AM Exclusive Technicity Newsletter Issue 2 | Page 3

MORE WARNINGS ABOUT
THE NEED TO PROTECT YOUR
BUSINESS FROM PRINTER
VULNERABILITIES
3 WAYS TO LEAD VS. MANAGE AND
WHY IT WILL HELP YOUR BUSINESS
BY: ARASELE NAZARIO, ACCOUNTING MANAGER,
A M EXCLUSIVE BUSINESS MACHINES, INC.
F
orbes.com recently published an article
discussing vulnerabilities with office printers
entitled “Cyberattack Warning As Dangerous
Issues Found on Popular Office Printers:
Report.” In it, author Zak Doffman concludes
that “those innocuous devices could be the easiest
entry point for cyber attackers into small businesses,
enterprises and government departments” and
encourages everyone to “ask your support team
when the last time all those printers were inventoried,
checked and patched.” And recently at DEF CON, there
was a session entitled “Why You Should Fear Your
Mundane Office Equipment” that exposed additional
vulnerabilities of printers across manufacturers.
Many IT professionals think that their company’s
firewall is a good enough defense against any attacks
aimed at their printers; however, best security
practices speak to having multilayers of defense. Most
companies are missing the mark on simple things like
applying firmware updates, avoiding default passwords,
and enforcing their own security setting policies.
Learn more about why your firewall shouldn’t be
your only defense and what else you should do by
downloading the white paper “Print Devices: An
Overlooked Network Security Risk” at
www.amexclusive.com/print-devices-security-risk.
L
“One is too small a number
to achieve greatness.”
—John C. Maxwell
eadership is a word that has gained popularity in the last 20
years. Organizations have come to realize that the focus on
management lacked an important factor. While management
deals primarily with systems, leadership, on the other hand,
focuses on people and their potential. Once you add people to
the equation, you can make great things happen. Here are three ways to
start developing and nurturing a leadership culture to create a difference
in your organization.
# 1 PUT PEOPLE ABOVE TASKS
One of the most important lessons learned in leadership is that people
“buy in” to the leader before they “buy in” to the vision of the organization.
In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, John speaks
about the “Law of Connection” which says leaders touch a heart before
they ask for a hand. People are motivated by leaders who genuinely care
about them. That is why it is important to put people above tasks.
In Be Nice (Or Else!) by Winn Claybaugh, Winn critiques the common phrase
“It’s business, not personal.” Winn says “….here’s where businesses often go
blind—to every task that must be performed, a human being is attached. I
would like to propose that your relationship with those human beings is far
more important than getting the task accomplished.”
#2 EMPOWER AND ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM
Teams are crucial to an organization. When you put together a strong
team and empower them, extraordinary things can happen. Leaders must
recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their people. A team is as
strong as its weakest link. If you place people in the area of their strength,
they will shine. Not only will they perform well but they will also develop a
passion for the overall vision of the organization. Don’t expect your team
to step up on their own. They need your permission and encouragement to
lead in their role.
#3 LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TYPES TO CREATE
HEALTHY CONFLICT
We all work and process life differently—it is these differences that
make us so great! So why is it that people have such a hard time working
together? The main reason is a lack of understanding. Addressing that is the
key to creating healthy conflict in your organization. In the past, we didn’t
have the tools we have today to pinpoint personality types. Now there
are countless assessments that can help you and your team to learn more
about each other’s personality and how to work best with others. When
you come to understand the mechanics of the people you lead, you can
create a structure that makes sense to your vision and the people you have.
As your IT team grows, consider the leadership approach. Don’t just
manage your team—lead it. You will discover that there is a great
difference and your organization will be better for it.