme: Speaking the language of power.

• Session 1: Board-Level Metrics & Dashboards

  • What the board cares about (risk, compliance, brand, revenue).

  • Avoiding “vanity metrics” and focusing on material impact.

• Session 2: CXO Personas

  • How CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and CROs differ in priorities.

  • Tailoring the message for each persona.

• Pitch Practice: Risk Investment Proposal

  • Present a proposal to non-technical executives.

  • Learn to handle tough boardroom questions.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Build strategic dashboards aligned with business.

  • Develop board-ready communication.

  • Confidently pitch security initiatives for approval.

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Week 8: Capstone Leadership Simulation

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Theme: From technical leader to business strategist.

• Final Simulation: Leading a Cyber/Cloud Transformation

  • Teams manage a fictional enterprise initiative, balancing digital growth, security risks, compliance, and customer trust.

• Presentation: Strategy pitch to a jury of real-world CXOs.

• Feedback: Live critique from guest mentors and CSA advisors.

• Graduation: Recognition of leadership growth, with feedback on strengths and next areas of development.

• Learning Outcomes:

  • Apply end-to-end leadership skills under pressure.

  • Synthesize business, security, and leadership into a coherent strategy.

  • Gain practical boardroom experience with executive mentors.

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✨ Program Experience Add-ons:

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• Pre-reads and weekly reflection journals.

• Peer coaching circles for accountability.

• Optional 1:1 mentoring with senior leaders.

• Certificate of Completion endorsed by CSA advisors​