Practical Ways to Model Good Cybersecurity Behavior

As a project lead, your actions set the tone for the team’s approach to cybersecurity. Modeling strong security behavior helps establish expectations and builds a culture where everyone recognizes their role in protecting information and systems. Here are practical ways you can demonstrate effective cybersecurity leadership:

Follow All Security Policies

• Always adhere to your organization’s security policies and procedures, such as regularly updating passwords and using multi-factor authentication;
• Complete all required cybersecurity training on time and encourage your team to do the same;
• Report suspicious emails or incidents through the official channels without delay.

Real-world example: When you receive a suspicious email, report it to IT and notify your team in a team chat, explaining why it was flagged. This shows you take threats seriously and follow protocol.

Promote Ongoing Security Awareness

• Share recent cybersecurity news or incidents during team meetings to keep awareness high;
• Remind team members about common threats, such as phishing or social engineering attacks;
• Encourage open discussion about potential security risks in project workflows.

Real-world example: If a major company experiences a data breach, briefly discuss what happened and how similar risks could affect your team. This makes security relevant and top-of-mind.

Encourage Best Practices in Daily Work

• Use secure communication channels for sensitive information, such as encrypted messaging apps or company-approved platforms;
• Remind team members not to share credentials or sensitive data over email or unsecured channels;
• Regularly review access permissions and ensure only authorized users have access to project resources.

Real-world example: When onboarding a new team member, walk them through the process of requesting access to project systems and explain why these controls are important, rather than sharing credentials directly.

Foster a Security-Conscious Culture

• Recognize and praise team members who identify and report security issues;
• Lead by example by never bypassing security controls, even when under time pressure;
• Encourage a "see something, say something" mindset, making it safe for anyone to raise concerns.

Real-world example: If a team member spots a misconfigured cloud storage bucket, thank them publicly and work together to resolve the issue. This reinforces positive behavior and shows that security is a shared responsibility.

By consistently demonstrating these behaviors, you create an environment where cybersecurity is a natural part of the team’s daily work. Your leadership ensures that security is not just a policy, but a core value embedded in your project’s culture.