Edward Tuorinsky, Managing Principal of DTS, brings two decades of experience in management, cybersecurity, compliance, and IT services to the table. Recently, he shared a story about a friend’s business getting hacked, causing the company to shut down operations for a day. The recovery process took weeks, costing the company a significant amount of money. This incident made Tuorinsky realize the power of storytelling in cybersecurity training.
Traditional cybersecurity training can often be mundane and repetitive. However, storytelling has proven to be a more effective and memorable way of educating employees on cybersecurity hygiene. Companies can no longer rely on one-time training sessions and need to create a culture of risk-reducing norms and behaviors. By incorporating games, phishing tests, microlearning modules, and storytelling into training programs, organizations can provide a more holistic and experiential education for employees.
The key to effective storytelling in cybersecurity training is selecting stories that have a real-world impact and resonates with employees. Real stories are up to 20% more effective in changing future behaviors compared to hypothetical scenarios. Details about specific situations and schemes, as well as the emotions involved, are crucial in making a story memorable and relatable for employees. While experts can provide valuable insights, personal anecdotes from regular individuals can have a more significant emotional impact on listeners.
By using storytelling in cybersecurity training, organizations can make traditional training more engaging and relatable for employees. Stories can be incorporated into micro-training emails or modules, emphasizing key lessons such as phishing attacks, risky smartphone behaviors, and company policies. Sharing stories about the role of employees as the first line of defense against cyber threats can motivate them to be vigilant and proactive in protecting company data.
Overall, the use of storytelling in cybersecurity training can help create a culture of cybersecurity awareness within organizations. The emotional connection made through storytelling can make training more impactful and memorable for employees, ultimately leading to a stronger defense against cyber threats. If companies want their employees to take cybersecurity seriously and be proactive in protecting company data, incorporating storytelling into training programs is a valuable strategy to consider.
