Your cybersecurity team is feeling demoralized. How can you use feedback to boost their spirits?

Cybersecurity is a bit like respect. You don’t really consciously notice it when it’s there, but it becomes extremely noticeable when it’s not. Typically a Cybersecurity team is seen as successful when “nothing bad” happens. This means they don’t really gain active feedback or appreciation from the rest of the organization during good times, as nothing has happened. While everyone will know when something “bad” has happened (ie a breach) instantly focusing all attention on them. This reality can be demoralizing unless consciously addressed by leadership through consistent appreciation for the work that is being done in the good times, as well as appreciation, patience and understanding for the complexity during incidents.

Time spent grappling with a question is often pivotal to a team's success. If you notice someone repeatedly struggling with the same issue without taking action, it's important to ensure they understand the guidelines for when to seek assistance. Feedback in such situations should be timely and specific to the type of task at hand. One particularly impactful piece of feedback is the encouragement to ask for help when needed, to avoid unnecessary struggle with decisions or problems. When unsure about a next step, one's instinct should be to consult with the team or leadership. Team members should always feel comfortable asking for help when needed.

Conduct one-on-one feedback sessions to understand individual concerns and provide personalized support. Implement a peer recognition program where team members can nominate and celebrate each other's accomplishments. Host regular team meetings to openly discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions collaboratively. Encourage upward feedback to empower team members to voice their opinions and contribute to decision-making processes. Offer professional development opportunities tailored to each team member's career goals to demonstrate investment in their growth. Organize team-building activities outside of work to foster camaraderie and strengthen team morale.

Begin by acknowledging their efforts and expressing appreciation for their hard work in maintaining cybersecurity. Highlight specific instances where their contributions made a positive impact on the organization's security posture. Encourage open communication by seeking their input on improvements and addressing any concerns they may have. Conclude by reaffirming your confidence in their abilities, emphasizing the crucial role they play in safeguarding the organization, and expressing gratitude for their dedication to cybersecurity.

Seek feedback: Schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss their expectations and how you can meet them. This can help clarify their concerns and provide an opportunity for you to improve. Focus on the positive: While it can be difficult, try to focus on the positive aspects of your work and seek validation from other colleagues or mentors. Set boundaries: If the criticism becomes excessive or personal, consider setting boundaries with your manager and discussing the impact of their behavior on your work. Seek support: Reach out to HR or a trusted colleague to discuss your concerns and seek advice on how to navigate the situation.

Recognize achievements, both big and small. Celebrate milestones, completed projects, and individual contributions. A simple “thank you” or public acknowledgment can go a long way in boosting morale

When it's time to give feedback to your team, aim for precision, timeliness, and a constructive balance. Feedback should be anchored in specific instances and delivered promptly. Avoid negativity or sarcasm; instead, validate their experiences and viewpoints while aligning the feedback with team objectives and roles. Keep your message clear and avoid flip-flopping without clear reasoning. This approach fosters an environment of growth, respect, and clarity, driving towards shared goals.

I tend to be very direct which can be both good and bad. Sometimes being too direct can make people feel badly about themselves. It is important to not just being thinking about the message but also about who is receiving it and how it is said. Not everyone can handle being super direct. Sarcasm and bluntness don't have a place in a feedback conversation.

Embracing feedback is all about harnessing insights for growth, troubleshooting, or recognizing your wins. Keeping an open mind and actively listening without jumping to defend yourself can make a world of difference. Staying positive and grateful for the input helps too. Think of feedback as data to sift through, deciding what's actionable and what might not be as relevant. Acting on the constructive parts while letting go of the rest is the way forward, making feedback a tool for continuous improvement and not a stumbling block.

Be open to receive feedback and don't be defensive - the majority of critical feedback is being said to help you improve and can come in many difference forms about many different subjects, not always personal. Think of things like process change, or a way you might have been able to approach something a little bit different - diverse feedback is how we can improve ourselves and get a different perspective from our own point of view.

I find it useful to make sure I set the example in wanting and accepting feedback. Sometimes I will ask someone from my team to pay attention to a speech to tell me how I did it specifically to find areas I can improve. By doing this I find the team see I'm willing to be corrected making it easier when I have to. Here is an important lesson when doing this, even if you don't agree with the feedback that they give it is important to listen and thank them for coming up with those constructive criticism. If you were to disagree or to start defending that employee will never feel comfortable doing that again.

Here we use a tool called DISC, it is a communication profiling tool that allows us to understand how each of us likes to communicate and to be communicated with. I find using this when giving feedback has helped me to do it in a way that makes a feedback a lot more acceptable and a lot easier for the receiver to take it and apply. I feel like good feedback sessions should be a conversation and not a lecture.

Regularly acknowledging individual and team achievements, no matter how small, to show appreciation for their hard work. Encourage open and honest communication where feedback is seen as a tool for growth, not criticism. Implement regular one-on-one and team meetings dedicated to sharing constructive feedback, celebrating successes, and discussing areas for improvement in a supportive manner. Foster an environment where team members feel valued and understood by actively listening to their concerns and suggestions. Use feedback to set clear, achievable goals, making sure to follow up on progress and provide guidance as needed. Highlighting how their contributions directly impact the company's success can also enhance motivation and morale.

Why is the team feeling demoralized in the first place? Was there a recent layoff? Are they working with a difficult group of people? Are they feeling burned out? Underappreciated? How did they get here? Feeling demoralized doesn't usually happen overnight... It's a slow burn. Encourage a culture where communication is a two-way street. The team should feel comfortable enough to approach their leadership about issues and trust their leaders to listen. Leadership should feel comfortable providing candid feedback and support, even if they don't have all the answers right away.

Engage in Self-Reflection When you feel demoralizing stress, it’s important to step back and consider what you may be doing to exacerbate the situation. This doesn’t mean that you are totally at fault. It’s helpful, however, to take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself these questions: What have I done that I am proud of at work? What do I need to improve upon? Who is my closest colleague at work? Who are the people that I need to learn more about? Where do I see myself in five years? What do I need to do to reach my ultimate career goal? I personally feel this is a great approach. Per Work.Chron.com

There are additional things to consider: Praise and celebrate their successes; establish a recognition system that allows team mates to recognize each other. Also promote visibility of the team to other teams and executives allowing them to grow outside the cybersec team and map their efforts to relevant business goals or achievements so everyone understand how their work is crucial for business success.