Influence isn't a soft skill

A short post this week. The longer version is in a digital magazine, and I'd rather point you to it than repeat myself.

I am honoured to be in the May 2026 edition of Top Cyber News MAGAZINE, alongside several eminent cybersecurity leaders.

My contribution is on the part of a cyber leader's career that most never train for; the transition from technical expert to people leader. Full article, pages 35-39.

The cyber leaders who are moving forward have discovered something consistent. It's not the most technically capable leaders who are winning. It's the most influential. They move people. They build trust under pressure. And they create the conditions for others to act, even when the map isn't clear.

Influence isn't a soft skill. It's the capacity that determines whether people follow you or merely report to you.

Congratulations to all the contributors in this edition. Their work also recognises cyber leadership is as human as it is technical.

What did the best leader you ever worked for do that made you want to follow them, even when you didn't have to?

Best regards,
Brian