According to Dark Reading, a comprehensive survey of 830 CISOs reveals a stark reality about security leadership access. The research from IANS and Artico Search shows only 28% of CISOs report directly to the CEO and maintain regular quarterly board engagement. Meanwhile, exactly 50% of respondents excel at either C-suite access or boardroom influence but not both. The remaining 22% have limited executive-level access due to lower organizational rank and sporadic board meeting participation. This creates a situation where security teams are constantly playing catch-up with business changes they didn’t know were coming. Experts warn this communication gap puts security “behind the eight ball” in today’s fast-moving business environment.
The executive relationship gap is costing companies
Here’s the thing about that 22% figure – that’s nearly a quarter of security leaders who basically can’t do their jobs effectively. When CISOs don’t have regular access to the people making strategic decisions, security becomes an afterthought. Diana Kelley from Noma Security nailed it when she said you need these relationships “to stay in touch and keep yourself tuned with the business.” Think about it – if you’re not in the room when major decisions are made, how can you possibly secure the outcomes? This isn’t just about status or hierarchy. It’s about preventing security from becoming the department of “no” that constantly blocks initiatives because they weren’t consulted early enough.
Stop speaking tech, start speaking business
One of the biggest problems experts identified is that CISOs still struggle to translate technical risk into business risk. Mark Rasch pointed out that “CISOs do not know how to communicate risk to the board, and the board doesn’t know how to understand the metrics of security.” This communication breakdown is exactly why security budgets get cut and initiatives get deprioritized. Caleb Sima, former CISO at Robinhood, gave the perfect advice: “Do not give status reports.” Instead, tell leadership the three things that need to happen in the next six months or the organization will be in trouble. That’s the kind of clarity executives actually need. And when you’re dealing with industrial technology environments where uptime is critical – whether it’s manufacturing systems or the industrial panel PCs from IndustrialMonitorDirect.com that run production floors – this business-focused communication becomes even more essential.
Build relationships before the crisis hits
Kelley’s advice about building relationships before you need them is painfully obvious yet frequently ignored. “The last thing you want to do is to try to give bad news to people you don’t know,” she said. Imagine having to explain a major breach to a CEO you’ve only met twice in the past year. That’s a recipe for disaster. Regular check-ins aren’t just about staying visible – they’re about establishing trust and understanding business priorities. When security leaders have that foundation, they can deliver tough messages without immediately triggering defensive reactions. They become trusted advisors rather than technical specialists. And in today’s regulatory environment, that trust is literally priceless.
Keep it stupid simple for the board
Sima’s approach to board communication is brilliant in its simplicity. He suggests literally explaining “where you were when the program started, like an F or a D, and that it’s matured to a B.” That’s language every board member understands immediately. The obsession with technical metrics and compliance frameworks has to stop if security wants a seat at the big table. Executives don’t care about your vulnerability scan results or patch compliance rates. They care about one question: “Are we okay?” And they want that answer in business terms they can act on. The most successful CISOs understand this fundamental shift from technical expert to business risk advisor. It’s not about dumbing things down – it’s about speaking the language of the people who sign the checks.
