5 answers
Logan
Student
Rochester, Minnesota
5
Questions
Asked
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What is the most Important soft skill for a Cybersecurity Analyst ?
i would also like to know why it is important and how it is used in the workplace, please and thank you.
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5 answers
David Allen
Consultant
84
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
David’s Answer
The most critical soft skill for a Cybersecurity Analyst is Communication. This skill is paramount because a security analyst's job doesn't end with detecting a threat or vulnerability; it requires ensuring that the right people take the right action. Effective communication allows an analyst to translate highly technical and complex issues—such as a critical vulnerability in a server or an active malware infection—into clear, concise language that is relevant to the audience. This includes drafting precise technical reports for fellow IT and security colleagues, and, most importantly, creating non-technical executive summaries for management. The ability to articulate the business risk (e.g., loss of customer data, financial cost, reputational damage) is essential to secure resources and gain buy-in for security measures.
In the workplace, communication is used daily for multiple vital functions, especially during high-stress situations like an incident response. When a breach occurs, the analyst must communicate rapidly and calmly to coordinate teams across the organization—from IT staff who need technical instructions for mitigation to the legal team requiring accurate details for regulatory disclosure. Furthermore, a major part of the analyst's role involves security awareness training and education, where clear communication is used to empower non-technical employees to become a "human firewall" against common attacks like phishing. Without strong communication, the analyst's technical findings and protective efforts remain siloed, preventing the entire organization from effectively defending itself.
In the workplace, communication is used daily for multiple vital functions, especially during high-stress situations like an incident response. When a breach occurs, the analyst must communicate rapidly and calmly to coordinate teams across the organization—from IT staff who need technical instructions for mitigation to the legal team requiring accurate details for regulatory disclosure. Furthermore, a major part of the analyst's role involves security awareness training and education, where clear communication is used to empower non-technical employees to become a "human firewall" against common attacks like phishing. Without strong communication, the analyst's technical findings and protective efforts remain siloed, preventing the entire organization from effectively defending itself.
Sara Doyle
Exhibits Coordinator
6
Answers
Douglas, Wyoming
Updated
Sara’s Answer
Logan,
Great question. There are so many possible answers, but one thing I've noticed that many of the IT workers (from tech support to analysts and beyond) often struggle with is emotional intelligence (EI). EI has four areas, and improving in all of them will help you in all areas of life, not just work, but specifically for IT related jobs, being able to relate better to others by understanding their emotions (or at least reading them and then knowing how to respond well) will add honey to all your interactions--a sweet finish that leaves a positive impression.
The good thing is, you can improve your EI. I suggest the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Greaves Jean and Travis Bradberry as a starting point. I've used it in several communications trainings and it's helped in multiple jobs and in my personal life.
Great question. There are so many possible answers, but one thing I've noticed that many of the IT workers (from tech support to analysts and beyond) often struggle with is emotional intelligence (EI). EI has four areas, and improving in all of them will help you in all areas of life, not just work, but specifically for IT related jobs, being able to relate better to others by understanding their emotions (or at least reading them and then knowing how to respond well) will add honey to all your interactions--a sweet finish that leaves a positive impression.
The good thing is, you can improve your EI. I suggest the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Greaves Jean and Travis Bradberry as a starting point. I've used it in several communications trainings and it's helped in multiple jobs and in my personal life.
Siva Kann
VP of Products & Technology
31
Answers
Cincinnati, Ohio
Updated
Siva’s Answer
Hello Logan,
I 100% agree with the answers above. I lead teams with security analysts and cybersecurity engineers, and it’s great to see you wanting to level up in such a technical field. Most students know what skills are important — but very few know how to actually build those skills. So here are some practical ways to develop them:
1. Build case studies from real security problems.
Pick a security incident or vulnerability and write a short case study in your own words. Then refine it so that anyone; a friend, parent, or classmate can understand it. Explain it to your buddy. Make this a recurring habit. You would be surprised how much this improves your clarity, articulation, and problem-solving. Who knows, maybe I’ll see your articles on LinkedIn one day.
2. Learn the WHY behind security, not just the HOW.
Study major security regulations, standards, and how breaches affect customers, companies, and society. This widens your perspective beyond tools and techniques and builds empathy, which is one of the most underrated soft skills in cybersecurity.
3. Practice structured thinking under pressure.
In cybersecurity, you often diagnose issues fast. Try breaking down any problem into: What happened? → Why? → What’s the impact? → What should we do next? This trains you to stay calm, think clearly, and communicate efficiently during incidents.
At the end of the day, knowing but not doing is the same as not knowing. Build these habits early, and they compound over time.
Good luck!
– Siva
I 100% agree with the answers above. I lead teams with security analysts and cybersecurity engineers, and it’s great to see you wanting to level up in such a technical field. Most students know what skills are important — but very few know how to actually build those skills. So here are some practical ways to develop them:
1. Build case studies from real security problems.
Pick a security incident or vulnerability and write a short case study in your own words. Then refine it so that anyone; a friend, parent, or classmate can understand it. Explain it to your buddy. Make this a recurring habit. You would be surprised how much this improves your clarity, articulation, and problem-solving. Who knows, maybe I’ll see your articles on LinkedIn one day.
2. Learn the WHY behind security, not just the HOW.
Study major security regulations, standards, and how breaches affect customers, companies, and society. This widens your perspective beyond tools and techniques and builds empathy, which is one of the most underrated soft skills in cybersecurity.
3. Practice structured thinking under pressure.
In cybersecurity, you often diagnose issues fast. Try breaking down any problem into: What happened? → Why? → What’s the impact? → What should we do next? This trains you to stay calm, think clearly, and communicate efficiently during incidents.
At the end of the day, knowing but not doing is the same as not knowing. Build these habits early, and they compound over time.
Good luck!
– Siva
Val Mongina
Cybersecurity Engineer
10
Answers
McKinney, Texas
Updated
Val’s Answer
This is a very good question. I think about two major soft skills. Communication to be able to learn and explain your work or project status in details to others and empathy to help create a positive learning environment for everyone. For example, team members can open to admit that they are wrong or don’t know something. This fosters growth, helps you to grow and acquire new skills faster because you care and understand not everyone knows everything. You are also free to ask for help
Marcus Bell Sr.
Fiber Analyst
2
Answers
Norfolk, Virginia
Updated
Marcus’s Answer
Logan,
Great question! Being empathetic is key when helping others. Listen carefully to their whole story and try to see things from their perspective before solving the problem. When customers feel heard and valued, they tend to be more patient as you find a solution.
In IT, anyone who asks you a question is your customer.
Great question! Being empathetic is key when helping others. Listen carefully to their whole story and try to see things from their perspective before solving the problem. When customers feel heard and valued, they tend to be more patient as you find a solution.
In IT, anyone who asks you a question is your customer.