Communication challenges frequently prevent technical and non-technical teams from collaborating effectively on security initiatives. Diverse working groups are essential for developing sound cybersecurity strategies, but progress often stalls without a firm foundation of trust. At this year's RSAC Conference, Rebecca Grapsy and Kevin Grapsy, a husband-and-wife team, will discuss this dynamic based on their personal and professional experiences.
Bridging technical expertise and clear communication
Rebecca, a communications professional, and Kevin, who has a deep technical background, have observed the friction that occurs when technical expertise lacks clear, actionable translation. Their joint presentation stems including lived experience rather than abstract corporate theory.
"Kevin is one of those people who has this really unique or rare ability and talk really succinctly about technical items," Rebecca explains. "There are a lot of people who are technically brilliant but aren't necessarily good at translating that."
This observation sparked an initiative to share their combined expertise and address the divide between different organizational functions. For Kevin, clear communication—especially with leadership—is a significant career asset that drives practical outcomes. Discussing security issues with executives requires context that aligns with their operational priorities.
"You have to be able to tell them essentials of what's happening on the factory floor," he says. "They don't care about the firewall; they care about the factory floor."
Aligning goals to reduce organizational friction
To help security practitioners navigate these challenges, the pair developed "The Five Points of Friction Framework." One primary source of friction they identify is misaligned objectives between technical and non-technical groups.
To resolve this, Rebecca suggests establishing a shared North Star—a unified objective that all stakeholders can support. This objective must be stated in plain language. "It shouldn't be hard to explain," she says. "I should be able to call my dad and explain it to him on the phone. It should make sense to everyone involved." Establishing this baseline creates a joint sense of accomplishment and allows diverse teams to celebrate collective success.
Another critical point of friction is trust. Building trust requires establishing boundaries and creating a safe environment for open communication, ensuring that sharing information does not introduce unnecessary risk. This involves setting an expectation where team members can speak candidly, knowing sensitive information will remain secure. In technical and intelligence operations, Kevin notes that acknowledging uncertainty with a simple "I don't know" is a valid and constructive response.
The ultimate objective of identifying these friction points is to equip professionals with practical methods to build trust and improve communication with stakeholders. Effective collaboration protects the organization and ensures that technical initiatives achieve a lasting impact.
Summarizing the core purpose of their initiative, Rachel notes: "When you can't translate those really cool technical ideas, or that technical knowledge to the people who are making decisions, to leadership, to the boardroom, it can kind of get lost. And that's what we’re trying to avoid here. We're trying to build a bridge."