Discovering My Place, Half Three: Translating Navy Abilities to Cybersecurity Management

Once I left the army, I had some large misconceptions. I believed leaping right into a management place at a giant firm like Cisco can be a breeze. I had already led Marines into battle zones, so how laborious might or not it’s?

However, after being turned down a number of instances for management positions at a number of totally different corporations, I needed to rethink my technique. It turned out that I had lots to be taught in regards to the enterprise world, particularly the enterprise world of cybersecurity that I used to be becoming a member of.

Travis talking to a group of people. Had I gotten fortunate sufficient to leap into management proper out of the gate, I doubtless would have failed. I knew the best way to lead groups into fight however didn’t know the very first thing a couple of gross sales cycle, CRM pipeline, or actually something about positioning cybersecurity merchandise in a crowded market. Once I began at Cisco in 2021 as a Cybersecurity Gross sales Specialist (CSS), I used to be precisely the place I wanted to be. I used to be consuming from the firehose and loving each minute of it. I realized in regards to the enterprise, the individuals, and the processes by which CSSs develop into profitable. Cisco made it really easy for me to be taught about my job whereas on the similar time offering me with the alternatives to develop my profession. I used to be aligned with a management mentor, supplied with teaching, and bought the actually cool alternative to write down for this weblog. I used to be studying about this new world and loving it — after which all of it modified in a great way.

Due to my work as a CSS, I had the chance to leap into one thing new (ish). I used to be nonetheless within the cybersecurity gross sales world, however was moved into this magical place referred to as “The Channel” as a Gross sales Enterprise Growth Supervisor (BDM). I had no clue what the channel was and had no concept what the distinction was between enterprise improvement and gross sales, however, like a superb Marine, I knuckled down and realized as a lot as I might, as rapidly as I might. I used to be now working with Cisco’s largest service supplier companions in selling and promoting Cisco cybersecurity by means of partnerships and enterprise improvement. As soon as once more, the Spidey-sense-like army mindset kicked in. I used to be used to partnerships. Within the Marines, the work we did with allied and native companions was essential to the success of any mission we performed, and the channel was no totally different. I discovered that, by means of our companions, Cisco can lengthen its cybersecurity attain and shield extra individuals from the ever-advancing cyber threats we face every single day.

Travis and his Cisco colleagues.

As soon as once more, I discovered my place, however I’m beginning to assume “my place” is a fluid idea. The quite a few alternatives I’ve loved inside Cisco Safety are simply a part of why Cisco is the #1 Finest Office in additional than twenty international locations worldwide — one firm, many careers.

So, as issues within the cybersecurity enterprise world change, so did my place in it. In December of 2023, I bought the chance to compete for a management position on our International Safety Associate Gross sales staff because the Americas lead, and after a couple of rounds of panel interviews and discussions, I gained the position. I used to be ecstatic, but in addition grateful. Grateful for the time I’d put into studying the enterprise and translating army expertise into enterprise expertise. Grateful for the alternatives Cisco gave me to be taught in regards to the position, the corporate, management, and the best way to finest construct my community. I used to be about to rent a model new staff, and I needed to make sure that I led them in addition to I used to be led and that I created a tradition that was a superb mixture of one of the best components of my army expertise turned enterprise expertise and one of the best components of Cisco management coaching. All through my interview course of and the foundational ideas I used to rent my new staff, it was all about GRIT.

G – Development: Development of the enterprise and of our individuals. We’ve got a job to do and do every thing in our energy to develop the enterprise we had been entrusted with. Our staff will exceed expectations. However … we additionally should develop as individuals. Every of us has targets, goals, and lives outdoors of Cisco, and it’s the staff’s job to encourage everybody to develop in all areas of life.

R – Resilience: Adapting to challenges collectively. We acknowledge the significance of participating in difficult conversations with our companions and amongst ourselves. By trustworthy discussions, we are able to transfer by means of these conditions with grace and respect, responding thoughtfully reasonably than reactively and specializing in constructive outcomes.
I – Innovation: Do issues in another way for a greater final result. At Cisco, we do issues in another way and remodel the way in which enterprise is completed. A tradition of creativity and new concepts isn’t solely welcome however inspired. Working with our companions is an honor, and we welcome all concepts and techniques to extend the expansion of Cisco and Cisco Safety.
T – Belief: With out it, we’ve nothing else. We might be a trusted staff as a result of we put integrity first. We might be an organization and a staff that retains our phrase and can work diligently to resolve large issues by means of laborious work, honesty, and integrity reasonably than slicing corners. If we don’t know the reply, we’ll discover it, and help each other by means of all of it as a result of we additionally belief one another.

Travis speaking to a room of people. With GRIT, my staff and I are constructing, innovating, main, making change, and rising together with Cisco Safety. A well-respected Military Basic as soon as instructed me that luck is when alternative meets preparation. Whereas I don’t understand how my place could take form sooner or later, I do know what I’ve realized from my time in uniform and as a Cisconian up to now has ready me properly as I transfer by means of my Cisco journey.