Indira Khurana Goswami

I attribute my success to hard work and persistence. When I transitioned into Program Management, I quickly realized that I wasn’t as technical as many of the engineers I worked with — but I made up for it through dedication and a relentless focus on details. I often caught things that others might overlook — nuances in requirements, inconsistencies in documentation, or gaps between development and QA. That attention to detail became one of my quiet strengths and helped me earn credibility with both technical and business teams.

Transparent communication has always been one of my strongest tools. Keeping stakeholders informed and aligned has helped me earn trust and drive results across complex, cross-functional teams.

For many, professional success is measured by titles, promotions, or the number of people they manage. For me, success has always been about how many colleagues I could help succeed, uplift, and empower along the way — and how many challenges I could help solve by sharing my knowledge. Even without a formal team reporting to me, I was a leader in my own way. Over the years, the greatest gratification has come from hearing words like, “I wouldn’t be in my role if it weren’t for you,” or “I couldn’t have completed this task without your help.”

And perhaps most importantly, I believe that structure and discipline truly pay off. Starting meetings on time, respecting everyone’s schedule, and sticking to the agenda may sound simple, but it sets a tone of accountability and professionalism that people notice and appreciate.

Small wins lead to big wins !

Take ownership of your career path by being communicative about your goals and honing your self-leadership skills. Don't wait for your manager to suggest changes or opportunities for growth.

One of the biggest challenges I noticed in the cybersecurity industry is its deeply ingrained culture of technical dominance — often driven by confidence that borders on arrogance. It’s an environment where strong opinions sometimes overshadow collaboration, and where leadership opportunities don’t always extend beyond familiar circles.

But that challenge also presents a tremendous opportunity. The need for inclusive, emotionally intelligent leadership has never been greater. Teams thrive when they bring together diverse perspectives — technical and non-technical, analytical and empathetic — because real innovation happens when people feel both safe and heard.

I believe the future of cybersecurity leadership belongs to those who combine expertise with humility — the ones who listen as much as they lead.

One of the values I hold most closely, both at work and in life, is authenticity — doing the work with integrity and letting results speak for themselves. I’ve always believed that consistency, reliability, and quiet competence build far more trust than constant self-promotion.

I deeply value accountability and follow-through — if I commit to something, I make sure it gets done. Over the years, I’ve seen that people remember not who spoke the loudest in meetings, but who delivered when it mattered.

Equally important to me are respect and accessibility — treating everyone’s time and effort with value. To me, leadership is about showing up, being reachable, and leading by example, not just by words.