Episode #68: The Leadership Shifts Behind Every Crisis-Ready Team

The first leader Den Jones ever worked for broke his trust. Good thing—because that moment made Den a leader with a deep, lifelong commitment to serving his people.

In this episode, Altus executive coaches Lynette Winter and Dan Winter talk with Den—founder of 909Cyber, former Adobe and Cisco leader, and a storyteller whose Scottish wit cuts through complexity with honesty, humor, and practical insight. You’ll hear Den talk plainly about leading in a world of AI and fake profiles, shifting from “defensible moat” thinking to zero trust, repairing trust after a breach, setting standards that move work forward without burning people out, and creating simple communication rhythms that keep large, distributed teams aligned. You’ll hear the kind of grounded wisdom only someone who’s led teams through outages, breaches, and high-stakes pivots can offer.

🎧 Tune in for a conversation that will sharpen how you lead when the stakes rise.

Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear

01:45: What “zero trust” really means, and how it applies to leadership.
04:13: A reminder of the impact every leader has on the path of others.
07:24: How to cultivate leadership from every seat across your organization.
08:49: A distinction that unlocks higher collaboration and fewer silos.
10:45: A lens for strengthening team alignment and decision-making.
12:34: How transparency strengthens coordination and builds trust across large organizations.
15:54: Three brand words: a model for guiding distributed teams with clarity and consistency.
18:01: The say–do ratio: why trust is built through follow-through, not intention.
20:46: Naming gaps early: a practical insight for teams who want to deliver, not delay.
22:42: Repairing trust after a breach: guidance for leading through events organizations fear.
23:23: A shift in mindset that protects brand and credibility.
27:18: Making security everyone’s responsibility by connecting it to what people value most.
27:50: How to support the emotional well-being of cybersecurity leaders.
30:36: A leadership lesson in pairing strong governance with strong partnership.
33:40: Why “good enough” moves teams forward faster than perfection.
38:34: Creating an environment where every voice contributes to quality and progress.
40:38: Keeping large teams aligned through simple, steady communication rhythms.
41:54: Stepping into new environments and quickly understanding the current state.
46:32: Learning from mistakes while protecting your people and owning outcomes with integrity.

By the end of this conversation, you’ll hear answers to:

How can we better align our teams and communicate updates effectively?

To better align teams and communicate updates effectively, leaders need clear, consistent rhythms that keep everyone connected to what matters most. Den Jones emphasizes making roadmaps visible and revisiting them often, using simple weekly updates that highlight last week, next week, roadblocks, and wins, and creating transparent tools so everyone understands who is doing what and how work connects across the organization. Alignment also grows when teams understand each other’s parts of the business, not just their own, and when leaders invite voices from every level into strategy conversations to ensure clarity flows both ways. Most importantly, communication must remain clear, human, and consistent across cultures and time zones, reinforced by a strong say–do ratio that shows people they can trust what leaders communicate. Timestamps:10:45, 11:39, 12:35, 15:54, 38:05, 40:38-41:10

What steps can we take to prevent burnout among our cybersecurity team?

To prevent burnout in cybersecurity teams, leaders must treat emotional well-being as core infrastructure. Den Jones underscores that cyber roles operate under constant pressure and personal liability, making proactive care essential. He recommends teaching mindfulness, encouraging short breaks between high-stakes tasks, and normalizing breath work, movement, or quick walks to reset. Leaders should also reinforce perspective, reminding teams that mistakes are inevitable in fast, complex environments and that they will be supported, not punished, when things go wrong. Clear standards and realistic deadlines help reduce overload, while creating a culture where people can speak up early about challenges, preventing silent exhaustion from building. Trust, transparency, and shared responsibility are the backbone of a sustainable cyber team. Timestamps: 27:50, 20:46, 38:05, 46:32-49:25

How can we improve transparency and trust within our organization?

To improve transparency and trust, leaders must pair clear communication with visible follow-through. Den Jones stresses that trust is built through a strong “say–do ratio”—people believe leaders whose actions match their words. Transparency grows when teams share updates early, especially when work is off track, so problems become shared decisions rather than last-minute surprises. Creating simple, public-facing tools that show who is doing what, what’s in progress, and what’s paused helps teams see the broader picture and reduces confusion across large organizations. Den notes that defining a few consistent brand principles like trust, transparency, and getting things done gives people a clear, stable foundation for how the organization operates and makes decisions. When leaders communicate openly, own their gaps, and stay in steady conversation with their teams, trust naturally builds. Timestamps: 12:34, 15:54, 18:36, 20:46

To build that trust, you must trust my word, and then you must trust that I'll deliver what I said I would deliver.

About Den Jones

Den Jones, a pioneer in Zero Trust security, possesses over 35 years of IT and Security expertise across technology, finance, and manufacturing sectors. As a former Chief Security Officer at SonicWall (Banyan Security) and senior executive at Cisco and Adobe, Den’s organizations led the proactive strategies, execution, and operation of mission-critical services.  

A respected industry figure, Den has contributed to the Identity Defined Security Alliance, Microsoft’s Cyber Security Council, as well as several Zero Trust advisory boards. His teams have consistently delivered proactive enterprise-wide security services and robust authentication platforms.

Beyond his professional achievements, Den is a music producer with a pedigree that includes releasing on vinyl records. He balances his security innovation with diverse interests, including soccer, snowboarding, golf, fishing, and culinary arts, bringing a uniquely creative perspective to the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

You can connect with Den on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denwjones/. 

 

About Altus Growth Partners

At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results.

We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It’s in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose.

Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what’s possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them.

You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/ 

About the Book 

Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams.

Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action:

• What two promises turn a group into a team.

• How to engage people to make those promises.

• How to invite responsibility and accountability.

• How to include and inspire people across differences.

• How to build and rebuild trust, and more!

Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today!

Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS  

Order directly:
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If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we’d love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here: https://calendly.com/prollin-altusgrowth/zoom-video-30-min.

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Keywords: 

 

#Leadership #Cybersecurity #TeamAlignment