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Disasters easily occupy our minds as they often make us glad that we are not part of them. We see them as a warning. It is why coverage is so common in the news. Similarly death.

Disaster and death are two dark subjects yet the truth is that death can follow disaster. If not death, then often damage. In life as well as in business. 

During the development of my own software I find I have to consider risk a lot. There are risks inherent from my providers and partners, they could give me bad advice and or bad service. If I happen to get through and work with a solid platform (I use AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Microsoft DevOps to make sure) and I do, I still have to consider my intended users who eventually could be clients one day too. 

You Are A Data Custodian

Even in the short term as I ready for beta testing on a current project I need to make sure that those who test do not suffer from ‘accidents’ and do not overtly share with competitors or are not so inspired that they may become competitors themselves. In the past I have had to deal with all of that, even before I get to release a finished product. More than once. It happens all the time. You can’t legislate against it. Yet you can protect.

In effect my partners, suppliers, beta testers and even future clients will become data custodians. Even though I do not give my code away I still need my data custodians to do their best to protect my data. Not just because I always strive to protect their data.

From the outset, the first thing, was to put protection in place. Even when the only thing to protect was the protection itself! The two primary systems I use for data protection are encryption and limitation. As we are all in one way or another data custodians, we could follow suit.

Online encryption is easy

Essentially I will only run data through a secure (SSL) website. This means that data between the end user and end server is 100% encrypted with the encryption unique and determined according to the SSL encrypted standards. So whether your access is in a hotel with an open wifi, or from within an otherwise secure cabled environment my users are automatically afforded the same level of protection.

As a custodian of our own data in most of the things we do, we should all take the time to make sure that we only use sites whose urls start with https, as this is the sign of an SSL encrypted website. This is not to say that the website is encrypted, as SSL merely encrypts the data you enter for transportation to the server. For instance an app on your phone connected to your bank would employ SSL encryption and a lot more besides.

With regard to a lot more besides, internally to my projects I employ Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems too. This means a user only gets access to resources when they are supposed to (limitation). So if someone were to get hacked the damage that might be done would automatically be limited.

The third key in the puzzle is that all variable data, such as that stored in the cloud is encrypted automatically at rest. 

Truth is, all of this sophistication is supplied to me, although I do have to know it is there, take action by configuring it, turn it on and finally work with it. Many apparently take action and configure only to forget to turn it on. Actually a tall order in many ways as each element presents its’ own difficulty. Yet it is done. 

The Shared Responsibility of Data Custodians

I have just outlined how I have shared responsibility with my suppliers and the lengths I go to in order to ensure protection and security is built in from the inside. I am a data custodian of their systems. I have to protect my access so people can’t get into the systems I use too. It with this that we should all consider ourselves data custodians.

Most people it seems consider that they are protected from outside threats on the basis that it is not their responsibility. While a car should not hit you when you cross the road, even though the driver will be found guilty, you will still have to live with the damage done. 

You can get insurance and this may cover some of the costs. Yet it has been recently revealed that Hiscox an insurance company that specialises in Cyber Protection recently became a victim itself. Recently it had to admit that documents from a Hiscox lawsuit were taken from a law firm by a hacking group known as Dark Overlord. Oh dear.

Freedom Of Speech

For all those people who use and abuse social media, they abuse themselves too. Digital records become permanent as many a prospective MP (some current) know only too well.

You can’t blame social media for keeping a record, you have to accept personal responsibility for making it in the first place.

So although freedom speech is a good thing, you have to still be careful what you say as what you say you will have to live with. We all hope that there is little that will come back to us. Yet it is one of our responsibilities we all share.

A few Star Referrers enjoying their 4-star breakfast at the Hilton Olympia, at 7:55 yesterday before it got busy! Our next event at the Hilton is set for the morning of Friday the 8th. Please be one of the first to register: https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-WyUtSAWr/events/znzmpqyzdblb/

Private Dining!

The Hilton does not disappoint! They over deliver in their all you can eat buffet and tell me if more than twenty register they will give us our own Private Dining area too – and that would be great as I know from past experience, privacy is much appreciated.

Why Meet For Breakfast?

To meet like-minded people and have the rest of your day free. There are lots of issues that are not easy to discuss with families, friends, and clients. Impartial suggestions can be a real tonic. People from different backgrounds have different ideas. New collaborations can lead to great referrals.

Who Will You Meet?

At least me! Sometimes former customers and associates come along to catch up, many come along for the first time. I have met Lawyers, Accountants, Video producers, Speakers, Wealth and Investment specialists, Retailers, Home Services professionals, Designers, Writers, Digital gurus, Fitness and Exercise Trainers, Insurers… Business owners to sales managers, all are welcome. An eclectic business mix that ranges across a variety of professions.

Whether you are a window cleaner, builder or a seven figure banker, no one is turned away! If you are in business, or new to business then this is a breakfast for you.

I can’t wait to see you there. Please register so I can let you know more.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly!

The good news is you have a great new project to work on. The bad news is the state of the team you have inherited. To put it mildly they look like a bunch of losers, the left behinds, the people who would not leave.

They have their reasons…

For instance John is two years from retirement. Julie just loves complaining. Jack has headphones on all the time and does not talk or engage unless spoken to. Then there’s Janice who should by rights have your job and is well, superior to everyone in the room and the next room if not the whole floor.

Obvious problems!

As manager you have to take control and make this work. Clearly each has a different agenda and as long as this remains your job will be impossible. You need to start talking to them as a team as well as individually.

As a team you want to emphasise what they have in common, the sky above, the ground below, the overall mission and recognise publicly that each has their own special skills and talents and that is what they bring to the party. Then you need to ask for their help to work in support of the mission, collaboratively.

Chances are, without knowing what this really means your new team will agree to agree and to start to understand the focus and the mission. Next you need to ask them to explain to everyone else what they are passionate about and how this project will be part of achieving their passion. Draw out the challenges that might be holding them back so you can start to think about how these might be resolved.

At the end of this first step you will start to achieve the necessary bonds and build up some expectation and excitement. Soon however these new feelings will be forgotten and the issues they have with each other and work will resurface and take over once more.

Your task as manager

Is to talk with each person to find out some of the good things that they are doing and have already done. You want to engineer an opportunity when individual success can be celebrated both inside and outside the group by publicly thanking them for their achievements and focus. It will help the team realise they are needed and give them the recognition they deserve. Making them happy does not cost a thing and can go a long way.

In the case of John who is about to retire you need to recognise and tap into his experience about the way things are done around here and help him to show others how to make things happen.

In the case of Jack, the headphone guy, just having him attend meetings and asking open questions will get him talking and sharing.

Julie is obviously a detail person, you want to get her doing things for the team, so she can take pride in helping everyone. Recognition is big for her and if she continues to harp on, you need to pick her up on it and ask her to explain to you what she is talking about in order to get to the bottom of it, to turn those complaints into something more constructive.

You need to get Janice’s thoughts out and into the open. There’s a reason you got the job and she didn’t. You can explain that in the circumstances you are especially grateful for her contribution and that while some would be resentful, clearly she isn’t and as a result you are able to admire her for all she is doing and actually learn from her how things are done. The chances are that your gracious approach will defuse the situation and foster a better ongoing relationship.

About You!

Finally, you need to not worry about being new and even inexperienced. You are the manager and you are good. You must project confidence in what you are doing in order to inspire it. So assume you are the best and go out and prove it.

I once heard that members of a team tend to sit in silos. Silos are natural, usually to do with their domain of excellence,  each is different by design. You want to know are they grain silos or missile solos?