The article argues that the most significant determinant of CISO success is not technical mastery but the ability to influence, collaborate, and navigate organizational politics. Drawing on ISACA’s 2025 survey that highlights soft skills as cybersecurity’s most significant gap, the author outlines five core strategies: seek genuine cross-functional input to make cybersecurity a shared, business-owned effort; embrace vulnerability by admitting what you don’t know and owning mistakes to build trust; nurture strategic relationships with influential stakeholders through one-on-one conversations and political awareness; act with courage in advocating for cyber’s visibility, governance and funding in competition with other priorities; and stay tightly connected to operational teams by being present, approachable and feedback-driven. The core message is that the insights needed to drive cyber transformation reside in people's heads, not in technical frameworks, and that mastering influence is what ultimately powers a successful, business-aligned cyber resilience program.
