In information security, the job is risk—understanding it at a deep level
and devising ways to avoid it, manage it, or dispose of it. For many
organizations, the objective is simply to keep the firm from being the
media’s next featured security breach. Fred Johnson, a PhD learner at
Capella, has higher goals for his firm.
“What I want to do is help my organization and its leaders understand how
to be better than our competitors at managing risk,” he said. “And if we
do, it’s a competitive advantage for us.”
Johnson manages applications security for a global professional services
firm, leading a 5-person team responsible for information security strategy,
policy, evaluation of emerging technologies, and application development.
In 2008 Johnson attained his master’s degree specializing in Information
Assurance and Security from Capella. He is currently pursuing the same
specialization in a Capella PhD program, where Johnson says his course
work is already making an impact.
Raising his game
“The PhD work has already made me a better leader,” Johnson said. “I can
take much of my work directly from my courses to address larger work and
professional issues as well—it has raised my game.”
He describes how his, and ultimately his firm’s, performance can benefit
from the broader perspectives he gains in his course work. “It enables
you to pretend you are the CEO and think about information security in
ways that you would never have been able to, just working in a corporate
environment.”
Intangible benefits of degree add to leadership ability
Even more important, Johnson believes, is that his doctoral studies give
him the ability—the vocabulary—to better explain an issue or solution to
other managers and executives.
“As you move up the leadership chain, you need to interact with people
from different business disciplines, people who don’t have an information
security background, but need to understand the critical issues,” Johnson
said. “It’s your responsibility to find a language they can understand even
with a different background, so they can make strategically wise business
decisions.”
“My PhD work makes me a more valuable partner in those conversations.”