Recently, I was a panel member for one of the perceptive sessions on “#WhyASIS”, organized by 2023 ASIS International, Tim McCreight, CPP. In this session, panelists were discussing their personal journeys in ASIS and the world of security, and what makes them committed to ASIS International and its members.
An unscripted-conceptualized session that brought out the various facets of ASIS International (including our role as volunteer leaders) by all the panel participants.
In 2018, I became a member of ASIS International as a CPP-Aspirants and started writing articles on the security industry based on what I was learning from reviewing the Protection of Assets (POA).
ASIS leadership echoed my passion of utilizing ASIS resources and giving back to the association and our global membership. And GUESS WHAT? Within the next two years, I was offered the position of Vice Chair for the Young Professional Community (now ASIS NextGen) for Content Management. Serving in this role, I have been able to enhance my management and leadership skills with a globally diverse group of security professionals, which is ultimately making me a more complete human being.
I learned at the #WhyASIS session how much ASIS membership has benefited security professionals all over the world.
The following are some key takeaways shared during this discussion:
A Global Family in this Globalized World – ASIS provides you with a sense of belonging to a GLOBAL FAMILY in the fast-paced world of security, which will accelerate your professional development as well your security knowledge, connections, and enable you and others to flourish.
Path of Resilience – A world-class mentor program, "gold standard" certifications, knowledge resources such as year-round webinars, and industry-leading standards and guidelines all serve as incredibly useful resources that encourage security professionals to follow the "path of resilience."
Nurture the Feeling of ‘Giving Back to the Profession’ – When you venture into the ASIS universe, seeing members from across the globe giving their time to help other ASIS members strengthen their knowledge and connections every day, it is the kind of behavior that feeds of the positive energy it creates; thus, influencing and inspiring others to model that same behavior. Whether it be serving in a local chapter role, regional role, or a global role (e.g., participating in ASIS International’s best-in-class mentoring program).
Time and time again, panelists in this discussion described how being a member of ASIS changed their career trajectory while at the same time expanded their sense of belonging.
In conclusion, I suppose the real questions facing global security professionals are:
- If you are a member of ASIS, are you taking full advantage of what ASIS has to offer?
- If you are not a member, what are you waiting for?
