On this episode, hosts Tim York and Jackie Henrich talk to Susanne Senoff, CISO of PROS, about making security human, building trust through connection and leading with authenticity. Susanne shares lessons from her unconventional career path, her views on psychological safety and how she builds resilient, empowered teams in high-stakes environments.
Key Takeaways:
(03:56) Making security fun starts with creating psychological safety and room for humor — even in high-pressure environments.
(11:29) Serving internal and external customers while driving meaningful security impact.
(13:44) Missed connections in security often stem from a lack of listening and failure to understand business constraints.
(15:58) Moving from individual contributor to leader means learning how to create impact through others.
(20:39) When expectations are clear and support is real, people rise to the challenge.
(24:41) Realizing the value of asking for help and knowing what energizes you.
(34:22) Mentorship often comes through informal moments, not structured relationships.
(40:14) Not all mentors give good advice. Leadership means filtering input and trusting your gut.
(45:00) Engaging with “grumpy gooses” is a fast path to trust and alignment because of their honesty.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-elizer-senoff-575ba96/
PROS | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pros/
PROS | Website
https://pros.com/
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