Cybersecurity in private enterprise is as much about relationships as technology. In this session, Hakeem Oseni, Senior Manager of Detection and Response at Salesforce, shared strategies for using diplomacy and personality to achieve good security outcomes. He shared tips and tricks for leveraging interpersonal and emotional skills and stories to win people over and make them feel part of the security mission.
Recorded on Monday, February 27, this video was presented at the UC Berkeley School of Information as part of “CyberMētis: The Practice of Cybersecurity,” a speaker series presented by CLTC that connects cybersecurity experts and practitioners with UC Berkeley students to discuss the wide range of practical skills and acquired intelligence required to operate in a constantly changing natural, human, and digital environment.
“I’m here as a fellow [Cal] Bear, a graduate of the School of Information, and a partner of CLTC,” Oseni said. “I’m here to talk about how you can use cyber diplomacy and interpersonal communication skills to further your own cyber agenda. Many of you are graduating and going into the workforce, and you have to get something done. So here are some tips and tricks to think about as you go on your journey.”
Watch the video above or on YouTube to hear Oseni’s tips for using soft skills for success in a cybersecurity-related profession.
About the Speaker
Hakeem Oseni works at Salesforce as a Senior Product Manager, Detection and Response in the Cyber Security team. Prior to that, he spent five years at Wells Fargo as a Vice President of Encryption Services for the Cyber Security division at Wells Fargo. Hakeem is on the Bay Area leadership team of Cyversity, a non-profit that helps and supports women and BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) in Cybersecurity. Hakeem has an MBA from Tepper School of Business (2001) with concentrations in finance, technology, and strategy. He is passionate about D&I and education efforts in cybersecurity and recently completed his Masters of Information and Cyber Security at UC Berkeley (2021).
About the Series
The idea behind CyberMētis is based on the Greek titan “Mêtis,” known as the titan of wisdom and cunning. Similarly, the Greek word metis meant a quality that combined wisdom and cunning, and is often used to describe the legendary hero Odysseus for his embodiment of adaptability and intelligence. The concept of mētis is a nice fit for people working in cybersecurity, as it represents the importance of having a range of knowledge and skills necessary to address the evolving digital security landscape.
The CyberMētis Speaker Series invites graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, and faculty from the UC Berkeley campus to engage with experts and practitioners from various segments of the cybersecurity field. This series is designed to show students that cybersecurity is a wicked problem that requires know-how and creativity to manage; that cybersecurity is a socio-technical endeavor requiring social and management skills as much as technical depth; and that there are entry points into the practice for students of diverse backgrounds and disciplines.
