{"id":8485,"date":"2023-12-11T08:35:13","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T08:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynpartners.com\/blog\/security-rockstars\/"},"modified":"2023-12-11T08:35:13","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T08:35:13","slug":"security-rockstars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynpartners.com\/en\/blog\/security-rockstars\/","title":{"rendered":"Security Rockstars"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How we influence the human psyche for a successful ambassador network<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In today’s world of Security and Privacy, ambassadors can make the difference between a robust defense and a vulnerability that can be exploited. In our previously published blog “Shaping a Thorough Security and Privacy Ambassador Program – what’s really involved?” we dive into shaping such an ambassador program and the choices involved.<\/p>\n

But how do you ensure that both ambassadors and colleagues are motivated to act according to the desired guidelines? Fortunately, we can draw on applications from science, especially social psychology. In this blog, we explore the social psychology principles that can be applied to make your information security and privacy ambassador network a success. In addition, we provide an insight into our “Security Rockstar Program<\/a>,” a program that can serve as inspiration. And discover what strategies you can use to motivate ambassadors and colleagues to do what we would like them to do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Why create an ambassador network for Security and Privacy at all?<\/h2>\n
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One might ask why roll out an ambassador network at all? Behind this is a fascinating psychological concept from the well-known book “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman. In it he describes two systems of thought: system 1, or, the quick thinking by which we make almost 95% of our decisions during the day. Think about handling emails, doing routine work, and so on. And in system 2, we make the important choices that take more time and require very conscious reasoning.<\/p>\n

In practice, we see that the focus is often on reasoned, or conscious, thinking when it comes to information security and privacy. For example, if we present you with three phishing emails, you might say, “This is phishing, this is just spam and this is a regular email.” But in practice, colleagues make almost 95% of their decisions in system 1, also influenced by experiences, emotions and memories.<\/p>\n

So the challenge is how to encourage colleagues while they are in system 1. After all, we can’t sit next to our colleagues all day and do the translating for them. We can’t constantly ask questions like, “Why is it important that we lock our computer?” or “Why is it important that we don’t just share large files via Excel spreadsheets?”<\/p>\n

In an ambassador network, though, a colleague on the shop floor can watch all day. This colleague sits next to his or her co-workers, works in Civil Affairs himself, to name a few, and understands how work is done and why certain behaviors are important. The beauty of an ambassador network<\/p>\n

is that they can actually influence and coach in the workplace, and they can offer this tailored, fully tailored to the individual employee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Security rockstars<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The concept of our Security and Privacy ambassador network once began with the question, “Can we do things differently?” Traditional ambassador programs are boring, one-sided and often ineffective. What if we develop a program where people volunteer because they believe in the cause and are intrinsically motivated? What if we develop a program that is so cool that everyone wants to sign up?<\/span><\/p>\n

This was soon followed by the first ideas and not much later a fully developed and deployable ambassador program: the “Security Rockstar Program” – a modern networking platform that connects all ambassadors within a company. Users can climb the ladder from “Roadie” to absolute “Security Rockstar” through challenges and competitions. Integrated rewards such as compliments and on-screen confetti take advantage of the reward system known from social media platforms, releasing the feel-good hormone dopamine that keeps the user eager to return and engaged. Instead of offering boring and dry material after which no one really takes action, we offer small, doable challenges, such as complimenting three colleagues on their safe behavior. That way, we make sure cybersecurity is fun and achievable, while keeping the conversation going. Ambassadors can not only learn through this platform, but also exchange tips and tricks, support each other and engage in conversation with each other. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Human Behavioural Design: Tips & tricks from social psychology<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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You just read about it; confetti, compliments, reward systems and dopamine. All tips and tricks from social psychology to influence human behavior with. Handy techniques, then, for getting people to ultimately do what we want them to do. Below is a list of our most commonly used techniques:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n