Building Resilient Teams Through Kindness and Innovation in Security with Tim Wenzel

Show Summary

In this episode of the Secure Access Podcast, sponsored by Sign in Solutions, host John Dillard is joined by Tim Winzel. Tim, the creator of the Kindness Games and Associate Managing Director at Kroll, shares his remarkable journey in global security and leadership. He unpacks his humble beginnings, pivotal experiences in Iraq, State Department, and his influential tenure at Facebook. Tim reveals how kindness can be a potent tool in security, building resilient and effective teams. He discusses his innovative approaches, including security techniques to counter espionage, the importance of integrating culture and customer service into security, and the relevance of AI in future security measures. His experiences as a foster parent and working with victims of domestic violence have shaped his holistic approach to leadership and security. The conversation also delves into the post-COVID-19 workplace culture, highlighting current challenges and future trends in security and risk management.

Key takeaways 

• Cultural Integration: Security professionals must understand the business context and align their practices with organizational culture for effective security management.
• Embracing Kindness: Implementing kindness as a leadership strategy can improve team dynamics and organizational culture.
• Risk Management: Effective communication of risk in business terms is essential for security professionals to gain support and resources.
• Adapting to AI: Proper implementation of AI can enhance security operations, but understanding and defining processes is crucial.
• Coping with Insecurity: Recognizing and managing imposter syndrome can lead to personal and professional growth.
• Holistic View: Integrate personal and professional lives for a cohesive and authentic approach to leadership and relationships.
  
  

Quotes

“If you want to be invited back, they have to look forward to you coming back.”

“Kindness is the endeavor to recognize the humans on the other side of each life situation with the intention to create the best available outcome for them.”

“Risk is the language of business internationally.”

“Being liked by everybody that's out the window, it's impossible. However, you can be easy to work with, maybe even fun to work with.”

“If you can figure out how to deliver a wonderful experience to someone, reducing their risk so that they feel safer and it doesn't make their day suck— that's gold.”

“We have the ability to touch and change the trajectory of lives with very simple things.”

Connect and learn more about Tim Wenzel.

Tim’s Book (The Kindness Games: How a Single Post Changed Our Mindset About Community)

This episode is brought to you by Sign In Solutions. If you found today’s conversation insightful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network. For more on transforming compliance, security, and workplace experiences, visit www.signinsolutions.com.