Governance & Risk Management , Professional Certifications & Continuous Training
The Dark Side of Cybersecurity: Burnout
Veteran CISO Thom Langford on Life After Hitting Bottom
Call to action: Information security teams should "include mental health topics in their team meetings, their management reports and metrics, as well as face to face meetings," according to Thom Langford, head of security consultancy (TL)2.
See Also: How Enterprise Browsers Enhance Security and Efficiency
In February, Langford authored a personal blog post about his own mental health experiences, recounting the highs and lows of being a global CISO.
Langford took pride in building a high-performing, successful team that never said no, and helping his organization get its EU General Protection Regulation compliance program in place.
But the unrelenting position took a toll on his mental health. As he wrote: "Combine a tough travel schedule and the global, always-on element, I never truly switched off."
In a video interview with Information Security Media Group at RSA Conference 2019 in San Francisco, Langford expands on his experiences, discussing:
- Why Langford's burnout story has been resonating with others;
- Particular challenges facing members of the security community - an industry measured on failure and built on secrecy;
- Mental health takeaways, including support from others.
Langford is the founder of (TL)2. Previously, he was CISO of Publicis Groupe (see CISO Thom Langford's Top Tips for GDPR Compliance).
