When it’s all said and done—if everything goes well, that is—you will have created an environment where your key management team assembles regularly to debate and make decisions. As the leader, this means that you have effectively let go of the day-to-day minutiae of the security department and limited your focus. In my case, I have managed to narrow the time I spend on daily operations to the two days that my SET meets each month. Of course, I am free to insert myself more than that, either as my schedule allows or because of my interest in a topic. But I don’t have to get involved to count on things being done appropriately.

What does this mean? Now that this process is in place, I can move beyond the tactical. After all, this is what the organization really needs from the CSO: a focus on the long-term alignment and creative applications of the security mission with the direction of the business. Through this process, the CSO can effectively open up his or her calendar.

Also, I have found that a separate and welcome benefit of this team approach is that now I can periodically begin a SET meeting with a strategic topic. Having opened the door for my SET members to engage in unrestricted, constructive debate on key tactical issues, I can also sit back and enjoy the benefits of a strategic discussion, making use of collective team wisdom.

CSO Undercover is written anonymously by a real CSO. Send feedback to csoundercover@cxo.com.