For cyber to thrive, we need more women

Hello, my name is Nastassia, and I am a Woman in Cyber.

At Deloitte, I work in Cyber Risk Management and Compliance. I have a legal background and prior to Deloitte, I worked with IT and data protection in a law firm. Even as a non-technical practitioner, I have learned a great many things about cybersecurity. For one, it’s much broader than I thought because there are so many angles to it. Tackling cyber from these different angles requires a diversity of people and ideas. For cyber to thrive, we need more women.

I became a part of the Women in Cyber initiative a little more than three years ago when I started in the Cybersecurity team.

Since then, it has been great to see women’s voices being normalized in positions of authority and expertise through this and other initiatives. Luckily I don’t have to wear mustaches for my work to be appreciated.

I believe giving women more opportunities will only improve workplace outcomes. We sometimes face situations where the person in front of you presumes you’re incompetent because of your gender.

Some time ago, a project I worked on hit a complication. A female manager and I proposed a solution to this situation. Luckily we didn’t have to wear a mustache to convince our team leader of our proposition, who listened to the facts and could make the point to the client!

In comparison, some years ago, a project I was working on was delayed for a few weeks. My female manager and I identified and proposed a solution, but we were not listened to.

Ultimately, we had to involve a more senior male colleague to repeat our message. This time our solution was taken into account, the problem was addressed, and the project moved forward. But all of this could have been avoided—not only our frustration but also the inefficient use of the team’s time, which directly affects the bottom line.

For a sector that prides itself as innovative and forward-looking, it is essential to value our resources. We must leverage all of our talents, not the least of which are our people and our women. Hiring more women is the right thing to do.