A friend in business retorted to me, “I’ve never known anyone to actively demote themselves and bring in their replacement while smiling.” Cyber security leaders think in terms of impact. They don’t ask “Is this cool?” — they ask “If this fails, what breaks for customers and the business?” That mindset promotes growth while reducing friction in business.

Stacy Sherman, founder of Doing CX Right, took the stage at the Portland Summit to deliver a powerful message for technology leaders: IT and security are not just support functions. When leaders break silos, align goals, and strengthen connection across teams, they turn technology into a true competitive advantage.

At the Stealth Security Experience in Chicago, one of the partners stepped into a Shark Tank-style pitch. Chris Nyhuis, President and CEO of Vigilant, didn’t talk about integrations or buzzwords. He talked about trust.