Name: Aaron Birnbaum

Title: Chief

Organisation: TRaViS ASM

With an MBA, a CISSP, and extensive expertise in cybersecurity, my focus has been on delivering robust security solutions with actionable guidance for organizations of all sizes and industries At TRaViS, I helped build and launch a truly unique External Attack Surface Management platform that fuses AI with a radical new technology for scanning clients' web-facing assets. Our success lies in providing unparalleled asset discovery, AI-enhanced, precise remediation instructions, customizable, tailored security reports, and significantly reducing false positives.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Aaron's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

I think that the key to any relationship (professional or personal) is communication and honesty. Lying to or misleading people will never result in a better relationship. Do what you say you're going to do, and if something happens, communicate with the other party. Everyone has experienced unforeseen situations. It's how you react to them and how you communicate.

Almost everyone will appreciate an honest reply, even if it's bad news. Not very many people enjoy being lied to.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

I think that both of these terms are intended to focus the goal of the business, and provide a constant direction and path to success. If an organization is unsure what to do next, it should ask if its actions are following the mission and vision of the organization. It is important to note that many business, as they mature, change their mission and vision.

I think if you have time to consider 'Vision' and 'Mission', then your organization is mature. Most organizational leadership doesn't have the time (or desire) to hold meetings to discuss esoteric terms, they have work to get done.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Simply this:

1. Hire the best people you can. Hire the most diverse team possible.

2. Give them the authority, the tools, and the support they need, and then get out of the way. If you don't like a decision, address it with them in private - but don't countermand it. 3. Trust but verify. Monitor and evaluate.

4. Encourage trying new things. Some will fail- and that's ok

5. Reward success.

6. Have zero tolerance for misogyny, racism, or abuse of any kind.

7. Eat your own dog food.

Take out your trash. Be a part of the team.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

My father has been one of the best coaches in my life. Unconditional love (and I definitely did things to test that), patience, and understanding that my siblings and I were each unique. He was and is positive, encouraging, and tolerant, and was able to start and sell the same business twice.

He taught me that genetically, every person is the same. It is what they do that creates their true persona. No one is inherently evil; they are just raised in a manner that limits their worldview, or not given enough love.

He taught me that words have power in some instances, and words have no meaning without the actions to back them up. You can say anything, but what you do behind closed doors makes all the difference.

He showed me the power of a team. He taught me that you take care of your people, and they will take care of you. He still demonstrates that you should always lead by example, and not ask anyone to do something you wouldn't do yourself.

He taught me that success is not about the thickness of your wallet. No one wants to be the richest person in the graveyard. Money isn't about what you have, it's about what you do with it.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Don't try to multi-task-it's an urban legend. Focus on one thing. Don't try to take on too much. Learn when to delegate - and do it. Don't look at your phone more than once per hour.

If it's not happening, take a break. Get up and walk around or get a drink.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Whiteboards are my solution to maintaining my sanity through planning. Visually documenting paths and strategies works best for me. I can always add or remove things as situations change.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

This is something I still have issues with sometimes. Consider any task from this perspective:

When evaluating a task that needs to be done, if the task can be done by others at a lower cost, delegate it. If the task can be done by anyone, whatever costs the organization less money should be the deciding factor.

Keep in mind that some tasks will need to be done more than once. Some tasks will be done and then need to be redone. It is better to do that once or twice and then never have to do it again.

There are some tasks that you won't be able to delegate. Understand that and make sure that you have the time to do them by delegating the others.