What are the best ways to coach team members through phishing attacks?

2 Provide the guidelines

The next step is to provide your team members with clear and consistent guidelines on how to identify and avoid phishing attacks. These could include checking the sender's address, verifying the authenticity of the message, looking for spelling and grammar errors, hovering over the links to see the destination, and deleting or reporting suspicious emails or messages. You can also share the best practices and policies of your organization regarding email security and communication.

3 Test the skills

The third step is to test your team members' skills and knowledge on how to handle phishing attacks. You can use simulated phishing campaigns or quizzes to assess their ability to spot and report phishing emails or messages. You can also measure their performance and progress over time and provide feedback and recognition accordingly. This will help you identify the gaps and strengths of your team members and reinforce their learning.

4 Address the mistakes

The fourth step is to address the mistakes or errors that your team members may make when dealing with phishing attacks. You should not blame or punish them for falling for a phishing email or message, but rather use it as an opportunity to coach them on what they did wrong and how they can improve. You should also encourage them to share their experiences and learn from each other. You should also review and update your guidelines and training materials as needed.

5 Promote the culture

The fifth step is to promote a culture of security awareness and accountability among your team members. You should make them feel responsible and empowered to protect themselves and the organization from phishing attacks. You should also foster a collaborative and supportive environment where they can ask questions, report incidents, and seek help when needed. You should also celebrate and reward their achievements and contributions to the security of your organization.

6 Keep the learning

The sixth and final step is to keep the learning and coaching ongoing and relevant. You should not assume that your team members are immune to phishing attacks after one training session or test. You should keep them updated and informed on the latest trends and techniques of phishing attacks and how to counter them. You should also provide them with regular feedback and coaching to help them maintain and enhance their skills and confidence.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?