In a field as critical and complex as cybersecurity, technical skill alone isn’t enough to earn trust or influence. The stakes are too high, and the noise is too loud.
If you’re not being pulled into strategic discussions—if your recommendations aren’t driving decisions—it’s not because you’re not smart enough. It’s because you haven’t built authority across the right dimensions.
Real influence in cyber comes from mastering what I call The 4 Dimensions of Expertise (4DE) Framework:
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Industry Expertise – Have you personally solved real cybersecurity problems—across industries, tech stacks, and regulatory environments—and have the scars to prove it?
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Solution Expertise – Have you delivered this solution before—and can you prove it achieved real results for organizations just like the one you’re working with now?
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Client Expertise – Can you prove that your solution supports the organization’s strategy, fits their business model, and checks every box that matters to them?
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Engagement Expertise – Are you showing up as a leader in every interaction—driving clarity, resolving friction, and keeping all stakeholders aligned on the goals?
This framework reveals your gaps. And it gives you a roadmap to close them—fast.
Because in cybersecurity, it’s not enough to be right. You need to be recognized as right. That only happens when others trust how you think, and behave, not just what you know.
So if you’re ready to lead at the next level, stop waiting to be seen as an expert.
Start becoming one.