Cavett Robert once said something about character that resonates within information security – especially regarding ongoing management and leadership. He said:
“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.”
When I saw this I was reminded of how pumped you can get when attending a show like RSA or CSI or how neat certain vendor marketing spiels sound. Another is when an information security consultant or internal auditor produces a report that kindles the fire inside so you resolve that you’re going to make things right this time around…but then the newness and the excitement wear off. We get busy and fall back into our old ways and like I wrote about we lose sight of what’s important. The cycle continues.