25 years in cybersecurity taught her this about staying calm under fire with Jonna Garber

Episode NotesThe call that changed how she leads. During COVID, Jonna led a remote steering committee call with the full executive team. After weeks of preparation, the CIO asked what it would take in time and money to get the program through. Jonna paused, set the charts aside, and told the committee what she saw: leaders misaligned on expectations, and only they could define what they wanted from the program. She was scared. Her company backed her, because its culture was to do right by the client. Topics Covered Choosing truth over comfort in an executive steering committee The brain's threat check and the prefrontal cortex as the brain CEO Navy boot camp, general quarters, and trained regulation Pressure-Proof Leadership™ as a drill and a framework Reacting versus responding during AI transformation Clarity of mission, outcome, and role as a leadership act AI adoption, validation, and the human at the center Managing AI agents, machine identities, and access AI governance and protecting intellectual property Commander's intent and team autonomy Technology change and the constants of great leadership What You'll Learn Why clarity beats speed when everything is on fire How to prepare for the half second before you choose truth over comfort How military-style drills train the brain to cut through noise How to move your team from reacting to responding What clarity of mission, outcome, and role gives a team Where AI adoption creates risk, from invented answers to machine identities Why governance questions (what, why, who owns it) belong at the start of any AI rollout How commander's intent lets people decide without waiting for approval Timestamps [00:00:00] Opening: The steering committee call where truth beat comfort [00:01:00] Introduction: Why clarity beats speed, and guest Jonna Garber, cybersecurity leader and Navy veteran [00:02:00] The Moment That Changed How She Leads: A remote call with the full executive team listening [00:03:00] The CIO's Question: Time and money, and the choice to name the misalignment [00:04:00] The Aftermath: A deep breath, supportive texts, and a culture of doing right by the client [00:05:00] The Brain Under Pressure: The threat check, the prefrontal cortex, and trained regulation [00:06:00] Navy Boot Camp: Folding a towel on a timer and removing the noise [00:07:00] General Quarters: Knowing exactly where to go, and why the switch can be trained [00:08:00] Pressure-Proof Leadership™: Drills and frameworks that align leadership teams [00:09:00] AI Transformation: The biggest struggle organizations face right now [00:10:00] React Versus Respond: Why leadership stays the same while technology changes [00:11:00] Creating the Conditions: Clarity of mission, outcome, and role [00:12:00] AI Adoption: Where organizations are and who gets access [00:13:00] The Human at the Center: Validating AI, managing agents and machine identities [00:14:00] Governance: Knowing what you have, who owns it, and what goes into AI tools [00:15:00] AI Adoption Is a When: Moving into rapid fire with one word for pressure [00:16:00] Rapid Fire: The moment you know you are leading well, and commander's intent [00:17:00] Rapid Fire: What Jonna wishes she had known earlier in her career [00:18:00] Rapid Fire: Her leadership motto, plus the Pressure and Performance Scorecard [00:19:00] The Leadership Skill Nobody Taught You, and how to reach Jonna [00:20:00] Closing Thoughts: Trust, clear communication, and thoughtful governance [00:21:00] Sign-Off: Lead boldly, stay human Mentioned in This EpisodePressure and Performance Scorecard (free diagnostic): https://clairehayek.com/pp-scorecardThe Leadership Skill Nobody Taught You: Calm Under Fire in the Age of Disruption by Claire Hayek: https://a.co/d/0cKTUYPBJonna Garber on LinkedIn: [URL to be verified and inserted]Jonna Garber's website: in development, URL to be added when livePressure-Proof Leadership™: https://clairehayek.com/book-resources (hub, pending footer lock)Follow Janne Switzer on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonna-switzer-garber The Leadership Skill Nobody Taught You (#1 bestseller book) is out now. Order it here.Ready to train your brain for resilience and high performance? Join Claire's Mental Fitness Masterclass hereUse code: NLEdgePodcast for 50% OFF exclusive to my podcast listenersFor free resources, assessments, and everything else: https://clairehayek.com/book-resources(Pressure Archetype, PP Scorecard, Reset Scripts, and more all live here)Follow Claire Hayek on LinkedInRead Claire's newsletter on Substack hereSubscribe to The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast for brain-based strategies to lead with clarity, courage, and impact. clairehayek.com/podcast The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast is produced by Claire Hayek,bestselling author. All opinions are those of the host and guests. For more leadership resources, visit clairehayek.com