Over the past few years, emotional intelligence has been recognized as an instrumental trait for driving success at the workplace. Pertinent research published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education shows that a person possessing a higher Emotional Quotient is far more capable of making sound decisions, fostering and sustaining meaningful relationships, dealing effectively with stress, and coping to a greater extent with significant life changes. Such an individual would then perform exceptionally well at their workplace too. So far, only a few professionals have connected a higher EQ to a highly driven workplace, and Christian Espinosa is one of them.
The founder of Alpine Security and former Managing Director at Cerberus Sentinel, an publicly-traded (NASDAQ: CISO) IT Service Management Company located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Christian Espinosa is a seasoned cybersecurity expert. Over the past few years, cybersecurity has garnered significant attention in common parlance. Whether it is national governments or individual organizations, every entity requires a robust cybersecurity program to defend itself against the whims of cybercriminals. One pertinent example of how cybercriminals can be extremely dangerous is the alleged Kremlin involvement in the US Presidential elections of 2016. From hacking presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign to spreading propaganda on various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, Russian hackers boosted the probability of Donald Trump’s election. Overall, they sowed the seeds of distrust in the American political system.
Christian Espinosa aims to raise awareness regarding the harmful effects of cybercrime and empower customers to protect their valuable data from potential criminals. He believes that the current cybersecurity infrastructure is inadequate at tackling the complex threats posed by cybercriminals who’ve only become more audacious at breaking down defences and stealing sensitive information from individuals and organizations alike.
The Evolution of Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Threats
In the 1970s, the world was introduced to the first-ever cyber-attack, when Kevin Mitnick, former American computer security consultant and convicted hacker, successfully penetrated some of the most highly-secured global networks, including Motorola and Nokia. Although considered trivial, the attack paved the way for a new type of crime, i.e., cybercrime. Since then, cyberattacks have become far more sophisticated with technological advancement. According to research published in Security Magazine, today’s hackers attack digital devices with Internet access every 40 seconds on average. As a result of the increasing threat of cyber-attacks, the authorities concerned have also upped their defences. For example, in 2018, the US Department of Homeland Security published a comprehensive guide for tackling cyber threats. The plan consists of five primary functions: identifying cybersecurity risks, protecting cybersecurity programs, establishing a clear cybersecurity protocol, responding to the cyber-attack, and devising a recovery plan once the threat has subsided.
The Union of Cybersecurity and Emotional Intelligence
Cybersecurity has always been Christian Espinosa’s strongest forte since the beginning of his career in the 1990s. As a military officer in the United States Air Force Academy, he acquired valuable experience building and analysing sophisticated cybersecurity systems. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, he realized that despite having professionals on board, something was missing in the cybersecurity domain. After careful research, Christian Espinosa concluded that employees’ lack of emotional intelligence towards teamwork, communication, and problem-solving made it difficult for organizations to combat cybercrime. For instance, individuals would often shy away from asking questions to fellow employees as they thought they would be ridiculed. Similarly, if someone had a unique idea about a particular issue, they’d rather keep it to themselves than share it for fear of appearing too unconventional. That’s when Christian Espinosa decided to launch a firm specializing in integrating emotional intelligence at the workplace, thereby contributing to higher employee productivity and enhanced cybersecurity systems.
“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.” (Marshall B. Rosenberg, American psychologist)
The 7 Step Methodology to Enhancing EQ
In the ground-breaking research, Christian Espinosa has penned his entire life’s experiences in the domain of cybersecurity. He claims that when companies hire emotionally unintelligent personnel to protect their sensitive information, they commit a grave mistake. Such ego-centric individuals who cannot process their emotions are bound to misinterpret cybersecurity threats and weaken their organization’s defences. Christian Espinosa’s book serves as a potent guide for business owners and leaders on building an emotionally intelligent workforce that could devise cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.
In addition to formulating and implementing avant-garde solutions for the cybersecurity industry, Christian Espinosa is also a remarkable endurance athlete. So far, he has completed 24 Ironman Triathlons, 300 skydives, 200 scuba dives, and 50-mile ultramarathons. He has also trained with the iconic British adventurer Bear Grylls in mastering the art of survival in inhospitable terrains. His diverse outdoor experiences have made him more robust physically and mentally and transformed him into a more humane individual.
