The Right Blend

So What's the Right Balance of Skills?

A modern CISO does not need to be an elite engineer, but they do need:

• a strong conceptual understanding of technical fundamentals,
• enough technical depth to challenge assumptions,
• enough awareness to avoid vendor traps,
• enough clarity to lead technical strategy,
• enough literacy to sense when internal teams are “hiding” things.

They should understand how things work, not necessarily how to configure systems and services.

The strongest CISOs combine:

• business sharpness,
• strong risk communication,
• broad technical literacy,
• leadership and strategic thinking.

This balance creates a security program that is:

• credible,
• respected,
• informed,
• sustainable,
• effective.