Soft skills are hard – Why do they matter?

It is true that soft skills are difficult to acquire; otherwise, we would all have them already. But you must also work on specific soft skills that are required for the CIO and CISO roles. For many of us, the gaps in our soft skills will require significant attention. This is not something that can be fixed overnight; it requires life-long learning.

But which soft skills matter? Well, both the CIO and CISO are senior-level executives who require a range of soft skills to effectively lead and influence within their organizations.

The CIO must oversee the IT strategy and technology departments. Sometimes they must also manage digital transformation efforts and other teams within operations and procurement. However, the CISO is responsible for the cybersecurity strategy and managing the defense of the enterprise.

At times, the CIO and CISO will be in a relationship where one has to report to the other, and there will be tension...