The Strategy Layer

The Strategy Layer

Home
Notes
Chat
Strategy Layer Live
Archive
About
AI Will Not Run IAM for You
Why Faster Answers Don’t Equal Better Outcomes in IAM
 • 
Steve Tout
Playing a Winnable Game: Why Cybersecurity Leaders Must Master Strategic Finance
Amid tightening budgets, short CISO tenures, and mounting pressures, the difference between burnout and breakthrough is framing cybersecurity as a game…
 • 
Steve Tout
From Data Protection to AI Security Posture Management: What I’ve Learned as an Early Advisor to TrustLogix
Why CIOs and CISOs Must Treat AI Security Posture Management as the Next Strategic Imperative for Data Governance and Enterprise Resilience
 • 
Steve Tout
From Compliance Theater to Human Leadership: Why Sidelining CISOs Normalizes Breaches
Boards that weaken security leadership reduce cybersecurity to performance art. CIOs and CISOs must reclaim their role as human-centered…
 • 
Steve Tout
Equity by Design: Lessons from Modernizing Consumer IAM in Washington State
A case study in balancing privacy, inclusion, and UX to deliver equity by design.
 • 
Steve Tout
The Next-Gen CISO: Leading Beyond Risk and Certs with Jimmy Sanders
Watch now (56 mins) | Cyber leadership is shifting — and the gulf between yesterday’s CISO and tomorrow’s is only growing.
56:16
Identity Is Moving Faster Than Your Roadmap
What NIST Rev 4 Signals — and Why CIOs and CISOs Must Act Before 2026
 • 
Steve Tout
The $2M Detour: When Good Intentions Derail Great Decisions
How one PAM project became a leadership lesson in timing, trust, and telling the truth
 • 
Steve Tout
Vibe CISOing: The Leadership Skill No Dashboard Can Teach You
Because the most important signals aren’t technical—they’re human.
 • 
Steve Tout
How To CISO with Andy Ellis
Listen now | Leadership Lessons for the Next-Gen Security Executive
 • 
Steve Tout
 and 
Andy Ellis
56:32
Governance Should Be a Living Doctrine — So Why Are We Measuring It Like It's Dead?
Beyond static scorecards: How Strategic Performance Intelligence transforms governance measurement for modern CISOs
 • 
Steve Tout
Governance Exists—But Does It Work?
The Difference Between Having Governance and Having Governance That Actually Works
 • 
Steve Tout
The Strategy Layer
The Strategy Layer
The Strategy Layer cuts through operational noise to help CISOs and cybersecurity leaders drive business results. Articles, insights, and conversations focused on smarter strategy, sharper alignment, and leadership that endures.
Recommendations
The Razor’s Edge
The Razor’s Edge
Steve Tout
Lexi Reese
Lexi Reese
Lexi Reese
The Candid CISO
The Candid CISO
Steve Tout
Live
Strategy Layer Live
Join us live!

The Strategy Layer

AboutArchiveRecommendationsSitemap
© 2025 Steve Tout
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture