At the RSA Conference, amidst the bustling expo floor and the whirlwind of technology discussions, there lies a gem of a conversation that transcends the ordinary tech talk. Sean Martin of ITSP Magazine sat down with the remarkable Larry Whiteside Jr., and what unfolded was not just a dialogue about cybersecurity and industry trends but a heartfelt exploration of the human connection behind the technology.
Guest: Larry Whiteside Jr., Chief Information Security Officer, RegScale [@RegScale]
On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrywhitesidejr/
____________________________
Hosts:
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast [@RedefiningCyber]
On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/sean-martin
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast
On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli
____________________________
Episode Notes
A Deeper Meaning Beyond Technology
As Sean and Larry delved into their conversation, it became evident that the heart of their discourse was not solely centered around technology but rather on the individuals who drive the industry forward. Larry emphasized that at the core of cybersecurity endeavors are people—people who work tirelessly to protect businesses, societies, and the world at large. Their candid discussion shed light on the essential role of genuine care and mindfulness towards individuals in a tech-driven world.
Mindfulness and Authenticity in Cybersecurity
Larry’s poignant reflections on mindfulness resonated deeply, highlighting the importance of recognizing individuals as whole entities beyond their professional roles. In a fast-paced industry prone to burnout, his emphasis on genuine care for others and maintaining integrity stood out as a beacon of light. The power of authentic connections and the impact of positive actions rippled through Larry’s words, reminding us all of the profound influence we hold in each other's lives.
The Origin of 'Food for Thought'
Larry shared insights into his 'Food for Thought' series, revealing the inspiration behind bringing together a global community of brilliant minds to ponder on intriguing questions. His journey of seeking answers from others, fostering meaningful discussions, and sharing wisdom encapsulates the essence of collaboration and collective growth within the cybersecurity realm. Through his thoughtful videos, Larry extends an invitation to engage in deeper contemplation and exchange of ideas within the community.
Embracing the Power of Connection
As the conversation between Sean and Larry unfolded, it became evident that at the core of cybersecurity lies the profound impact of genuine connections. Beyond the technical intricacies and threat landscapes, it is the human touch, the empathetic gestures, and the authentic interactions that truly define the essence of cybersecurity efforts.
In a world that often prioritizes productivity over empathy, Larry Whiteside Jr.'s message serves as a poignant reminder of the transformative power of authenticity and mindfulness in forging meaningful relationships and creating a positive impact within the cybersecurity community.
This episode show is an honest heartfelt conversation between Sean Martin and Larry Whiteside Jr., offering a glimpse into the profound significance of authentic connections and genuine care within the cybersecurity landscape.
Be sure to follow our Coverage Journey and subscribe to our podcasts!
____________________________
Follow our RSA Conference USA 2024 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsa-conference-usa-2024-rsac-san-francisco-usa-cybersecurity-event-infosec-conference-coverage
On YouTube: 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS-B9eaPcHUVmy_lGrbIw9J
Be sure to share and subscribe!
____________________________
Resources
Learn more about RSA Conference USA 2024: https://itspm.ag/rsa-cordbw
____________________________
Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-cybersecurity-society-humanity-conference-and-event-coverage
To see and hear more Redefining CyberSecurity content on ITSPmagazine, visit: https://www.itspmagazine.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcast
To see and hear more Redefining Society stories on ITSPmagazine, visit:
https://www.itspmagazine.com/redefining-society-podcast
Are you interested in sponsoring our event coverage with an ad placement in the podcast?
Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/podadplc
Want to tell your Brand Story as part of our event coverage?
Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrf
The Power of Authentic Connections | An RSA Conference 2024 Conversation with Larry Whiteside Jr. | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli
Please note that this transcript was created using AI technology and may contain inaccuracies or deviations from the original audio file. The transcript is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the original recording, as errors may exist. At this time, we provide it “as it is,” and we hope it can be helpful for our audience.
_________________________________________
[00:00:00] Sean Martin: Yes.
Hey! We got the, we got the thumbs up right? We're rolling. Feel like the Fonz. Hey! Hey! Ah, boy. Here we are. This is a treat, my friend. This is a treat. Um, Sean Martin here, ITSP Magazine, coming to you from RSA Conference. You can probably hear it in the background, all the noise, the buzz from the expo floor.
Day three, Wednesday. I think it's Wednesday.
[00:00:28] Larry Whiteside Jr.: I think it's Wednesday. I believe it's Wednesday.
[00:00:30] Sean Martin: We'll go with Wednesday. And, uh, it's a good day. A good day for food for thought. Yes! A good day for food for thought. I'm here with Larry Whiteside Jr. if you didn't know that already. Um, amazing friend, amazing human.
It's a treat to have you on, Larry. I'm happy to be here. I love having these conversations. Amazing, amazing stuff. So I want to, um, we'll see where this goes. Okay. I don't think we're gonna, we'll see if we talk about tech. But I don't think we're gonna talk much about tech. I want to talk about what you can't see because we're looking at a backdrop here.
It's all the people that make this. This thing happened. And this thing isn't just a show. This thing isn't just about technology. This thing is about people protecting businesses, protecting society, protecting the world. I'm being a little, uh, little, uh, grand there, but it's the truth. It's the truth. If our water's not clean, if the power's not on, if we can't get our money from the bank, we're in trouble.
And there's people behind all of that. And We struggle sometimes, Larry. We struggle sometimes, right? We do.
[00:01:41] Larry Whiteside Jr.: We do. So, the reality is none of this exists without people. Because we do it for people, and it's done by people. Right? So, a lot of times we miss that. We think this is about technology. And it's not.
And because when we start thinking that it's about technology, it's when things begin to go awry. Right? And so we were talking earlier about the breadth of what this show is today. And how it's grown and it's grown beyond the center that it's in. So we're no longer just in Moscow, right? We're in Moscow and West, which didn't exist a number of years ago.
We're now also in the Marriott, which like, so it's just continuing to grow. At the same time, the threats are continuing to grow. The number of people trying to come into this industry are continuing to grow. There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of risk. Yeah, it's happening
[00:02:27] Sean Martin: right now. And I'm going to go straight there, Larry.
Yep. I want to talk about this because it's important. You, you do a Food for Thought post. I do. And you're out and about, you're speaking from the heart, you're speaking to me, everybody else, but when I'm watching that, you're speaking to me. And what you say resonates, my friend. What you say resonates. It touches me, and it makes me think, it makes me pause, makes me reflect, makes me feel, and uh, I appreciate you for that.
You did a post this morning that, don't repeat it, but kind of, It was a, it was a powerful one. Yeah, it was a powerful one. And then it involved, I, I couldn't quite pick up the other person involved in the story, but tell us, tell us about what you said today.
[00:03:11] Larry Whiteside Jr.: Yeah. So, um, this post was about mindfulness, right?
So in our industry, we are working very, very, very hard, and we hear the topic of burnout a lot, right? People are burning out of their roles, whether you're an executive or whether you're a practitioner. People are burning out because we're working very hard to solve a very hard problem. But often what we're forgetting is that, as we're working hard, we're driving our people hard, they're people.
They have families, they have their own ecosystem. And I did a post a few weeks ago talking about people are whole entities. They're not just employees, they typically have family, they have things going on outside of work. And we used to call this this work life balance. Oh, do you have work life balance?
And I don't really look at it as just balance. I look at it as, you're a whole person. Are all of you, as a whole person, doing okay? We often focus on the work side of people. Hey, how are you doing? Have you completed this task? Why have you not completed these tasks? Right? But for me, I like to think about the other side of the person.
Hey, how are your kids? Hey, how's your girlfriend? How's your boyfriend? How's your husband? How's your partner? Having those dialogues, because We are whole people. So in that post, I talked about mindfulness and about being mindful of people and recognizing that it's important to make people understand and know that you care about them holistically and not just for what they can do for you or do for the organization that you work for.
Right. And I had a gentleman who literally saw me, I was carrying a box across the street for, to help some people. And he saw me, he said, Hey. Can I pray with you? I was like, yes, absolutely. And I thought, and it was funny because I carry around a little notebook so I could take notes and write. And he says, I see you have your Bible.
I said, well it's actually not a Bible, it's my notebook. I said, but, if you look at this thing I'm wearing, right, so, love Christ, love church and love community, right? And my other one says, pray first. Right. So when he did that, I like got a chill, but we stood there in the middle of the Marriott hotel and just prayed together really quickly.
Yeah. And what that did for me, right, was show that there's somebody who saw me and just in the moment cared about all of me. He didn't know me. We had never met before, but he approached me in such a genuine way. It changed my day. Yeah. Not that I was having a bad day. But it changed my day where I immediately had to give that post because I believe this community matters.
And at the end of the day, if we aren't here supporting each other, nothing that we do matters. None of the risks that we protect, none of the threats we're mitigating, none of it matters. Because at the end of the day, it's about all these people.
[00:06:13] Sean Martin: And, I mean, that really struck me today. What, um What kind of feedback do you get?
I mean, I know I've, I've shared my thoughts on some of your posts, but I want to, I know you have an impact on a lot, and maybe some of it's sent privately as well, so we don't, we don't want to share something that's not meant to be shared publicly, but I mean, you touch a lot of people there, so what do you hear back from, from folks?
So,
[00:06:39] Larry Whiteside Jr.: um, so it's, it's interesting. I'm going to try not to get emotional, but I did a post one day where I said, You never realize that people are watching. Somebody's always watching, right? So being a good steward, being a good human, being a, uh, and focusing on helping others, people are watching and you don't even know it.
So I'm getting married in less than six weeks, right? Right. So I had a bachelor party, right? Me and 12 executives. That I've made relationships with over the last, you know, 15, 20 years, all fly down to Panama, right? Four, four or five days in Panama, and so we have a dinner. And at this dinner, each of these guys that I've known for a long time began sharing my impact on them.
I'm like, wait, what? Like, you're the global CTO of this. You're the global CTO of this. You're like, these are all these. And little old me, I don't do anything for me. I don't do anything for recognition and they've never said these things to me, but we're sitting at a dinner and they're telling me these things that I might.
And it just made me think about every one of us has the opportunity to positively impact others. We do, whether you take it or not as a choice, but if you hit the moment of realizing that, This is bigger than you, and you're doing this for a bigger purpose than you. Doesn't matter what you do on a day to day basis.
Doesn't matter what your job is. It is that hearing from other people, how you've touched them, that really is like, holy crap, like it's a serious moment. Sorry. No, I love it, brother. I love it.
[00:08:33] Sean Martin: I mean,
it's easy, especially when it's a work environment like this, to look at somebody As their role. Right? Right. That's how we see people. They are an analyst. They are a CISO. They are a CIO. They, and when you're out on this floor, they have the budget. They have the power for ops. They have, and it's hard to break through that sometimes.
It is. But I have tons of, I don't have maybe quite the impact you do, my friend. on folks, but I, I certainly can call hundreds, if not thousands of people here. Certainly friends, much, much more close to me than others. Right. Um, and I tried, I try my best to make time for those moments. Um, we've been together at some of those, some of those moments this week where it's not about what can we, what can we do with each other?
It's what, what can we, how can we enjoy time with each other? So,
[00:09:44] Larry Whiteside Jr.: so, first let me say, you are touching hundreds of thousands of people and, and you don't know it. Cause the thing is, is the reality is things are said outside that may not ever come to you. But I will tell you in the conversation I've had with hundreds and thousands of people, you are touching people, right?
And so know and understand that. That's number one. Number two is When you do things out of genuine care for others, you feel it just in the way people are open. When you call them, they answer. When you ask them to show up, they show up. That is the testament to why they do it, because they know who you are and what you do for this community.
So know and understand that. I try and tell people all the time, if you're doing something for the wrong purpose, it may not show itself in the beginning, but at some point, you're going to call on someone, and they're not going to show up. You're going to call on someone and ask for something, and ask them to do something, and you're not going to be able to do it.
And it's because at some point along the way You want to skew and we're doing things and it became apparent that you're doing things for the wrong reason and for the wrong purpose.
[00:11:16] Sean Martin: Integrity is key, man.
[00:11:17] Larry Whiteside Jr.: 100%. Well, that's what our industry is built on, right? Our industry is built on integrity. But you would be amazed at how many people come in this industry and are letting the glimmer, the lights, and the money pull them into direction.
That really aren't aligned to the basis of what this industry is doing.
[00:11:40] Sean Martin: Oh boy. I didn't realize there was going to be a love festival. I did actually. I wanted to share what you do. Because it's important. I think I'm going to let people soak this up. I think we're going to leave it with Please connect with Larry.
On LinkedIn. Yeah. Reach out to me. The, the, the food for thoughts. Let me tell you how they originated.
[00:12:13] Larry Whiteside Jr.: Please do. So my brain is always going. Okay. Right. And I talk to a lot of people. I mentor a lot of people. And so I would have these thoughts and I would then go research it myself. And I would go, Oh man, I wonder what, or I wonder why, or I wonder how.
And I would just start Googling and start and then reach out to a couple of people on LinkedIn and right and then one day I was like, wait, so I'm a part of this amazing global community of really, really smart people. Why am I trying to figure these things out on my own? Let me take these questions to the community.
Let me ask them their thoughts on these things that have confounded me. Right. And I do a lot of walking. I do a lot of reading. I do a lot of meditating. And when these things happen, I'm like, and I have a whole list, literally, I've got a, you know, on the Apple, you've got the note. I've got hundreds of things that I've taken a note in there that I'm going to add.
I like, Oh, I should ask somebody this. I should. And so I've got a ton of food for thought prepped and ready to go. But it's that aspect of, there's this wonderfully smart community out there. Of all who have experienced things, gone through things, done things, thought about things, and likely the things I'm thinking about and questioning, that they would love to provide answers to.
And that's what started it. It was just, let me ask this question, right? And for me, because I love to run my mouth, I think that's, God has given me, uh, that one talent that I do extremely well. And so with it, I said, let me just record myself while I was out walking my dogs. And I put it out there, and I got such good feedback from people answering the questions.
And the people I don't know coming up to me at different conferences I speak at are like, Oh, yes, I watch your Food for Thought, right? They're like, Oh, great, like, I didn't know. I didn't know you saw that, right? So, for me, that started it, and that's what's going to continue it.
[00:14:15] Sean Martin: And
[00:14:15] Larry Whiteside Jr.: it is
[00:14:16] Sean Martin: Food for Thought.
I'm fed when I watch it and listen to it. Larry. I love you brother. I love you too bro. Thank you for spending this time with me. Absolutely. And, uh, give some love to this guy. Thank you everybody for watching. Please, uh, please stay tuned. RSA Conference. More from ITSB. And great guys like this. Stay tuned for the next one.
It's gonna be even, even as good as this. Let me tell you. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, man. Thanks bro.
[00:14:48] Larry Whiteside Jr.: Appreciate it.