Episode 7: Organizational Culture and Its Impact on Security

Welcome to The Bare Metal Cyber CISM Prepcast. This series helps you prepare for the exam with focused explanations and practical context.
When we talk about organizational culture in the context of information security, we are referring to the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape how people within an organization interact, make decisions, and respond to expectations. Culture is not something you can see directly. It exists in the way people communicate, follow rules, and interpret leadership. Security culture is a subset of this broader organizational culture, and it plays a crucial role in determining how seriously security is taken across different teams and departments. While policies may be formally defined, it is culture that often determines whether they are followed or ignored in practice.
Implicit norms—those unspoken rules that influence how people behave—often dictate how risks are assessed and how security decisions are made. For example, if the culture values speed and autonomy over oversight, employees may cut corners to meet deadlines even if that means bypassing established controls. Culture can be an enabler that amplifies the impact of your security strategy, or it can be a barrier that quietly undermines it. Understanding the culture of your organization is not optional—it is foundational. Without it, your security strategies may sound good on paper but fail in execution.
Strong governance depends on alignment between formal frameworks and the existing culture. Governance frameworks, whether based on COBIT, ISO, or internal models, are more likely to succeed when they reflect how the organization already thinks and operates. If the policies you introduce feel like a foreign language to your team, they will struggle to gain traction. Instead of viewing culture as a barrier, view it as a blueprint for how to shape your approach. When policies are aligned with existing cultural norms, they are seen as natural extensions of daily work rather than outside mandates.
Disconnects between governance and culture can lead to enforcement gaps. A beautifully designed policy can be rendered ineffective if the surrounding culture encourages workarounds or tolerates exceptions. People interpret roles and responsibilities through the lens of culture. For example, in a culture where initiative is highly valued, individuals may act independently even when policies suggest centralized approval. Strong governance includes an assessment of culture during the design phase—not afterward. Embedding cultural understanding into your policy development process ensures that expectations are realistic and enforceable.
Culture also plays a defining role in how organizations perceive and respond to risk. In some companies, risk is treated as a core strategic concern. In others, it’s viewed as an operational annoyance. How leadership defines acceptable risk levels—and how those definitions are communicated—sets the tone for the entire organization. High-trust cultures may underemphasize formal controls, relying instead on personal relationships and informal communication. This can lead to blind spots where risks are underestimated or ignored.
Risk tolerance is rarely written down. It’s often embedded in leadership styles, decision-making habits, and responses to previous incidents. If leadership historically downplays risk or dismisses concerns, employees learn to do the same. In such environments, formal frameworks may exist on paper but be ignored in daily practice. Security leaders must strike a careful balance—respecting cultural attitudes while ensuring the organization maintains adequate controls. Ignoring culture will result in friction. Embracing culture while elevating expectations is the key to sustainable change.
Communication patterns are one of the most visible expressions of culture, and they have a direct impact on security messaging. In some organizations, information flows in a formal and structured way. In others, informal networks are more powerful than official channels. Security awareness efforts must match these patterns. If your culture prefers indirect communication, a blunt warning about policy violations may be rejected or ignored. If your organization values clarity and speed, long-form messages may be overlooked entirely.
Understanding communication tone and timing is essential for security professionals. Resistance to change often grows when messages feel poorly timed, condescending, or misaligned with how people are used to receiving information. Trust is the foundation for effective communication. Before asking employees to change behaviors, security leaders must first build credibility. That credibility comes from understanding how communication works in the organization and adapting accordingly.
Leadership plays the most visible and influential role in shaping security culture. What leaders say and do signals to the organization what matters. If a senior executive speaks about security regularly, funds security initiatives, and holds teams accountable, those behaviors signal that security is a priority. On the other hand, if leadership consistently ignores security reports or defers every risk decision, those signals can undermine even the best technical safeguards. Employees notice where resources go and what behaviors are rewarded.
Security policies gain traction when they are backed by leadership modeling. If leaders follow the rules, others are more likely to do so. If leaders cut corners or delay action, that behavior becomes the informal standard. Broad cultural change is difficult to initiate without top-level support. Leadership buy-in must come before you launch new policies, training, or awareness campaigns. Without it, even well-designed initiatives may struggle to gain credibility or compliance.
Cultural resistance is one of the most common challenges security professionals face. Even when policies are well-written and technically sound, employees may resist changes that feel disruptive or out of step with their work style. For example, a policy requiring multi-factor authentication may feel like a nuisance to teams that value speed and simplicity. Overly punitive policies can create fear and avoidance rather than compliance. Employees who feel threatened may stop reporting issues or avoid asking questions.
In some organizations, resistance leads to shadow IT. This occurs when employees use unauthorized tools or services because the approved ones feel too slow, complex, or poorly suited to their needs. Often, this behavior is not malicious—it’s a symptom of a misalignment between policy and culture. Sometimes resistance stems from lack of understanding. If people don’t see the purpose or benefit of a control, they are unlikely to support it. Addressing resistance requires empathy, observation, and dialogue—not just enforcement.
Security programs are more effective when they are designed with culture in mind. This begins with tailoring training and awareness materials to match the language, tone, and style of the organization. Generic content rarely resonates. Embedding responsibilities into existing workflows also helps reduce friction. When security feels like part of the routine, people are more likely to adopt the behaviors you're encouraging.
Cultural insights can also help you prioritize which initiatives to roll out first. In highly collaborative cultures, for example, peer-led awareness campaigns may be more effective than top-down training. Avoid assuming that one approach works everywhere—departmental subcultures often vary. Engineering teams may respond well to logic and autonomy, while sales teams may value simplicity and executive sponsorship. Cultural key performance indicators such as policy adoption rates, user feedback, or attendance at security briefings can help you measure cultural alignment and adjust over time.
To shape and guide security culture, you must first assess it. Surveys and interviews are effective ways to learn how people perceive security policies, controls, and leadership support. Ask open-ended questions and look for patterns in the responses. Behavioral data also provides valuable insight. For example, phishing test results or incident reporting trends can reveal whether users are engaging with training or ignoring risks.
Examine whether employees are complying with policies in practice—not just signing acknowledgments. Look for informal norms around accountability, such as whether team members report issues themselves or wait for someone else to do it. These observations help uncover cultural friction points. Are people afraid to speak up? Are teams rewarded for compliance? Understanding the full picture helps you identify both strengths and weaknesses in your current culture.
Changing culture is not a fast process, but it is possible. Start by making security a shared value across the organization, not just the responsibility of the IT department. Emphasize that everyone has a role to play in protecting data, systems, and customer trust. Reinforce positive behaviors through recognition programs, informal praise, and performance feedback. People are more likely to repeat behaviors that are noticed and appreciated.
Communicate wins. Show employees how their actions are reducing risk, improving compliance, or contributing to business goals. When people see the impact of their efforts, they are more likely to support ongoing change. Use incremental shifts to build momentum. Cultural transformation rarely happens all at once. Small victories build trust and prepare the ground for larger shifts. Involve middle managers and team influencers—they are often the most trusted messengers within the organization.
Once a positive security culture has been established, it must be sustained. Culture cannot be left on autopilot. It must be reinforced through onboarding processes, regular training, and consistent leadership messaging. Every time a new employee joins or a process changes, the culture must be communicated and practiced again. Measurement plays a role here too—monitor behaviors, track participation, and assess feedback loops.
Your security goals should always align with the broader mission and values of the organization. When alignment is clear, employees see security as a partner—not a blocker. Make sure there are open feedback loops between users, security teams, and leadership. Listening to user feedback helps you fine-tune your strategies. Finally, remember that culture is not static. It changes over time. Reassess your cultural strategies regularly to keep pace with shifts in the business and external environment.
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Episode 7: Organizational Culture and Its Impact on Security
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