March is Member Appreciation Month at ASIS International. In honor of this upcoming event, Meredith Moore, M.Ed, CEO, Greylake Training Solutions, shares her advice as a security business owner and reflects on the value of her ASIS membership.
Want to hear more from Meredith? Join us at 3:00 pm ET on 9 March, when Meredith will host a free, members-only webinar: “Implicit Bias in Physical Security Operations: Why It Matters.”
Meredith Moore, M.Ed: Five pieces of advice that I'd give a security professional or security company are:
- Technology, systems, and operational protocols are critical in the security industry—however, consider the human factor. Behind plans are people; technology moves way faster than human nature, and our own cognitive biases can warp our perceptions. When we use human-centered design thinking in security, we can be more effective and efficient.
- Take an interdisciplinary approach to security. There are so many areas intersecting with security—gender, culture, communication styles, learning and development, sociology, and behavioral science. When you examine a security issue through all these lenses, you’ll develop more creative solutions.
- Build relationships with people outside of security. As security consultants and companies, we focus on engaging with security leaders. Helping leaders in other areas (ethics, HR, operations, legal, finance) recognize the value of security only helps strengthen the case for security products and services.
- Help each other. I love collaborating with others and bringing together people with diverse skillsets and different expertise on security projects. It’s so energizing to hear about all the ideas out there in our industry. We should all commit to supporting each other in any way we can.
- Never stop learning. Be intellectually curious, challenge your assumptions and beliefs, and welcome feedback and new ways of thinking. These are essential for personal and professional growth.
Being a member of ASIS has exposed me to exciting ideas and people in our industry. I love the peer-to-peer conversations on the ASIS Connects site, the GSX conference, and community groups. It’s a fantastic way to share and receive knowledge and support. I’m grateful to ASIS members Anjali Sniadowski, CPP, CBCP, PMP and Sara Mosqueda, assistant editor of Security Management magazine.
Anjali is the one who sold me on the value of ASIS, particularly for women in the security industry. Sara has opened me up to all the great journalism and media work ASIS does. Thanks to Sara, I’m now an avid reader of ASIS publications. I’m looking forward to meeting many more ASIS members soon.
